A Business Intelligence Note from Chamber President & CEO Matt Morrow
Each week, President & CEO Matt Morrow shares a few stories he's tracking and why they matter to the work the Chamber is doing on behalf of the Springfield region. Below is the latest edition, along with previous issues.
Election Special Edition | November 6, 2026
Election coverage tells us who won, who lost and what voters decided. But the more consequential questions often involve what changes afterward: how policy gets made, who has influence, and what opportunities or challenges those changes create for our community.
This week’s Missouri election results raise some particularly interesting questions for Springfield’s business community.
Here’s what I’m watching...
1. Amendment 6: The voters have spoken. Our work continues.
Missouri voters approved Amendment 6 on Tuesday, fundamentally changing the legislature’s ability to modify policies enacted through citizen initiatives.
Our Chamber opposed the measure because employers need a stable, predictable policy environment and reasonable opportunities to correct unintended consequences. Those concerns haven’t changed.
But as I shared in a statement to local media this week, “Missouri voters have made their decision on Amendment 6, and we respect that outcome.”
Why it matters: The Chamber’s commitment to advocating for Missouri businesses remains unchanged. We’ll continue working with employers and policymakers to understand the practical effects of these changes and advance policies that give businesses confidence to invest, create jobs and grow. That remains central to our goal of making the Ozarks one of the Midwest’s most business-friendly regions.
Sources: Springfield Area Chamber, November 4 | Missouri Independent, November 3
2. Has Missouri fundamentally changed how policy gets made?
Here’s the part of Amendment 6 that I believe deserves more attention.
Going forward, changing a voter-approved citizen initiative through the legislature generally requires 80% approval in both chambers just to send the proposed change back to voters. That protection extends to citizen-initiated statutes and constitutional amendments.
Consider the implications. Statutory initiatives require fewer petition signatures than constitutional amendments, but now enjoy similarly strong protection against legislative changes.
Why it matters: Could this shift where interest groups spend their political resources? Instead of investing primarily in lobbying lawmakers, might businesses, labor organizations and other interests increasingly pursue ballot campaigns to establish policies that will be exceptionally difficult to change?
I don’t know that it will happen, but the incentives have certainly changed. We may find that more of Missouri’s consequential policy debates move from legislative committee rooms to initiative petition campaigns.
That raises important questions about how thoroughly complex policy proposals will be examined, negotiated and understood before voters decide.
Sources: Missouri Secretary of State, Amendment 6 ballot language | Missouri Independent, November 3
3. Springfield’s remarkable concentration of leadership in the Missouri House
At the same time that Missouri’s political landscape is changing, Springfield and Greene County are positioned to have an extraordinary degree of influence in the House of Representatives.
Three of its most consequential leadership positions will be held by legislators from our area:
• Alex Riley of Springfield — Speaker of the House
• Bill Owen of Greene County — House Budget Committee Chair
• Darin Chappell of Rogersville — Majority Floor Leader
Chappell’s selection came Wednesday after the election unexpectedly opened up the majority leadership position.
Why it matters: The Speaker plays a critical role in determining which legislation advances. The Majority Floor Leader manages the chamber’s legislative business, while the Budget Chair has substantial influence over state spending priorities.
Having all three positions held by legislators from our region creates a remarkable opportunity for Springfield’s voice to be heard on infrastructure, workforce development, economic competitiveness and other priorities important to our long-term growth.
Of course, leadership positions don’t guarantee outcomes. But relationships, access and influence matter, and our region is particularly well-positioned in the House.
Sources: Missouri Independent, November 5 | Missouri House, Bill Owen appointment
4. Meanwhile, our influence in the Senate is being reshaped
The picture in the Missouri Senate looks quite different.
Democrat Betsy Fogle defeated Republican Melanie Stinnett in Springfield’s Senate District 30, flipping a seat Republicans had held for more than 80 years.
Both Fogle and Stinnett have been effective members of the Missouri House, and our Chamber has enjoyed productive working relationships with both. I expect we’ll continue working well with Fogle as she enters the Senate, even as we lose another valued legislative partner in Stinnett.
The broader transition also includes Lincoln Hough and Sandy Crawford departing because of term limits, along with Lori Rook’s election following her primary victory over incumbent Curtis Trent.
Why it matters: These changes bring new perspectives and opportunities, but also a loss of accumulated experience and established relationships.
Fogle is a talented legislator with leadership potential. But Republicans retain a substantial Senate majority, which means the chamber’s agenda and committee leadership will remain in Republican hands.
Springfield may be entering a period of exceptional influence in the House while having to rebuild some of its influence in the Senate. That’s an important distinction as we prepare our business advocacy priorities for 2027.
Sources: Missouri Independent, November 3 | Missouri Independent, November 5
5. New legislative math could change the way Jefferson City operates
Republicans retained majorities in both legislative chambers, but Tuesday’s results ended their two-thirds supermajorities.
The incoming House is expected to have 95 Republicans and 68 Democrats, while the Senate will have 22 Republicans and 12 Democrats.
Republicans will still control the ordinary legislative agenda, including budget decisions. But overriding gubernatorial vetoes and approving most legislation with immediate effective dates will now require some support from Democrats.
Why it matters: The change doesn’t guarantee greater cooperation. It does mean certain consequential decisions will require broader agreement than in recent years.
