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Sorry to get a bit offtopic here but sounds like from what I heard that Springfield got some snow today. I'll try to stop firing out so many questions but I was wondering what's an average winter like up there and do you get much snow? Surprisingly there's a pretty big difference just between Benton and Washington Counties in the NWA metro. I'll try to stop asking quite so many questions now. :D

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:offtopic:

Sorry to get a bit offtopic here but sounds like from what I heard that Springfield got some snow today. I'll try to stop firing out so many questions but I was wondering what's an average winter like up there and do you get much snow? Surprisingly there's a pretty big difference just between Benton and Washington Counties in the NWA metro. I'll try to stop asking quite so many questions now. :D

Springfield is known for our diverse climates. In fact we have the most drastic cllimate change in the country, it could be 60 for the high one day then 30 for the high the next, you just never know. Springfield gets to enjoy the best of every season( which is cool sometimes, but hey at least it never gets boring). You should watch Springfield's KY3 news, I'm positive you get that and KOLR 10 down in Benton and Washington Counties. Did you know KY3 is NBC's #1 news affiliate (hard to believe but I promise it's true) their really great. Check out their website: www.ky3.com

I'm not sure what channels they are down there but I don't think that will be hard to figure out.

Don't worry about asking so many questions, I really don't mind. It's nice to talk to someone because there is no-one in the Missouri Forums.

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Springfield is known for our diverse climates. In fact we have the most drastic cllimate change in the country, it could be 60 for the high one day then 30 for the high the next, you just never know. Springfield gets to enjoy the best of every season( which is cool sometimes, but hey at least it never gets boring). You should watch Springfield's KY3 news, I'm positive you get that and KOLR 10 down in Benton and Washington Counties. Did you know KY3 is NBC's #1 news affiliate (hard to believe but I promise it's true) their really great. Check out their website: www.ky3.com

I'm not sure what channels they are down there but I don't think that will be hard to figure out.

Don't worry about asking so many questions, I really don't mind. It's nice to talk to someone because there is no-one in the Missouri Forums.

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I can't speak for everyone but I think many of us on the Northwest Arkansas forum have interest in what's going on in the Missouri Ozarks. We now have one county in our metro that's in Missouri. And your area isn't too far away from us either. I got the impression most of the interest in the Missouri forum is in the Kansas City and St Louis subforums. You may be in another state but you probably have more in common with us anyway. :D Cox has cut most of the Missouri stations for Washington County. Although I think areas of Benton County still have a few options. Although surprisingly we do apparently have KOLR10. On the cable menu has it listed as local info though. Maybe they cut out the station from time to time. At least I still have one Missouri station I can watch. I think Benton County also gets a Joplin station as well. Anyway since you said you don't mind the questions I have another for you.

Does having a place like Branson so close help or hurt the entertainment business in Springfield?

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I can't speak for everyone but I think many of us on the Northwest Arkansas forum have interest in what's going on in the Missouri Ozarks. We now have one county in our metro that's in Missouri. And your area isn't too far away from us either. I got the impression most of the interest in the Missouri forum is in the Kansas City and St Louis subforums. You may be in another state but you probably have more in common with us anyway. :D Cox has cut most of the Missouri stations for Washington County. Although I think areas of Benton County still have a few options. Although surprisingly we do apparently have KOLR10. On the cable menu has it listed as local info though. Maybe they cut out the station from time to time. At least I still have one Missouri station I can watch. I think Benton County also gets a Joplin station as well. Anyway since you said you don't mind the questions I have another for you.

Does having a place like Branson so close help or hurt the entertainment business in Springfield?

Not at all. Branson Entertainment is geard more to a family setting, they mainly have Country, Folk, and Family Comedy (nothing that a teenager would want to see). Mainly families and retiries visit Branson.

