Springfield Adds Hotel In Response To Meetings Business

One of the nation's most densely hoteled cities now has another major entry. A Crowne Plaza recently debuted in the Illinois state capital, bringing the number of area sleeping rooms to nearly 4,000.

That ratio--one room for every 29 residents--indicates the degree to which Springfield relies on incoming travel. "Next to Chicago, we have Illinois' most diversified hotel product," said Crowne Plaza director of convention sales Tim Farley. In addition to the new Crowne Plaza, brands include Hilton, Holiday Inn and Renaissance, which handle the lion's share of meeting traffic.

The destination draws state association events, a plethora of travelers with legislative business and tourists flocking annually to "the city Lincoln loved." Springfield also benefits from being an hour and 20 minutes by car from St. Louis and three hours from Chicago.

Lodging development over the decade also has helped Springfield. "We've seen tremendous hotel growth during the 1990s," Farley said. "Having a truly diversified hotel base certainly helps, and so does the fact that groups using some of our 250,000 square feet of meeting space can put on functions so much more economically than in many other, better-known destinations.