For Springfield’s business community, the opportunity is to build productive relationships across both parties and both chambers, with a consistent focus on policies that strengthen our economy.
If this election demonstrated anything, it’s that political circumstances can change quickly. Our region’s long-term priorities—investment, infrastructure, workforce and a competitive business climate—require sustained attention regardless of which party holds a particular office.
Archived Issues
October 30, 2026
Several developments I’ve been watching this week reinforce something I believe about good decision-making: thoughtful public input matters, and we need to leave ourselves room to adjust when new information comes to light. That principle is relevant to a statewide ballot issue, a major local road project, and an emerging technology policy debate.
Here’s what I’m watching…
Amendment 6: Why the ability to correct policy matters
On Tuesday, Missouri voters will consider Amendment 6. Our Chamber’s Board has announced its opposition to the proposal, which would require 80% approval in both legislative chambers before changes to covered voter-approved laws could even be referred back to voters for their reconsideration.
Proposition A, an initiative petition statute approved by voters in 2024, serves as a practical example of why that flexibility matters. The measure’s paid sick leave requirements created significant compliance concerns for employers. The legislature addressed those issues in 2025, repealing that mandate while preserving the voter-approved minimum wage increase.
Why it matters: The Chamber supports citizens’ right to participate directly in policymaking and has long advocated for a higher threshold to amend Missouri’s Constitution. But complex policies deserve thorough drafting, debate and input from those affected. Just as important, there must be a reasonable way to address unintended consequences. That’s part of maintaining a predictable, competitive business climate.
Source: Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, October 22
Springfield job growth continues, but at a slower pace
The Springfield metro area recorded 237,400 payroll jobs in September, up about 1,700, or 0.7%, from a year earlier. That’s slower than August’s 1.7% year-over-year growth, although manufacturing and construction continue to post solid gains. The area’s September unemployment rate was 3.1% on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis.
Why it matters: Our regional economy continues to create jobs, and the broader trend remains encouraging. I wouldn’t read too much into any single monthly report, but the slower overall growth is worth watching for signs of modest softening.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 28
East Sunshine improvements: A better project because businesses were heard
Construction begins next week on MoDOT’s East Sunshine improvements, a project designed to improve safety and traffic flow along one of our busiest commercial corridors. MoDOT’s analysis, as I understand it, suggests the improvements could increase traffic capacity by as much as 15%.
The Chamber has worked closely with affected businesses, City Council, MoDOT and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission throughout this process. When the original proposal raised concerns, additional engagement led to meaningful changes in median design and driveway access.
Why it matters: Safer roads and greater traffic capacity can support more commercial activity. Construction will be disruptive, and not everyone agrees with the final design. But I believe the process worked: business concerns were heard, the plan improved, and an important investment is moving forward.
Source: MoDOT, October 23
Data-center definitions: Getting the first step right
Springfield City Council heard public input this week on proposed definitions for different types of data centers and an extension of the city’s administrative pause. These definitions would not yet determine where data centers can locate or what requirements they must meet. They would establish the foundation for those later decisions.
I’ve addressed Council on this issue several times, including this week. City staff deserves credit for listening and working through a genuinely difficult question. But definitions must account for smaller technology companies as well as the evolving computing needs of hospitals, financial institutions and other major employers.
Why it matters: Getting the definitions right is important. So is preserving the ability to revisit them if changing technology or unintended consequences reveal problems later.
Source: KSMU, October 27
Helping young people imagine their futures in the Ozarks
Last week, approximately 875 seventh- and eighth-grade students from 29 schools visited 24 local employers through the Chamber’s 7th & 8th Graders Go to Work program. They experienced workplaces and career opportunities they might otherwise never have considered.
Why it matters: Young people begin forming ideas about their futures long before high school. Early career exposure is an essential part of the workforce development continuum, alongside the work we do with high schools, colleges and other education partners. I’m proud of our Chamber team, the participating employers and our education partners for making these experiences possible. They’re helping students see productive futures right here in our region.
October 16, 2026
I've been struck this week by how much of our region's long-term competitiveness depends on decisions about how we build, where people live, whether reliable power is available, and how we respond to difficult community challenges. These decisions may seem unrelated, but together they help shape our capacity for growth and the quality of life we can offer.
Here's what I'm watching...
A building code that could become a regional model
Springfield City Council adopted updated building and energy codes this week, largely based on the 2024 international standards, with local amendments. The 2018 energy code remains in place, and the new standards take effect January 1, 2027.
What stands out to me is how we got here. The City's Building Development Services Department worked closely with stakeholders who don't always see these issues the same way, including construction industry representatives and organizations focused on energy efficiency and environmental concerns. The Chamber commended that collaborative approach in a letter to Council before the vote.
Why it matters: Good stakeholder engagement makes for better policy. But there's another opportunity here. Springfield now has a well-vetted, broadly supported code that could serve as a foundation for surrounding communities. Greater consistency across our region would give builders and developers more predictability as they plan projects across jurisdictional boundaries. That's good for business and regional growth.
Source: Springfield City Council, October 12
Housing supply is a regional growth issue
I joined my counterparts from the Nixa and Ozark Chambers recently to celebrate the opening of The Meadows at Wicklow, a $37.5 million, 240-unit apartment development in Nixa. Meanwhile, inside Springfield, plans are taking shape for approximately 250 additional apartments at Township 28 in Galloway, including smaller units intended to offer more attainable rents. Another planned Springfield development, Millstone Flats, would add 48 apartments, including eight for young adults aging out of foster care.
