When Springfield-based Next Steps Coaching founder David Swihart set out to host his first leadership event, he knew he wanted to do it in his hometown of Springfield. What Swihart didn’t know was just how many people would show up. “We wanted a place where we could flex [the capacity for] up to 250 people,” says Swihart. “Some of the other spaces we could have used were far more rigid.”
Ultimately, Swihart chose to host the event at Pole Barn Chic, a space that most certainly broke from the traditional meeting mold and a decision that further reflects a broader shift among planners seeking more flexible, experience-driven spaces. And make no mistake, Swihart’s experience fits into the evolution taking place across Springfield, where a growing number of venues—both traditional and nontraditional—are evolving to meet the needs of today’s planners.
“When you think of corporate and nonprofit events, the thinking once was just long, basic tables and everything being very structured. That just got boring,” says Audrey Kondelis, a self-described country farm girl and owner of Pole Barn Chic—a 5,000-square-foot venue sitting on a sprawling 5 acres near Springfield. Pole Barn Chic has hosted everything from trivia nights for the Springfield Area Arts Council to fundraisers for the city’s Sojourn Shelter & Services. “You walk in, and you’re just like, ‘Wow!’” says Kondelis.
“Our [leadership event] attendees loved the aesthetics of the space and the attention to detail,” adds Swihart about Pole Barn Chic, which also has on property a renovated 1865 house for overnight stays. “The parking and grounds were excellent for our group, plus the proximity to hotels, restaurants, and shopping makes it a great place to host an event,” says Swihart.
That accessibility and convenience have long been part of Springfield’s overall appeal. With its central location that is home to the state Capitol, the host city continues to draw large meetings, legislative events, and organization gatherings.
Springfield Is a Host City on the Rise
Springfield isn’t defined by its past, although many of the city’s venues are firmly planted in American history.
“We’re seeing 2026 as a huge travel and tourism year,” says Terry Truman, sales manager for sports for Visit Springfield, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. “Whether [they are hosting] meetings or conventions or sports events, [planners will find that] we are able to tie in a lot of different things.”
Indeed, Springfield’s momentum is fueled in part by long-term investments now coming to fruition—with everything from the Route 66 Centennial to Illinois America 250 this year, the latter being a series of statewide initiatives commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
But when it comes down to it, the city’s affordability continues to be a major factor in enticing planners. “We really offer a lot of the amenities that you can get in a bigger city, but you’re not going to pay near the same amount [in Springfield],” says Truman. “You’re not [necessarily] going to pay Chicago prices here.”
This affordability, paired with incentive packages and flexible booking, is certainly attractive to planners navigating tighter budgets. And just as appealing is the personalized level of service that Springfield offers to planners.
Truman says, “Every meeting or event we are touching has someone working with planners all the way through—whether it is a 30-person board meeting or a 1,500-person convention.”
And it is this personal touch with the hands-on support that planners often appreciate. From customized digital assets and registration to on-the-ground assistance and attendee navigation, each event element is streamlined by the city’s team of convention professionals.
“[Visit Springfield] can even create a custom 360-degree map, so your attendees know exactly where to go—whether that is a nearby microbrewery or area shopping,” says Truman. “Those are the extra steps we just like to take.”
Another important feature of Springfield that continues to draw planners is its convenience. Centrally located between Chicago and St. Louis and within easy driving distance for much of Illinois, the city offers a practical alternative to larger metropolitan areas—allowing attendees to navigate between venues, hotels, and off-site experiences with ease.
An Experience Redefined
In Springfield, many of the city’s most compelling meeting spaces aren’t necessarily new, they’re simply being used in new and innovative ways.
Take the restored Union Station, for example. It is a former train depot that is now part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum campus, and groups can easily move between spaces on the campus—hosting check-in and cocktails in one area before transitioning to a seated dinner in another. “We use the former ticket counter as a bar,” notes Britta Brackney, venue rental manager at the library and museum.
Brackney also says she continues to see a shift in how meetings are structured, with more and more planners putting greater emphasis on comfort and flexibility throughout the course of a day. She says, “We work with many planners who very much want a lounge or a quiet space for a conference. The Stevenson Room here in the library is unique in that it’s an exhibit space and a meeting space, but also can be a place where people can step away, answer a phone call, check their emails, and things like that.”
That focus on comfort reflects a broader shift in how meetings are being experienced. Today’s attendees expect more than just a place to sit—they’re looking for environments that allow them to engage, recharge, and connect throughout the day.
To immerse meeting attendees in additional historical activities, the city’s Lincoln Home National Historic Site preserves an entire neighborhood in Civil War-era charm, with free, permitted group tours available for planners to book.
Beyond the Agenda
Springfield’s constantly evolving dining scene also plays a role in shaping the overall attendee experience, particularly when it comes to off-site events. Along Route 66 through Springfield, historic restaurants offer both a sense of place and functional event space. Truman says, “A lot of the heritage of Route 66 is tied to area dining establishments that developed along the route. And Springfield is fortunate that many of those are still here.”
The city is home to upscale spots, like Maldaner’s Restaurant & Catering—the oldest continuously operating restaurant on Route 66—to more casual, nostalgic stops, such as Cozy Dog Drive In. These restaurants provide planners with plenty of regional flavor for everything from board dinners to postmeeting outings.
“A ‘cozy dog’ is like a corn dog on a stick,” says Truman. “But don’t let them hear that I called it a corn dog, because they’re very quick to point out that there’s a difference. I’m not 100% sure what it is. I just think it’s a better version of a corn dog.”
That being said, planners seeking modern venues don’t need to look far, as restaurants such as Vele and Curate both offer design-forward spaces for everything from executive dinners to full buyouts. For more casual gatherings, venues like Obed & Isaac’s Springfield offer larger, flexible spaces ideal for receptions and postmeeting events.
It’s that combination of practicality and creativity, with logistics simplified and experiences elevated, that continues to set Springfield apart in a competitive meetings landscape. Sweetening the deal is the fact that most of Springfield’s most intriguing dining options are within proximity to major venues and hotels, making it easier for planners to design events that feel cohesive and during which attendees can move naturally from meetings to meals without added complexity.
Additional Springfield Venues
Whether event professionals are planning a large-scale event at the Bank of Springfield Center; setting up lodging at the connected President Abraham Lincoln Springfield Hotel, A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel; or mulling over the numerous meeting spaces the Illinois State Fair Grounds offers, Springfield has what most planners need. Because of this, planners often come back.
“The Illinois Pork Producers Association had their first reimagined annual meeting with us,” says Brackney. “The association used most of the venues in the library, had an evening event at the museum, and now they’re looking to incorporate Union Station as well. That’s how things are meant to work.”
Because no matter what kind of meeting you want to plan, Springfield and its team of event and destination professionals have a way of continuing to evolve their offerings, adding layer after layer of things for attendees to discover.
“There are some meetings that cannot be done over email,” concludes Kondelis. “And it is those meetings that are meant [to be held in] Springfield.”
