SpringfieldMO.org; @LoveSpringfield
According to Lucy Atwood, communications manager for Springfield CVB, Springfield is where culture, community, and nature come together in unexpected ways. “One moment, you’re kayaking on the James River; the next, you’re settling in for a Broadway performance. This effortless blend of outdoor adventure and urban life creates an authentic and naturally original experience,” she says.
“Our city is built on bold ideas,” Atwood adds. “In 1926, we put Route 66 on the map, forever changing how America travels.”
Springfield’s innovative spirit continues to define and shape the city, which thrives on creativity and entrepreneurship, Atwood says. “We’re home to the Original Bass Pro Shops, O’Reilly Auto Parts, the original cashew chicken, and the only ride-thru cave in America—just a few of the things that make us one of a kind. For planners, this is a place where every event is part of a story worth telling.”
The 267-room University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center is across the street from the Springfield Expo Center; the two facilities offer a combined 150,000 square feet of function space to seat up to 1,500 guests theater style. The 173-room Oasis Hotel & Convention Center has more than 30,000 square feet of function space, and the 203-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Springfield has 21,588 square feet of meeting and event space, including the recently opened Glendalough Conference Center, which can host 500 guests banquet style or 800 theater style. Downtown’s AAA Four Diamond Hotel Vandivort has 97 guest rooms and recently expanded its meeting and event space, including a rooftop ballroom and a 1,500-square-foot meeting hall.
Additional event space includes White River Conference Center, adjacent to Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, with space to host 650 conference guests and accommodations at the Anglers Lodge across the street. At Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center, the recently opened Wilson Logistics Arena has 222,400 square feet of event space, including a 10,000-person event capacity and arena seating for 6,400 guests on the main level.