Why it matters: Our regional economy operates across city boundaries, and so does our workforce. Last week's Indianapolis edition emphasized the importance of clear housing-production targets. These projects, at different stages of development, illustrate the range of housing our region needs. More supply, across different communities and price points, is essential if we're going to accommodate workforce growth while keeping our cost of living competitive.
Sources: Springfield Business Journal — Meadows at Wicklow, Township 28, Millstone Flats
Energy capacity is a critical economic development priority
Missouri's newly released State Energy Plan places new emphasis on expanding electricity generation within the state, including the potential development of additional nuclear power. Missouri has shifted from being a net exporter to a net importer of electricity, raising questions about long-term reliability, affordability and economic competitiveness.
Locally, City Utilities is already making significant investments in additional capacity. Its plans include new natural gas turbines and battery storage totaling 186 megawatts of additional power supply capacity, supporting a long-term goal of meeting at least 80% of Springfield's power needs through local generation.
Why it matters: Reliable, competitively priced electricity is increasingly important to attracting new investment and supporting existing employers. Missouri's nuclear ambitions are still a long-term strategy, while CU's investments are already underway. Both reflect a larger reality: the energy decisions we make today will help determine the opportunities available to our region for decades to come.
Sources: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, September 30; City Utilities Integrated Resource Plan
Limited child care is constraining labor force participation
The newly released 2026 Community Focus Report again identifies access to affordable child care as a significant regional challenge. As of July, more than 1,000 children were on a child care subsidy waitlist. For working parents, limited child care options can make employment difficult. For employers, the consequences show up in recruitment, retention and workforce availability.
On November 11, the Chamber will host a 60 Minutes to Success session on Child Care Works, exploring ways employers can help working families access child care, including employer-supported benefits and available tax incentives.
Why it matters: Child care isn't simply a family concern. It's an important part of our workforce infrastructure. Employers can't solve the entire challenge themselves, but there are practical approaches worth exploring that could help more parents participate fully in the workforce.
Sources: 2026 Community Focus Report; KSMU coverage; Chamber Child Care Works event
Better coordination could strengthen our response to homelessness
Springfield City Council this week referred Councilmember Derek Lee's proposed homelessness action plan to its Community Involvement Committee. The proposal calls for stronger coordination among organizations addressing homelessness, clearer responsibilities, measurable goals and regular reporting on progress.
The referral begins further committee consideration rather than establishing a completed plan.
Why it matters: Homelessness is a complex human challenge with real implications for neighborhoods, businesses and downtown vitality. Our region already has organizations and partnerships working on solutions. Better coordination, shared expectations and measurable outcomes could help strengthen that work and identify where additional effort is needed. One lesson reinforced during our Indianapolis visit is that successful communities pay attention not just to their aspirations, but to how well they function every day.
October 9, 2026
This week, much of what I've been watching has been happening in Indianapolis, where 85 Springfield-area business and community leaders spent two and a half days on our Chamber's 32nd Community Leadership Visit.
I was struck by how much our communities have in common. Despite the substantial difference in size, we're wrestling with many of the same questions about growth, housing, infrastructure, talent and quality of place.
We heard some inspiring success stories, but also candid assessments of things that haven't worked as well as hoped. And perhaps the biggest lesson wasn't any particular project or program, but the decades of intentional public-private collaboration, long-term thinking and persistence that made progress possible. Indianapolis leaders repeatedly emphasized the importance of building relationships before they're needed and putting the community's success ahead of institutional credit.
So, a little different approach to What I'm Watching this week: five lessons from Indy that I believe are worth considering here at home.
Here's what I'm watching…
Public trust has to be built, not assumed
Indianapolis leaders were candid about lessons learned when major downtown investments didn't produce benefits throughout the community, or when residents were brought into planning conversations too late. Building consensus among business, government and civic leaders matters, but so does engaging neighborhood voices early enough to meaningfully shape the decisions being made.
Why it matters: Effective engagement is essential, but it's only part of building public trust. So is consistent, credible storytelling that connects the dots between what we're hearing from the community, the decisions we're making, and how those decisions affect people and neighborhoods. We need to explain not just what we're doing, but why, including the tradeoffs involved and the benefits we hope to achieve. People are more likely to trust a process when they can see how their input influences the outcome.
The best investments unlock other investments
Indianapolis's transformation was built on some remarkably ambitious decisions, including its early commitment to sports and convention infrastructure. More recently, Central Indiana has used targeted public funding, regional prioritization and private investment commitments to advance projects with much larger economic potential. One panelist offered a principle worth remembering: A grant opportunity shouldn't determine a community's priorities; it should accelerate them.
Why it matters: Springfield has significant investment decisions ahead, including opportunities created by Forward SGF funding. Beyond asking whether a project is worthwhile, we should ask what additional investments and opportunities it might unlock. And whether we can sustain it. The strongest investments will be those that make other good things possible for years to come.
Source: Indiana Economic Development Corporation – READI regional investment initiative
Housing supply: A shared target could strengthen our efforts
Indianapolis is doing something right. Brookings identified it among just 10 U.S. metro areas that combined strong economic growth with relatively stable costs of living from 2013–2023. All ten expanded housing supply faster than population growth.
