A: The project development team is led by Garfield Public/Private, LLC (GPP) from Dallas, Texas. GPP has over 25 years of experience in developing and financing headquarters hotels that support conference centers, convention centers, and other public facilities.  That experience helps reduce risk and ensures the city benefits from proven best practices.  GPP is responsible for coordinating the work of planning, design, construction, and financial service professionals and incorporating those elements into a strategic business plan which will serve as a complete blueprint for the development.  GPP will implement the plan through pre-construction, and construction phases to opening of the facility.

A: Jefferson city is the hub for state government and statewide associations, many of which desire to host conferences and meetings in the capital city.  Many of thse groups have hosted events in Jefferison City, however, in recent years many events have been moved to other cities because our current faclities have insufficient size and quality to accommodate these groups.

A conference center with larger, modern meeting and exhibit space along with an attached full-service hotel is needed to accommodate the damand that the market desires. Jefferson City does not need to create demand – it needs facilities that will meet the demand that already exists. 

A: As the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City is teh hub of state government and home to over 125 statewide professional organizations and policy groups that regularly host meetings and conferences tied to public policy, advocacy, edutation, and regulatory issues.  These organizations prefer to hold events in Jefferson City due to its central location and proximity to elected officals, state agencies and legislators.  However, teh existing meeting facilities in Jefferson City cannot accommodate teh size and quaility requirements for these organizations. Market projections indicate that 60%-70% of hotel demand will come from conferences and events returning to Jefferson City once modern meeting space is available. 

A: Jefferson City’s central location and its role as Missouri’s state capital make it fundamentally different from other destinations.  When groups rotate their events around Missouri, Jefferson City should be a cornerstone of that cycle. The Jefferson City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau receives reports from meeting planners that reinforce this – attendance is consistently stronger when events are held in central Missouri, which shows that geography alone gives Jefferson City a competitave edge.

In addition, as the seat of state government, Jefferson City is uniquely positioned to host statewide associations, legislative advocacy groups, policy organizations, and professional meetings that need proximity to lawmakers, state agencies, and regulatory decision-makers.

A: CBRE, Inc., an independent global leader in commercial real estate advisory services, completed a comprehensive study of the Jefferson City hospitality market.  The market study inculded inspection of the proposed site and surrounding area, analysis of current economic and demographic trends, reviewed historical performance of competitive lodging facilities, estimated growth in market demand, forcasted performance measures, and revenue projections for the proposed hotel and conference center.

The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau is in direct contact with meeting planners regarding their desire to host events in Jefferson City, but the current facilities do not meet their needs. That feedback is reinforced by a letter of support signed by dozens of statewide associations expressing support for the development of a Jefferson City conference center and outlines the challenges they face due to the lack of modern meeting space in the capital city. Associations Support Letter

A: When Jefferson City attracts meetings, seminars, and conferences, the impact goes beyond the event itself.  Visitors spend money across multiple sectors, which translates directly into tax revenue that supports local services. The increased group travel induced by the project is expected to generate $38 million in annual spending, creating 333 new jobs in Cole County.  Additionally $203 million in spending and 504 jobs are expected to be created during the construction period.  Local businesses will see increased patronage with visitors supporting downtown restaurants and shops, translating to higher tax revenues to fund city services and infrastrucutre. 

Local residents will also benefit from a first-class venue to host local events and a modern parking facility providing accessible spaces for the community and fostering regional economic growth and connectivity.

 A: Based on the anticipated market demand, the current design concept includes the following project program:

Conference Center
•  16,485 SF Ballroom (divisible into smaller meeting rooms)
•    4,239 SF Jr. Ballroom (divisible into smaller meeting rooms)
•    1,204 SF Meeting Rooms
•       462 SF Boardroom
22,390 SF of Conference Space

Additional 13,242 SF of flexible event space

Hotel
•  203 room full-service nationally branded hotel
•  Lobby restaurant/lounge & café
•  Terrace restaurant/lounge
•  Amenities such as fitness center, swimming pool, and business center

A:  The conference center project includes a new parking garage that will replace the Madison Street parking garage which is currently being demolished due to significant structural deterioriation, inefficient circulation, deficient lighting, and needed mechanical, electrical, and plubming maintenance. 

The new parking garage will will accommodate public hourly parking, monthly lease holders as well as conference center visitors and overnight hotel guests. The new garage will be designed ot the latest code standards with simplified ciruclation, ADA accessibility, improved lighting and security, improved signage and wayfinding, updated access control, and EV charging stations. 

A: The conference center project is financed in two primary ways:

1. Using funds we already have
2. Using funds we will pay back over time

Neither source of funding comes from the city’s general revenue. These funds come from the project itself or sources dedicated to this project.

Funds we already have:

1. 1. Lodging tax savings — lodging tax funds that have been collected on hotel room stays since 2011
   2. Parking funds — the balance of net parking revenues collected through the city’s parking system
   3. Tax credits — tax credits awarded to the project from the State of Missouri
   4. State of Missouri appropriation — funding directly from the state of Missouri
   5. ARPA grant — a grant awarded to the project
   6. Private contributions

Funds we will pay back over time:

1. 1. Lodging tax bond — this bond/loan is paid back using future lodging taxes collected in Jefferson City
   2. Parking revenue bond — this bond/loan is paid back using future net parking revenues collected across the city
   3. Hotel and incentive revenue bond — this bond/loan is paid back using net revenue collected from the hotel and conference center, as well as the taxes collected directly from the hotel and conference center

A: The project has no current direct on the city’s general fund. In the future, the hotel market study projects the net revenue from hotel and conference center operations will exceed the required debt service payments creating a “profit” to the city which may be utilized to accelerate debt payments or transferred into the city’s unrestricted general fund.

A:  Conceptual planning, design, and development of the pre-development business plan were completed in 2024 and submitted to the city in January 2025.  Pre-construction services began in June 2025 and includes continued architectural and engineering design, aligning with the project budget at each phase, final construction documents, preparation of contractor guaranteed maximum price, finalizing capital financing, determining hotel brand and management structure, further development of the business plan, and finalizing operating and ownership agreements.  This pre-construction phase is anticipated to last approximately 12 months, with completion expected by spring 2026.  Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026, lasting approximately 24 months, with the conference center opening as soon as spring 2028.