Council approves master development and design‑build steps to advance downtown conference center

Jefferson City council voted this week to advance a package of agreements and financing steps intended to build a hotel, conference center and parking garage in downtown Jefferson City.

The council approved a master development agreement naming Garfield Public Private as the city’s primary development partner, adopted a design‑build agreement with McCallum‑Gordon to design and construct the project and voted to create a nonprofit corporation — Capital City Corporation for Growth — to hold the hotel property. The council also authorized an application to the Missouri Development Finance Board for up to $4 million in tax credits that city staff said could be leveraged into as much as $8 million in charitable‑gift funding for the project. The master development agreement passed by roll call vote, 8–2.

Supporters of the plan told council the project is meant to be an economic driver for downtown, give the city meeting space that can attract conventions and groups that now go elsewhere, and spur additional private investment in retail and restaurants. Opponents warned that the scale of public subsidy and long‑term debt expose taxpayers to risk.

City staff described the agreements as necessary steps to move past planning and into a construction phase. “This is the document that engages Garfield Public Private to lead this project on behalf…