Letter to the Editor: Springfield cannot afford to do nothing on tourism

Dear editor,

Tourism matters to Springfield in a very real way. It generates more than $1 billion in visitor spending and supports nearly 20,000 local jobs. That is not abstract. That is income for families, business for local employers and tax revenue that helps support our city.

It matters to residents, too. Without tourism revenue, the average Springfield household would need to pay about $671 more in taxes each year just to maintain current service levels. So, this is not just about hotels, restaurants and attractions. It is about helping support the broader community we all rely on.

That is why doing nothing is not a strategy. Too often, people act like tourism will keep taking care of itself. They assume that because visitors came before, they will keep coming. They assume that because hotels are full on some weekends, everything is fine.

That is not how this works. Tourism is very competitive. Cities compete for visitors, conventions, sports tournaments and events every day. When other communities invest while we sit still, they win, and we lose. That means lost hotel nights, lost restaurant sales, lost retail spending and lost tax revenue.

The cost of our inaction does not always hit all at once, but it is real. It shows up when Springfield loses business we should be getting. It shows up when events go elsewhere. It shows up when other cities keep moving forward, and we keep finding reasons to wait.

We also need to be honest about the Expo Center. It has served Springfield, but it does not meet the expectations of today’s convention and event market. Its limitations are real, and they are costing us business. That is not a knock on the past. It is just the truth about where we are right now.

That is why this conversation matters. A convention and events center is not about chasing something flashy. It is about protecting and growing an industry that already delivers real value to Springfield. If we are serious about jobs, small businesses and protecting our tax base, then we need to be serious about tourism, too.

This is also about whether Springfield believes enough in itself to keep up. Cities that take themselves seriously do not sit back and watch other communities outwork them, outbuild them, and outcompete them. If Springfield does not want to fall behind, we have to be willing to act.

This is one of those moments when literally doing nothing will cost us more than doing something.

—Mark Hecquet, president and CEO of Visit Springfield