Info on convention center vote is flooding Springfield. Who's paying? – Springfield News-Leader

In stark contrast to November’s election, when Springfield voters first voted on an increased lodging tax for a new convention center, the weeks leading up to the April 7 election have been full of yard signs, online materials and mailers.
Two local political action committees are ramping up their efforts to advocate for a “yes” vote that would increase the city’s hotel/motel tax, collected on hotel rooms and short-term rentals, by 3 percentage points for 35 years in order to fund a $175 million renovation and expansion of the Springfield Expo Center at 635 E. St. Louis St.
Publicly funded entities limited by state law on how much they can say are stepping up their informational campaigns, as well.
The vast majority of yard signs and a digital ad advocating for the hotel/motel tax increase have been paid for by Friends of SGF, a new PAC formed specifically for the ballot measure. Digital ads shared via streaming services currently do not explicitly fall under the same federal disclosure requirements as do broadcast political advertisements, according to the Campaign Legal Center. Friends of SGF is co-chaired by Sally Hargis and Marshall Kinne.
Kinne confirmed the PAC is running digital advertising and noted the group has received “an overwhelmingly positive response” to its campaign.
Another Springfield PAC, the Committee for the Future (CFF), has also sent out mailers. CFF is used by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board to advocate for local issues. After the Chamber dissolved its Good Government Committee in 2023, all the funds held by that committee were transferred to CFF.
More information on donations to the PACs and details about exactly how much they have spent on the April 7 election will be available after the next Missouri Ethics Commission reporting deadline on Monday, March 30.
Although there have not been any PACs or financial campaigns formed to collectively advocate against the lodging tax increase, some have voiced opposition to the ballot measure. Springfield Tenants Unite, or STUN, is among those promoting a “no” vote, including organizing canvassing events around the community.
While the aforementioned materials are very explicit in advocating for approval of the lodging tax increase, several other messages made by the city and the local tourism organization are more general. Under state law, tax-funded entities like the city cannot advocate for or against candidates and ballot measures and are allowed only to inform and educate voters about upcoming issues.
Visit Springfield, the new name for the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, is running ads on KY3 to inform local voters of the upcoming ballot question. As an entity primarily funded through tourism tax dollars, Visit Springfield cannot advocate for a yes or a no vote. The ad shares several details and projections made in the Hunden Partners report presented to Springfield City Council in July that outline what the consultants said Springfield needs in terms of facilities to meet market demands.
According to the contract for TV ads provided to the News-Leader, Visit Springfield is paying for nearly $13,000 worth of ads, which includes 29 ad spots to play over the course of the three weeks up to Election Day. Visit Springfield President Mark Hecquet said the organization has also paid for digital and social media ads to reach “as many Springfieldians as possible.”
The November vote, which ultimately failed, lacked both organized campaign efforts and a broader range of education on the issue. An online survey facilitated by the city after the vote indicated additional details about the proposed project could result in stronger support of the ballot issue. Hecquet said that because of the lack of information in the fall, many people likely didn’t even know about the question being on the ballot.
Now, the effort is focused on providing that broader information. As an organization representing the tourism industry, Hecquet said it is important for Visit Springfield to educate local residents about the tourism the Queen City does attract and to protect and grow the industry in the future.
More: City unveils conceptual design for new Springfield convention center
During his report to Springfield City Council at the Monday, March 23 meeting, City Manager David Cameron said the city did send out educational mailers regarding the April 7 election. He said to date, the city has spent $6,200 in educational efforts ahead of the election, which includes both printing and mailing of the postcards.
The city has said its materials have been strictly informational and were subject to a rigorous review by the legal department. However, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, who is being prosecuted for allegedly using public funds to advocate for a ballot issue, cited Springfield’s convention center materials in court filings, comparing them to his own mailers while arguing for his case to be dismissed.
Beyond educational material costs, the city has also spent $376,500 on pre-design work from Populous and has set aside roughly $230,000 to pay for the election itself, a similar amount it paid in November.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

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