Springfield on the other hand has a great music scene all its own. In the past five years we have really come up on the music scale atracting many big artists. For instance, Shinedown and Seether were here on tour the other week, Stained is coming to town next week, and 311 is coming in march along with many others. Downtown has really gone out of its way to bring in the big shows. We now have over 60 night clubs, music venues, bars and restuarants in Downtown Springfield (this is not including all the other speacialty stores). Springfield also has many great local bands and artists the perform downtown (we recently had to Springfield bands signed to J records and Arista records). Quanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts is an extremely nice Theater Hall with more than 3,000 seats and is one of the nicest theater halls in state and region. This state of the art Music Hall atracts many Broadway shows (when they go on the road) along with big comedians, musians (Rascal Flatts played there not to long ago). J. Hammons (yes he builds everything in this city) and the city of Springfield are collaberating on a 20,000 seat arena for Downtown to be built in the next couple of years. So as you can see Branson an Springfield both have their own music scene.

You should really come visit Downtown Springfield, I'm sure you would be very impressed.

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^

Springfield really does sound like a nice place to live and work. I hope Northwest Arkansas grows into a similar metro. The last several years have shown great promise for Norhtwest Arkansas, but we still have a long way to go before our metro comes close to what Springfield has to offer.

I think the main difference is that Springfield's growth is more traditional where the city's infrastructure grows along with developments, whereas Northwest Arkansas' growth is spurred by developments and the cities just try to catch up. Also, Springfield has a more central identity, whereas Northwest Arkansas has to deal with multiple identities that often conflict with each other.

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Current Springfield MSA population estimate for is 390,986.

Taney County current estimate is 41,939.

Stone County current estimate is 30,720.

So when those counties are added, the total would be 463,635.

I knew over 550,000 seemed a bit too high.

Current MSA - http://www.business4springfield.com/news/05-05-13.htm

Current Taney & Stone - http://www.census.gov

I would guess that it would be about another 10-15 years before Springfield could reach

the 550,000 mark. The reason I think it will take that long (could take longer) is because

the metro has been mainly growing by adding counties. If/when they add Taney and Stone

Counties, there will be no more counties eligible to be in the MSA. So from then on out, growth

will rely on people moving into the area, and that will slow the growth rate dramatically. NWA isn't

really adding many counties...have only added 2 to make a total of 4 in the last 10 years. NWA is experiencing its growth from tons of people moving into the area...this just isn't happening in Springfield.

Some people are moving there, but not enough to keep the growth rate up with no more counties to add. Right now, NWA and Springfield are tied (officially) but not really. NWA's current MSA estimate is also right over the 390,000 mark. But that doesn't count the special census numbers.

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Not at all. Branson Entertainment is geard more to a family setting, they mainly have Country, Folk, and Family Comedy (nothing that a teenager would want to see). Mainly families and retiries visit Branson.

Springfield on the other hand has a great music scene all its own. In the past five years we have really come up on the music scale atracting many big artists. For instance, Shinedown and Seether were here on tour the other week, Stained is coming to town next week, and 311 is coming in march along with many others. Downtown has really gone out of its way to bring in the big shows. We now have over 60 night clubs, music venues, bars and restuarants in Downtown Springfield (this is not including all the other speacialty stores). Springfield also has many great local bands and artists the perform downtown (we recently had to Springfield bands signed to J records and Arista records). Quanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts is an extremely nice Theater Hall with more than 3,000 seats and is one of the nicest theater halls in state and region. This state of the art Music Hall atracts many Broadway shows (when they go on the road) along with big comedians, musians (Rascal Flatts played there not to long ago). J. Hammons (yes he builds everything in this city) and the city of Springfield are collaberating on a 20,000 seat arena for Downtown to be built in the next couple of years. So as you can see Branson an Springfield both have their own music scene.

You should really come visit Downtown Springfield, I'm sure you would be very impressed.

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That good to hear. Sounds like your theater is a bit bigger than the one at the Walton Arts Center here in Fayetteville. I shouldn't complain because the Waltons have done a lot for NWA but I do wish they were a little more progressive like Hammons. Granted in a sense it's a little harder because we're seperated as seperate cities as well.