After our housing panel, I asked what seemed like a fundamental question: How many homes does Indy need to address its current shortage, and how many more—of what types and price points—will it need over the next two, five and ten years? The panelists acknowledged they weren't working from one shared regional production target.
Springfield has useful research to build upon. Our city's 2023 housing study identified gaps across income levels and housing types, while a January 2026 HUD analysis projects demand for 5,650 new for-sale homes and 2,375 rental unitsacross our five-county metro through early 2029, including units already under construction. But I'm not aware of a widely understood, regularly updated regional production goal.
Why it matters: Increasing housing supply requires a full toolbox of policies, incentives and investments. Many are already being used, some effectively. But without shared, data-driven targets, how do we know whether we're gaining ground fast enough, or which tools to deploy for which housing needs? Establishing those targets could bring greater focus, measurable accountability and effectiveness to good work already underway.
Sources: Brookings Metro Monitor 2025; Springfield Housing Study (2023); HUD Springfield Housing Market Analysis (2026)
A successful downtown has to work on a Tuesday
One of my favorite observations from the trip was that Indianapolis's downtown needs to look and function well not just during the Final Four or another major event, but on an ordinary Tuesday. Its Downtown Indy Alliance focuses on the everyday essentials—cleanliness, safety, homelessness outreach and activity throughout the urban core. Dedicated funding helps sustain that work beyond special events.
Why it matters: Springfield has important opportunities to invest in downtown's future. But the everyday experience of residents, employees, businesses and visitors matters just as much as the major projects. A downtown that is consistently clean, safe, welcoming and active creates confidence—and provides the foundation for further private investment.
Source: Downtown Indy Alliance – Economic Enhancement District
Employers can help build the workforce they need
Eli Lilly's investments in Central Indiana go well beyond new facilities and jobs. The company is partnering with schools, colleges and workforce organizations to develop the talent pipeline its growing operations will require. Panelists emphasized that the most productive partnerships involve senior corporate leaders who recognize a direct business need and have the authority to commit resources.
Why it matters: Springfield's major employers have an opportunity to help shape—not simply recruit from—our future workforce. When businesses and educators align around specific, measurable talent needs, they can make smarter investments in training and career pathways, often years before those workers will be needed. That benefits the companies involved and strengthens the region's long-term competitiveness.
Source: Ivy Tech Community College – Eli Lilly-funded biopharmaceutical workforce training
October 2, 2026
Some weeks the stories line up around a common theme. This week, several of them point to the same underlying question: Is our region building the capacity to handle growth well? The answer shows up not just in jobs, but in airport infrastructure, roads, housing and the predictability of the rules surrounding new investment.
Springfield job growth is outpacing Missouri — and the mix is worth watching
New federal data show Springfield metro payroll employment at 235,600 jobs in August, up 1.7% from a year earlier, compared with roughly 1.1% growth statewide. Mining, logging and construction employment grew 6.9%, professional and business services 5.5%, leisure and hospitality 5.1%, education and health services 2.6%, and manufacturing 2.2%. Springfield's unemployment rate was 3.6%.
Why it matters: I wouldn't read too much into any single month's number, but the mix caught my attention. Springfield is adding jobs across several very different parts of the economy, and manufacturing employment is growing here while it is slightly lower statewide. That's a useful sign of breadth in the regional economy.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sept. 30 — Springfield Economy at a Glance · Missouri Economy at a Glance
SGF has completed $35 million in airport improvements
Springfield-Branson National Airport marked the completion Thursday of roughly $35 million in improvements made over the past 18 months. I was at Thursday's ribbon cutting, where airport leaders highlighted work that includes cargo-ramp reconstruction, expansion of the terminal apron, new passenger jet bridges, additional short-term parking, new flooring and automated exit lanes.
Why it matters: Standing there Thursday, what struck me was that this isn't really a story about nicer airport facilities. It's about capacity. An airport is economic infrastructure — supporting business travel, tourism, air cargo and our connection to the rest of the country. SGF is making investments now so today's growth doesn't become tomorrow's bottleneck.
Sources: KY3, Oct. 1 · Springfield-Branson National Airport project overview
Springfield's housing pilots need a clear definition of success
This week's City Council housing discussion moved beyond agreement that affordability is a problem and into the harder question of which tools solve which problems. One idea that caught my attention was Councilman Abe McGull's suggestion of vouchers. At the same time, Springfield's West Central rental-inspection pilot is giving the community a real-world test of another approach. The pilot covers roughly 1,500 single-family and duplex rental units and is intended to help inform decisions about whether a broader program should follow.
Why it matters: A pilot ought to tell us something we can use. Before expanding a program, we should be clear about what success looks like and evaluate the results on a true cost-benefit basis: Did housing conditions improve? At what cost to landlords and tenants? Did rents change? Were units preserved, improved or removed from the market? Were there unintended consequences?
Those questions don't assume the pilot will succeed or fail. But if we're going to use it to shape broader housing policy, we should know what we're measuring and what evidence would justify the next step. And we can't lose sight of the larger supply question: Springfield can have too little affordable housing and too little housing overall at the same time.
