Sangamon County Moves Forward with BOS Center Expansion
Sangamon County is moving forward with the long-planned expansion of the Bank of Springfield (BOS) Center in downtown Springfield. On September 1, 2026, the Sangamon County Board approved a countywide 3% hotel and motel tax that will provide a funding source for the convention center expansion.
Below is an overview of the BOS Center expansion project, including its background, recent developments and next steps. Documents, feasibility studies and other materials related to the project are available at the bottom of this page.
Background
The BOS Center opened in 1979. In recent years, the facility's limited convention space has made it increasingly difficult for Springfield to compete for major events. The Illinois FFA State Convention, for example, is scheduled to move to Peoria in 2028 after more than two decades in Springfield.
In April 2024, Sangamon County and the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority (SMEAA) commissioned Convention, Sports & Leisure International (CSL) to evaluate a potential expansion of the BOS Center and the addition of a new headquarters hotel. The study identified support for both an expanded convention center and a connected full-service hotel based on meeting planner surveys, comparable markets and unmet demand in Springfield.
Following the study, the County selected Garfield Public/Private as its development partner. Since then, pre-development work has included design and engineering, construction cost estimates, financial modeling, selection of a bond underwriter, a parking study and an additional feasibility study.
Earlier in 2026, the County and its local and state partners proposed combining the BOS Center expansion with a new 200- to 300-room headquarters hotel. The plan also included creation of the Capital Area Tourism Authority (CATA), which would help finance and oversee portions of the development.
Legislation to establish CATA was introduced in March but did not receive final approval before the Illinois General Assembly adjourned its spring session on May 31. Without the necessary state action to proceed with the hotel and CATA portions of the project, the County began evaluating a path to move the BOS Center expansion forward separately.
Moving the Expansion Forward
Sangamon County received state authorization in 2024 to impose a countywide hotel and motel tax of up to 3%, with revenue restricted to tourism-related facilities and associated debt service. This existing authority allows the County to establish a dedicated funding source for the BOS Center expansion without waiting for additional state legislation.
A second feasibility study, required by the project's bond underwriters, was completed by CBRE in July 2026 and provided additional analysis of the proposed convention center expansion and headquarters hotel.
In an August 21 memo to the County Board, County Administrator Brian McFadden recommended moving forward with the BOS Center expansion rather than delaying the project and facing additional construction costs. The memo estimated that delaying the project through the end of 2026 could add approximately $4 million to its cost, while a delay into 2027 could add approximately $8 million.
The recommendation included two conditions. Revenue from the hotel and motel tax would be used only for the BOS Center expansion and not for construction of the proposed headquarters hotel. The County Board would also review the tax rate once the project's final financing package is complete and could lower the rate if the full 3% is not necessary.
County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter joined State Sen. Doris Turner, State Rep. Mike Coffey and Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher at the BOS Center on August 25 to announce the revised approach. The proposal then advanced through the County Board's Finance Committee with near-unanimous, bipartisan support.
County Board Approval
On September 1, the Sangamon County Board voted 20-5 to approve the 3% hotel and motel tax, allowing the County to move forward with the BOS Center expansion. The tax is expected to take effect on hotel bills 30 days after final approval.
All revenue generated by the tax will be dedicated to the convention center project and will not be used to fund construction of the proposed headquarters hotel.
What's Next
With the hotel and motel tax approved, the County will continue working with Garfield Public/Private on a Master Development Agreement. Current plans call for a new master ballroom and approximately 30,000 to 40,000 square feet of additional meeting and event space. Construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2027.
The proposed headquarters hotel remains a separate component of the broader project. Its future depends on additional action by the Illinois General Assembly to establish CATA. Sen. Turner and Rep. Coffey have indicated they intend to continue pursuing the necessary legislation.
The BOS Center expansion is being designed so that the headquarters hotel can be added in the future if the necessary state approval and funding are secured.
Documents
The following documents provide additional background on the BOS Center expansion project:
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