^

Springfield really does sound like a nice place to live and work. I hope Northwest Arkansas grows into a similar metro. The last several years have shown great promise for Norhtwest Arkansas, but we still have a long way to go before our metro comes close to what Springfield has to offer.

I think the main difference is that Springfield's growth is more traditional where the city's infrastructure grows along with developments, whereas Northwest Arkansas' growth is spurred by developments and the cities just try to catch up. Also, Springfield has a more central identity, whereas Northwest Arkansas has to deal with multiple identities that often conflict with each other.

Very good points Masons_dad1. Yeah although NWA does seem to be growing at a faster rate I think Springfield is better able to handle the growth because they've been a larger city for a while. It's centralization also helps it in a number of ways too as you said.

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The two MSA's will remain close in the next few years, but it won't be long before NWA is the biggest dog in the yard of the Ozarks, forever.

Hey Tim nice to hear from you again. :D Thanks for all the info. Both areas are growing but in different ways as you mentioned. NWA has been growing at a faster rate and I think we officially passed the Springfield metro now. Although if more counties are added soon that could push them back on top. While I think that the NWA metro will end up on top in the long run, I will mention that thing could slow down here because of infrastructure problems while the Springfield metro is more able to handle more growth. So you never know what might happen in the future.

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Current Springfield MSA population estimate for is 390,986.

Taney County current estimate is 41,939.

Stone County current estimate is 30,720.

So when those counties are added, the total would be 463,635.

I knew over 550,000 seemed a bit too high.

Current MSA - http://www.business4springfield.com/news/05-05-13.htm

Current Taney & Stone - http://www.census.gov

I would guess that it would be about another 10-15 years before Springfield could reach

the 550,000 mark. The reason I think it will take that long (could take longer) is because

the metro has been mainly growing by adding counties. If/when they add Taney and Stone

Counties, there will be no more counties eligible to be in the MSA. So from then on out, growth

will rely on people moving into the area, and that will slow the growth rate dramatically. NWA isn't

really adding many counties...have only added 2 to make a total of 4 in the last 10 years. NWA is experiencing its growth from tons of people moving into the area...this just isn't happening in Springfield.

Some people are moving there, but not enough to keep the growth rate up with no more counties to add. Right now, NWA and Springfield are tied (officially) but not really. NWA's current MSA estimate is also right over the 390,000 mark. But that doesn't count the special census numbers.

I see what your saying about the MSA, I guess I should have been more specific about when the counties will be added. For the last two years Springfield Gov. and State Gav. have been talking about when the other counties would be suitable to be added to the Springfield MSA. They first said that Lawrence and Dade counties would be added first because of the immediate location to Green county and the large influence Springfield and Green county has on them, while Taney and Stone counties would come after that. Both the city and the state predicted this would happen in 7 to 10 years. Recently the topic has again come up in some of the Public city discussions beacause of how much influence Springfield and the MSA has on the other counties (particularly Stone and Taney Counties) as well as them having an influence on us. Both the city and state gov. think the counties will be added sooner than once believed.

"The reason I think it will take that long (could take longer) is because

the metro has been mainly growing by adding counties. If/when they add Taney and Stone

Counties, there will be no more counties eligible to be in the MSA. So from then on out, growth

will rely on people moving into the area, and that will slow the growth rate dramatically."

This is not the case at all. Christian County, which is where the Springfield city limits stop and Nixa and Ozark city limits begin, is the fastest growing county in the state with a rate at more than 18% (this is actually faster than Benton and Washington Counties are growing) census facts

Unlike NWA's growth within a 2 county region, many counties in and around the Sprignfield MSA are growing at a steady pace and have been for many years (with the exception of Christian county). Springfield has a large influence not only in counties close in proximity but throughout all of Southwest Missouri. Springfield has and will continue to draw people from all over the country because of our excelent economy and superb quality of life.