Sources: Springfield CityView, Sept. 28 Council workshop · KSMU: Rental-inspection pilot background
Greene County pairs court improvements with expanded mental-health services
At Thursday’s Chamber-hosted Good Morning Springfield, Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon’s State of the County address highlighted more than $24 million in renovations repurposing the former jail for court and county services, with a public dedication planned for Nov. 9. He also outlined expanded behavioral-health services in the jail, including a full-time liaison to coordinate referrals and support people preparing for re-entry. The county-backed Youth Resiliency Campus, serving teenagers with mental-health and crisis needs, has now served its 100th client.
Why it matters: The facilities and the services inside them deserve to be considered together. Better coordination among courts, behavioral-health providers and re-entry services could help people regain stability while reducing recurring demands on public resources. For employers and taxpayers, the longer-term question is whether these investments produce more effective services and better outcomes.
Missouri’s camera guidance arrives as Springfield weighs its own approach
Missouri’s Department of Public Safety released new guidance Sept. 30 for automated license-plate readers—the technology behind Flock cameras. It calls for deleting routine, non-evidentiary data within 30 days, documenting searches, limiting data sharing and conducting at least monthly audits. The timing matters locally: Springfield City Council referred a resolution seeking a review of camera contracts and policies to committee Sept. 21, in a contentious meeting where the referral came before a scheduled public hearing.
Why it matters: The committee now has additional guidance available that wasn’t in hand during last week’s Council meeting. That gives members more context for examining public-safety uses, privacy safeguards and accountability. Whether it helps move the discussion forward remains to be seen, but at this stage, more concrete guidance should give Springfield a better basis for working through the questions.
September 25, 2026
One thread connects several things I'm watching this week: communities live with the consequences of decisions made long before the results are obvious. That's true of housing supply, workforce investments, relationships that open doors for business - and even the norms we establish for how we disagree. Some of those choices compound in good ways. Others can make the work ahead harder.
Here's what I'm watching...
Springfield's housing conversation needs a growth target
The numbers increasingly point to a supply problem. From 2010 to 2024, Springfield added 9,070 households but only 7,141 housing units, while its available-housing cushion fell from 10.1% to 7.0%. Our research into the Brookings metros that managed to grow without losing ground on affordability found a consistent characteristic: all 10 increased housing supply faster than population.
Why it matters: I think the next step is to establish an ambitious, measurable housing-production goal that makes up lost ground and then stays ahead of future growth. That means looking beyond any single program - including subsidized housing and rehabilitation - toward enough housing of different types and price points, along with policies, infrastructure and predictable processes that allow it to be built. That's one reason our upcoming Community Leadership Visit to Indianapolis is particularly timely.
Sources: Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Sept. 21 - Read more | 2026 Community Leadership Visit data - Explore the data
How we disagree matters, too
I was at Monday night's City Council meeting. After Council voted 5-3 to send a proposed review of Springfield's use of Flock license-plate readers to committee without holding the anticipated public hearing, the room erupted. There was sustained yelling and profanity, police removed people from the room, the meeting recessed and at least two people were arrested.
I've attended more Council meetings than I can count. I've never experienced anything quite like it.
Why it matters: Reasonable people can disagree strongly about surveillance technology - and about whether Council handled the process correctly. But healthy self-government requires us to disagree without intimidation or disorder. Citizens have a responsibility for that. So do elected officials and other community leaders. Leadership should create room for legitimate disagreement, lower the temperature when tensions rise and resist normalizing conduct that makes constructive participation harder.
Sources: Springfield Daily Citizen, Sept. 22 - Read more | KY3, Sept. 21 - Read more
Ozarks Tech's manufacturing growth is rewarding a decision the business community made eight years ago
In 2018, voters approved an additional five-cent Ozarks Tech levy that helped make the Plaster Manufacturing Center possible. Our Chamber board activated the Committee for the Future PAC, and our team managed the advocacy campaign alongside Ozarks Tech's public education effort. The business case was straightforward: manufacturers needed a deeper pipeline of technically skilled workers, and workforce capacity had become a real constraint on growth.
The resulting $40 million, 120,000-square-foot center opened in 2022 with programs in automation and robotics, manufacturing technology, mechatronics and precision machining, plus space for employers to train workers and test new processes and equipment. This week's Springfield Business Journal story reports those programs are growing.
Why it matters: We weren't advocating for a building. We were investing in workforce capacity. What we're seeing today is why our board and business community prioritized that investment eight years ago: workforce investments take time, but good long-term decisions eventually show up in people, skills and opportunities.
Source: Springfield Business Journal, Sept. 2026 - Read more
A Springfield connection is opening doors to Iceland
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to interview U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Billy Long and Iceland's Ambassador to the United States Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir at the Chamber. The conversation ranged from diplomacy to tourism to trade. Valsdottir said the United States is already Iceland's largest trading partner and about one-third of Iceland's tourists are Americans. Long talked specifically about finding opportunities to connect Ozarks businesses with Iceland.
He has even discussed the possibility of an Iceland location with Bass Pro Shops, although Bass Pro has not announced such a project.
Why it matters: International commerce can sound distant until it becomes an introduction between two businesses. Having a U.S. ambassador who knows Springfield, its companies and its people creates an unusual bridge. Whether any particular opportunity develops remains to be seen, but relationships are often where trade begins.
Sources: KY3, Sept. 22 - Read more | Springfield Daily Citizen, Sept. 22 - Read more
The economy can improve before it feels better
The latest SLU/YouGov Poll offers an interesting counterpoint to some of the strengthening Missouri labor-market data I shared last week. Among 900 likely Missouri voters, only 25% rated Missouri's economy excellent or good. At least 59% said they were worried about being able to afford each of several recurring expenses, including health care, food and groceries, gasoline, utilities and property taxes.
