The Jefferson City Council held a meeting Thursday to discuss the construction of a conference center and hotel. City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus said the city has been considering such a project for 80 years.
“Jefferson City loses a lot of business because associations that are based here often don’t have enough space in the facilities that are here,” Nickolaus said.
The Farmer Holding Company and Ehrhardt Hospitality Group presented their proposals at the meeting. City Councilmember Carrie Carroll said the Farmer Holding Company proposed a facility at the Capitol Mall, while Ehrhardt Hospitality Group proposed the facility at a West McCarty Street site. She said she agrees that the city is in need of a facility that could hold the most people for conferences.
“Being the state capital, we have great potential to hold a lot of these events,” Carroll said. “Now is the right time, we have the lodging tax available to us and excellent locations.