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I see what your saying about the MSA, I guess I should have been more specific about when the counties will be added. For the last two years Springfield Gov. and State Gav. have been talking about when the other counties would be suitable to be added to the Springfield MSA. They first said that Lawrence and Dade counties would be added first because of the immediate location to Green county and the large influence Springfield and Green county has on them, while Taney and Stone counties would come after that. Both the city and the state predicted this would happen in 7 to 10 years. Recently the topic has again come up in some of the Public city discussions beacause of how much influence Springfield and the MSA has on the other counties (particularly Stone and Taney Counties) as well as them having an influence on us. Both the city and state gov. think the counties will be added sooner than once believed.

"The reason I think it will take that long (could take longer) is because

the metro has been mainly growing by adding counties. If/when they add Taney and Stone

Counties, there will be no more counties eligible to be in the MSA. So from then on out, growth

will rely on people moving into the area, and that will slow the growth rate dramatically."

This is not the case at all. Christian County, which is where the Springfield city limits stop and Nixa and Ozark city limits begin, is the fastest growing county in the state with a rate at more than 18% (this is actually faster than Benton and Washington Counties are growing) census facts

Unlike NWA's growth within a 2 county region, many counties in and around the Sprignfield MSA are growing at a steady pace and have been for many years (with the exception of Christian county). Springfield has a large influence not only in counties close in proximity but throughout all of Southwest Missouri. Springfield has and will continue to draw people from all over the country because of our excelent economy and superb quality of life.

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Yeah that is certainly one advantage Springfield has in that it's been a regional center for a long time. NWA is having to try to create itself as one. Mainly fighting Ft Smith and encroaching on their 'sphere of influence'. Although I would imagine NWA could be cutting a little into Springfield's but it's so much further away. Either way it will take NWA a while to establish itself as a regional center as Springfield has. Some of the counties like Stone and Taney could eventually hit an infrastructure wall like NWA could. But the Springfield area can easily handle more growth, at least compared to NWA.

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SPRINGFIELD--John Q's generosity seems to have no end.

Friday, Springfield developer John Q. Hammons said he would donate $25 million toward the construction of a new 12,000-seat arena on the Missouri State University campus. The $60 million dollar venue is scheduled to open by the 2008-2009 basketball season. Along with the 12,000 seats there will be 20 luxury suites and a private club which will bring the total capacity to over 13,000.

Missouri State plans to cover the remaining costs through additional donations and $50 million in bonds.

The Hammons Student Center, home for Missouri state indoor athletics for 30 years, will be renovated and used as a practice facility.

The new JQH Arena will be build on the parking lot east of the student center.

mmmmm...... so the John Q Hammons arena will be located right next to the existing 8,500 seat Hammons Student Center which is next to Hammons House Dormatory and across the street from the 18 story Sunvilla tower Dormatory that Hammons built in the 70's. Wow he just never seems to stop, and with plans to build a 30 story office building downtown along with helping to pay for a 20,000 seat arena, also in downtown, well we might as well call this town Hammonsville!

Here is a rendering of what the JQH arena will look like: JQH Arena

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Whoa, what 20,000 seet arena are you talking about?

The 20,000 seat Multipurpose Jordan Valley Arena (part of the 250 acre Jordan Valley Park Development in downtown Springfield) will be located downtown between Hammons Tower and the Expo Center. The arena was not always going to be this big (originally thought to be between 10,000-12,000 seats) but then the city looked at all of the other arena's in town an said it would be stupid to have so many arena's of the same size, so why not an arena the could be used for anything from Arena Football to large concerts for amny years to come. The Springfield city council and Hammons have been working on plans and funding for about 2 or 3 years. Hammons and other area big names have already said they would donate a large amount of money for the arena, Springfield city council on the other hand has been taking their precious time on figuring the funding for the project. The only question is when will it be built. Springfield Leaders say 2-5 years, so in other word they don't know. What they do know is the arena will be built becasue of State Gov. pursuing funds. I couldn't find any renderings of the arena but I know there is a picture of it on the future site so I will try and go take a picture of it to post.

This website describes more about the Jordan Valley Park Developments:

Jordan Valley Park

Now that I got talking about all the nice Sport Complexe's in Springfield I wanted to show ya'll some awesome photos of Hammons Field, home of the Springfield Cardinals.

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Nice pics, I still miss the Travelers not being affiliated with the Cardinals. Although I can understand them wanting to have a closer city like Springfield as an minor league team. It's also great that Hammons contributes so much back into the community. As I've said before, I hate to sound ungrateful for what the Waltons have done but it would be great if they did as much as Hammons.

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SPRINGFIELD--John Q's generosity seems to have no end.

Friday, Springfield developer John Q. Hammons said he would donate $25 million toward the construction of a new 12,000-seat arena on the Missouri State University campus. The $60 million dollar venue is scheduled to open by the 2008-2009 basketball season. Along with the 12,000 seats there will be 20 luxury suites and a private club which will bring the total capacity to over 13,000.

Missouri State plans to cover the remaining costs through additional donations and $50 million in bonds.

The Hammons Student Center, home for Missouri state indoor athletics for 30 years, will be renovated and used as a practice facility.

The new JQH Arena will be build on the parking lot east of the student center.

mmmmm...... so the John Q Hammons arena will be located right next to the existing 8,500 seat Hammons Student Center which is next to Hammons House Dormatory and across the street from the 18 story Sunvilla tower Dormatory that Hammons built in the 70's. Wow he just never seems to stop, and with plans to build a 30 story office building downtown along with helping to pay for a 20,000 seat arena, also in downtown, well we might as well call this town Hammonsville!

http://www.kolr10.com/

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SPRINGFIELD--John Q's generosity seems to have no end.

Friday, Springfield developer John Q. Hammons said he would donate $25 million toward the construction of a new 12,000-seat arena on the Missouri State University campus. The $60 million dollar venue is scheduled to open by the 2008-2009 basketball season. Along with the 12,000 seats there will be 20 luxury suites and a private club which will bring the total capacity to over 13,000.

Missouri State plans to cover the remaining costs through additional donations and $50 million in bonds.

The Hammons Student Center, home for Missouri state indoor athletics for 30 years, will be renovated and used as a practice facility.

The new JQH Arena will be build on the parking lot east of the student center.

mmmmm...... so the John Q Hammons arena will be located right next to the existing 8,500 seat Hammons Student Center which is next to Hammons House Dormatory and across the street from the 18 story Sunvilla tower Dormatory that Hammons built in the 70's. Wow he just never seems to stop, and with plans to build a 30 story office building downtown along with helping to pay for a 20,000 seat arena, also in downtown, well we might as well call this town Hammonsville!

http://www.kolr10.com/

Isn't this what you posted earlier today?

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I'm not sure if many people realize just how much the Walton family, the Tyson family, the Hunts, the Jones and some other not so well known philanthropists have given to Northwest Arkansas. I'm pretty sure the Walton family alone has contibuted more to Northwest Arkansas in one year than John Q Hammons has to Springfield in the last decade.

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I'm not sure if many people realize just how much the Walton family, the Tyson family, the Hunts, the Jones and some other not so well known philanthropists have given to Northwest Arkansas. I'm pretty sure the Walton family alone has contibuted more to Northwest Arkansas in one year than John Q Hammons has to Springfield in the last decade.

Really? As I said before I hate to make it sound like I'm not grateful for what they've done but it seems to me that Hammons is doing quite a bit for Springfield. Granted not everything the Waltons give probably gets noticed as much as it should. But I certainly wouldn't mind seeing them maybe just give a helping hand to some other things that could certainly help NWA.

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I'm not sure if many people realize just how much the Walton family, the Tyson family, the Hunts, the Jones and some other not so well known philanthropists have given to Northwest Arkansas. I'm pretty sure the Walton family alone has contibuted more to Northwest Arkansas in one year than John Q Hammons has to Springfield in the last decade.

I guess we don't have something like the Walton Tower or a major sports complex that one of the "families" donated. The Waltons, Tysons, Hunts, and the Jones have all contributed to NWA very much. I would personally like to say thankyou for such great things as the Walton Arts Center, the Jones Center for Families, and the hopeful Crystal Bridges Art Musuem.

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