Why it matters: Economic statistics and economic experience don't always move together. Job growth or stronger labor-force participation can be encouraging while households remain squeezed by the accumulated effect of higher prices. Employers should pay attention to both: persistent cost pressure can shape wage expectations, consumer spending and confidence long after some headline indicators improve.
Source: Saint Louis University/YouGov Poll, Sept. 10 - Read more
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September 18, 2026
One theme I keep coming back to is capacity: whether we have the people, housing, infrastructure and financial conditions to support continued growth. This week’s developments look very different on the surface, but each says something about that question — and about the tradeoffs business leaders are navigating right now.
Here’s what I’m watching...
Springfield’s housing conversation is getting more concrete
Last week, I wrote that our housing conversation was moving from defining the problem toward evaluating practical approaches. Yesterday’s Restore SGF Housing Summit gave us a more concrete example.
Springfield Planning and Development Director Steve Childers outlined a proposal for a housing trust fund intended to help stimulate housing development. He also discussed missing-middle housing, zoning and regulatory changes, and the city’s land bank as pieces of a broader strategy. The trust-fund concept is still being developed and would require City Council approval.
Why it matters: Housing supply and affordability are increasingly tied to our ability to grow the workforce and sustain economic momentum. No single tool will solve that challenge. What is changing is the specificity of the conversation: which tools might actually expand supply, what they cost, how much private investment they can leverage and how they fit alongside other community priorities. That is the next stage of work we need to understand well.
Source: KSMU, Sept. 17 — Read more
Missouri’s labor market keeps strengthening
Missouri added 34,100 jobs over the past year, including 2,100 in August, while the state unemployment rate fell to 3.5% — down from 4.0% a year ago and below the national rate of 4.1%.
Another number caught my attention: Missouri’s labor-force participation rate was 63.3%, compared with 61.6% nationally. That’s encouraging, particularly because participation — the share of people working or actively looking for work — matters enormously when employers are competing for talent.
There’s an important local wrinkle. The most recent comparable Census estimate puts the Springfield metro’s longer-term labor-force participation rate at 62.7%, below both Missouri and the nation on the same measure. The datasets aren’t directly comparable to this month’s state numbers, but the broader point is consistent with something we’ve watched locally for years: growing the number of people participating in our workforce remains an opportunity.
Why it matters: A stronger Missouri labor market is a tailwind for Springfield, but statewide improvement doesn’t eliminate our local workforce challenge. One of our most important opportunities is not simply attracting more people to the region, but increasing the share of our population connected to the workforce. That makes participation an important measure to keep watching alongside job growth and unemployment.
Sources: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, August jobs report — Read more; U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 estimates — View Springfield metro data
The Fed sees enough strength to raise rates
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest-rate range by a quarter point Wednesday, to 3.75%–4.00%.
What I found more interesting was the explanation underneath the decision. The Fed describes economic activity as growing at a solid pace, consumer spending as resilient, productivity growth as strong and capital investment as robust — while inflation remains elevated. Its new projections also show slightly stronger expected growth and lower unemployment than in June, but higher inflation and a higher expected interest-rate path.
Why it matters: That combination tells a more useful story than the rate increase alone. The economy has remained strong enough that the Fed believes it still has room to fight inflation, but that also means businesses may be dealing with higher borrowing costs for longer than policymakers expected just a few months ago. For companies financing equipment, construction, real estate or expansion, the cost of capital remains an important part of the decision.
Sources: Federal Reserve FOMC statement, Sept. 16 — Read more; Federal Reserve economic projections — View projections
Fuel prices are becoming a business-cost story
Springfield’s average price for regular gasoline reached about $4.19 a gallon Thursday, compared with $4.04 a week earlier and $2.93 a year ago. Diesel is the bigger business story: Springfield’s average has climbed to about $6.18, more than 60 cents higher than a week ago.
Missouri’s statewide diesel average reached $6.07 Thursday — the highest recorded statewide average in AAA’s data. Nationally, gasoline has climbed above $4.43 as crude oil prices remain around $100 per barrel amid continued volatility in the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters: Fuel prices move quickly through the economy. For transportation and logistics companies the connection is obvious, but higher fuel costs also reach construction, field-service businesses, agriculture, distribution and eventually the prices employers pay for goods moving through their supply chains. If elevated diesel prices persist, this becomes another input-cost pressure at a time when businesses are already managing inflation and higher borrowing costs.
Sources: AAA Missouri fuel prices, Sept. 17 — View current prices; AAA national update, Sept. 17 — Read more
September 11, 2026
I’m in Kansas City this week for Missouri’s Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. Yesterday, Gov. Mike Kehoe was joined by cabinet leaders responsible for economic development, labor, natural resources, transportation, higher education and workforce, among others. That breadth is a useful reminder: economic development isn’t one silo among many. Jobs, investment and growth help create the capacity to address nearly every other state priority — and shape opportunity in every Missouri community.
The conference makes that case year after year.
Here’s what I’m watching...
