Hammo ns VS HCW - Springfield Vs. Branson

City issues second downtown proposals request By Matt Wagner Springfield Business Journal Staff 4/24/2007 The city has issued a second, more specific request for proposals to developers who have expressed interest in building a hotel-office complex on 1.7 acres east of the Springfield Exposition Center. Springfield hotelier John Q. Hammons, Branson-based developer Rick Huffman of HCW Evergreen Inc. and Springfield-based accounting firm BKD LLP each received RFPs from the city. All three had previously submitted proposals for the former arena site, but only HCW Evergreen and BKD were still in the running when the second round of requests was issued. Three development firms affiliated with BKD – Atlanta-based Holder Properties, Dallas-based Hunter Properties LLC and Kansas City-based Opus Northwest LLC – also received the most recent RFP, which explicitly seeks a building with at least 100,000 square feet of Class A office space and St. Louis Street frontage. The building should be able to accommodate BKD's corporate headquarters, according to the RFP. BKD has been in Hammons Tower since 1987 and now occupies nearly one-third of the 22-story building just east of the arena site. For more than two years, BKD has been working with Kansas City-based Zimmer Real Estate Services LLC to find land for its new headquarters building. The RFP also includes minimum criteria for the hotel, which should have at least 150 rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a four-star rating under a nationally recognized flag. Firms willing to purchase all or a portion of the adjacent Jordan Valley Car Park will receive "favorable consideration," according to the RFP. Other developers interested in the project include a three-pronged partnership consisting of Chesterfield-based Gundaker Commercial Group, Springfield developer Steve Stinnett and Wilhoit Properties, also of Springfield. Wilhoit Properties broker Ken Schwab said the project's latest incarnation sparked renewed interest from Gundaker, which opted not to submit a proposal earlier this year. Gundaker is an "experienced office developer" with hotel industry connections, Schwab said. Nixa-based Larino Properties and Pellham-Phillips Architects and Engineers of Springfield also received RFPs. Proposals are due to the city by 3 p.m. May 24. The Springfield Tax Abatement and Tax Increment Financing Commission will meet June 4 to discuss the proposals. See SBJ's April 30 issue for more on the firms interested in developing the downtown site. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com