Springfield’s housing conversation turns toward practical approaches
Housing affordability and availability have been a recurring theme here recently, and next week the conversation takes another step. Restore SGF’s Sept. 17 Housing Summit will bring together research from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, experience from Chattanooga, Springfield’s housing strategy and a local panel representing real estate, home building and the business community.
Why it matters: We’ve spent considerable time understanding the problem. The next challenge is evaluating practical approaches that can expand housing choices and supply while recognizing there is no single silver-bullet solution. I’m particularly interested in what we can learn from other communities — and how those lessons might fit Springfield rather than simply be copied here. That same shift toward solutions is one reason we’re also looking forward to our upcoming Community Leadership Visit to Indy, where we’ll learn more about approaches they are finding effective.
Source: Restore SGF Housing Summit, Sept. 17 — Read more
The data-center discussion is getting more concrete
Springfield’s data-center conversation is moving from general questions to some of the practical mechanics. City Utilities has created a process for evaluating customers requiring 5 megawatts or more and is working on a special rate structure intended to ensure that the incremental infrastructure costs created by very large computational users are assigned appropriately.
At the same time, new SLU/YouGov polling found 68% of Missouri likely voters oppose a data center in their own community, compared with 17% who support one.
Why it matters: These are exactly the details that have to be worked through carefully: capacity, infrastructure, cost responsibility and community benefit. The polling is also a reminder that good technical answers alone won’t be enough. Transparency and trust will matter as Springfield determines what makes sense for our community.
Source: KSMU, Sept. 9 — Read more; SLU/YouGov Poll, Sept. 10 — Read more
Small-business optimism is holding up, but the operating environment remains difficult
NFIB’s latest Small Business Optimism Index slipped to 98.7 in August but remains slightly above its long-term average. Underneath that headline, though, there are real pressures: 35% of owners reported jobs they couldn’t fill, and among businesses actively trying to hire, 82% said they were finding few or no qualified applicants. Inflation also rose as a top business concern.
Why it matters: About 85% of Springfield Area Chamber members are small businesses. That makes these more than interesting national statistics to us. Smaller employers often feel hiring challenges, higher input costs and softer sales more quickly because they have less room to absorb them. We watch the major employers and big economic indicators closely, but the health of small business is also central to the health of our regional economy.
Source: NFIB, Sept. 8 — Read more
The Fed’s regional read reflects what businesses are telling it
The Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book says economic activity in the St. Louis Fed’s Eighth District has increased modestly. Employment was essentially unchanged, wage growth remained moderate and prices rose at a relatively strong and widespread pace. Businesses also continued to report uncertainty, supply-chain disruptions and elevated fuel costs.
There’s another reason I pay attention to this report. The Chamber stays in regular contact with the St. Louis Fed. Charles Gascon joined us for last month’s SBDC Economic Outlook, and before that event we convened area business owners and leaders for a roundtable with Fed officials to provide an on-the-ground view of what they’re experiencing.
Why it matters: The Beige Book is built in part from qualitative information the Fed gathers directly from businesses and other organizations across its districts. Our role is to help make sure the experiences and perspectives of Springfield-area businesses are part of that information flow. It’s valuable for our businesses to hear the Fed’s broader assessment — and equally important for the Fed to hear what is happening here.
Source: Federal Reserve Beige Book, Sept. 2 — Read more; Springfield Area Chamber SBDC Economic Outlook — Read more
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September 4, 2026
Most of you have heard me talk about this before, and I know many of you share the concern: the cost and availability of housing is becoming an increasingly important economic competitiveness issue for our region.
Yesterday at Good Morning Springfield, we took that conversation into a more public setting in front of more than 400 business leaders. We also had the privilege of gathering in Ozarks Tech’s remarkable new $48 million Michael L. Parson Student Union — a transformative addition to the campus and a special venue for the morning.
The housing panel reinforced that there is no single silver bullet. A number of factors contribute to the cost of building a new home. But there are communities around the country that appear to be figuring some of this out, and we’re watching them closely. At the same time, we’re working with partners across our community and region to attack the cost of new housing development and the housing-supply challenge at its roots.
Here’s what I’m watching…
A 229-acre Ozark development puts real housing supply behind the conversation
Marabella has broken ground in Ozark on a roughly 229-acre development planned to include 536 single-family lots, multifamily and townhome housing, commercial space, trails and other amenities. The project is expected to develop in phases over several years.
Why it matters: Yesterday’s housing conversation makes this more than a subdivision story. If housing availability and affordability increasingly affect our ability to attract and retain workers, adding meaningful supply across different housing types becomes part of our economic infrastructure. No single project solves the challenge, but substantial new supply matters.
Source: Springfield News-Leader, Aug. 19 — Read more
Springfield opens another 411 acres for future growth
A series of road projects near Springfield Underground is now complete, improving access to about 411 acres targeted for future commercial and industrial development. The work includes improvements to LeCompte Road, an extension of Eastgate Avenue and the realignment of Old Wire Road, completed through a partnership involving the Erlen Group, City of Springfield, City Utilities, Greene County and the State of Missouri.
Why it matters: Companies can’t locate or expand on land that lacks the roads, utilities and access they need. This is one of those projects the Chamber has worked hard on for several years, advocating at both the local and state levels as multiple funding pieces came together. We pushed for it for exactly this reason: opening one of Springfield’s largest remaining concentrations of commercial and industrial land to future employers and investment. Federal, state, local and private resources ultimately all played a role in moving the infrastructure forward.
Source: Springfield News-Leader, Sept. 3 — Read more
Renew Jordan Creek is nearing completion — and the next chapter may be even more interesting
Phase one of Renew Jordan Creek is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, with a public opening targeted for spring 2027. The city is already working with downtown stakeholders on how the new space will be used and activated.
Why it matters: Springfield has talked about transforming Jordan Creek downtown for decades. Our Chamber-led community visioning work in 2017 and 2018 helped elevate that idea into a shared priority around which the community began aligning and pursuing resources.
So I’m excited to see the physical project nearing completion. But what interests me next is what happens around it. A significant new amenity can change the economics of nearby private investment. We’ll see whether Renew Jordan Creek helps unlock the next generation of development downtown — which was always part of the opportunity.
Source: KSMU, Sept. 1 — Read more
$72 million in neighborhood needs puts a finite resource in perspective
Springfield’s Neighborhood Works+ process generated more than 560 project ideas, eventually narrowed to about 160 viable projects estimated to cost $72.2 million. The first round has $5 million available, with recommended projects reaching 22 of the city’s 24 registered neighborhoods and focusing largely on sidewalks, traffic calming, stormwater and quality-of-place improvements.
Why it matters: I’m glad the first dollars from Spring Forward SGF are going directly into neighborhoods, and this process makes clear that there will be additional neighborhood needs ahead.
It also highlights the choices involved in stewarding a finite resource. The half-cent portion of Spring Forward SGF is expected to generate about $30 million annually, and it was designed to advance a broad range of Forward SGF priorities. I tend to think about three especially important lanes for those dollars: neighborhood reinvestment, job creation and housing supply. No single project can accomplish all three, and the Citizens Advisory Board and City Council will have important choices to make about how to balance those needs over time.
Source: KSMU, Sept. 1 — Read more | City of Springfield — Spring Forward SGF framework
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Thanks for watching these stories with me. If there’s a development you think should be on my radar, I’d welcome hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Matt
Matt Morrow
President & CEO
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
August 28, 2026
Growth is one thing. Having the capacity to sustain it is another. Several developments this week moved that conversation from aspiration to execution—and in one case, to a very public debate about what kind of growth we want and under what conditions.
Here's what I'm watching…
Forward 44 moves from plan to pavement
MoDOT broke ground Monday on the $471 million Forward 44 Southwest project, beginning a five-year effort to widen I-44 through Springfield, improve major interchanges and upgrade the corridor from Newton to Laclede counties. MoDOT says the project is designed in part to promote economic development and improve freight movement.
Why it matters: This is growth infrastructure. Moving people and freight more safely and efficiently expands the region's capacity for jobs, investment and development. It's also why the Chamber and so many regional partners pushed hard for this investment: transportation capacity has to be in place before growth demands it.
Source: Missouri Department of Transportation, Aug. 24 - Read more
Workforce demand is shifting—and training is moving with it
Ozarks Tech opened fall semester with its fifth straight year of enrollment growth, with construction, electrical, welding, automotive and diesel programs each up more than 30%. New BLS employment projections show future job growth concentrating heavily in areas including health care and utilities while office and administrative-support jobs decline sharply; a separate BLS report on worker displacement found 3.3 million long-tenured workers were displaced from 2023–25.
Why it matters: Employers can struggle to find workers while other workers are being displaced. The places that compete best will increasingly be those that see where demand is moving, align training quickly and help people move into growing fields. Ozarks Tech's numbers are an encouraging local signal that training choices are moving in the same direction as several national demand signals.
Sources: Ozarks Tech, Aug. 24; BLS Employment Projections, Aug. 27; BLS Worker Displacement, Aug. 27
Missouri's economic-development toolbox changes today
HB 3231 takes effect today, expanding several tools Missouri communities can use for investment and redevelopment, including new Missouri Works incentives for major capital projects, MODESA redevelopment authority, Innovation Zones and other investment incentives.
Why it matters: For Springfield, the details matter less than the practical result: we have more tools to compete for major investment, bring underused property back into productive use and support growing companies.
Source: Missouri Senate - Read more about HB 3231
Sankofa adds housing where Springfield needs more of it
Sankofa, Commercial Street's first new ground-up building in roughly 50 years, is bringing 42 income-restricted apartments plus commercial space to the corridor. The $13.5 million project includes $4.5 million in federal ARPA funding.
Why it matters: Last week I wrote about housing affordability and availability as potential constraints on growth. This is one tangible response—adding attainable housing while reinvesting in a historic commercial district.
Source: KY3, Aug. 21 - Read more
The data-center conversation enters a harder phase
Hundreds turned out for Springfield's first data-center public-engagement session last night. I was there, and I thought City and City Utilities staff handled a complicated environment impressively. What caught my attention was the certainty of some of the most active voices; in my group, several participants were explicit that they opposed all data centers, without much curiosity about the particulars.
Why it matters: The next phase of this discussion will require more than technical facts. It will also require trust, patient explanation and a genuine willingness to weigh real tradeoffs before reaching conclusions. As we're seeing in communities across the country, that kind of deliberation may be easier to call for than to achieve.
Sources: KY3, Aug. 27; The Washington Post, Aug. 23
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Thanks for watching these stories with me. If there's a development you think should be on my radar, I'd welcome hearing from you.
Matt Morrow
President & CEO
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce