Clarion Hotel and Conference Center

Urban exploration in Springfield, Missouri
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DblD
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Clarion Hotel and Conference Center

Post by DblD »

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Yesterday morning I was driving on south Glenstone and spotted a trackhoe pulling into the old Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. When I drove back by later, the trackhoe was doing its thing. The building wont be standing much longer.


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As I was driving thru the parking lot my fuzzy memory began working overtime remembering all the good times that were had in that old building.


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Concerts, company Christmas parties, senior prom, and I think this was the location of a bar and grill called Smart Alec’s.


I’ll share one of my favorite (and embarrassing) memories….


Senior prom in the spring of 1988. My date (daughter of Civics teacher) and I had shared part of a box of Matilda Bay Wine Cooler. There was a stage on the dance floor. During the song “Jump” I leaped off the stage in true David Lee Roth style. This split my already too-tight tux pants from stem to stern. Luckily I had a spare pair of jeans in the car. Rest of the evening was spent in a comfortable pair of broken-in jeans, bow tie and cumber bun.


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Anyone else on here old enough to have good memories of this place?


dd
“I’m growing older but not up
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck
Let those winds of time blow over my head
I’d rather die while I’m living – than live while I’m dead�
-Jimmy Buffett
paul06660
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Re: Clarion Hotel and Conference Center

Post by paul06660 »

DblD wrote:Anyone else on here old enough to have good memories of this place?
I dont know if I could call them good memories. Back right before Christmas in 2004, my girlfriend got a letter in the mail saying the state owed her several hundred in back due taxes. However, upon getting there and arriving at the conference room, several police officers came out of the woodwork to tell us that everyone had municipal warrants, and would be arrested and going to jail. These warrants, of course, were for nothing more than minor city ordinance and traffic violations, mostly for outstanding fines. Not only did I have the unfortunate pleasure of going broke having to bond my girlfriend out three fucking days before Christmas, but also had to deal with having my car searched and trying to convince both our bosses not to fire us for not showing to work later that day. Good riddance to that place, as it will never be used again for that purpose.
We are all just sloguns waiting to have our triggers pulled.
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Nicotti
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Re: Clarion Hotel and Conference Center

Post by Nicotti »

paul06660 wrote:I dont know if I could call them good memories. Back right before Christmas in 2004, my girlfriend got a letter in the mail saying the state owed her several hundred in back due taxes.
At this point in your story I was confused as to why the didn't send her a check in the mail and why they had her go to a local convention center; I was thinking that it sounded more like something the police would do to get people with warrants. And then the next lines was:
paul06660 wrote:However, upon getting there and arriving at the conference room, several police officers came out of the woodwork to tell us that everyone had municipal warrants, and would be arrested and going to jail.
And I was like: Yep, thought so. They mail tax refunds out, not have you go some place.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.

“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
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paul06660
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Re: Clarion Hotel and Conference Center

Post by paul06660 »

Nicotti wrote:
paul06660 wrote:I dont know if I could call them good memories. Back right before Christmas in 2004, my girlfriend got a letter in the mail saying the state owed her several hundred in back due taxes.
At this point in your story I was confused as to why the didn't send her a check in the mail and why they had her go to a local convention center; I was thinking that it sounded more like something the police would do to get people with warrants. And then the next lines was:
paul06660 wrote:However, upon getting there and arriving at the conference room, several police officers came out of the woodwork to tell us that everyone had municipal warrants, and would be arrested and going to jail.
And I was like: Yep, thought so. They mail tax refunds out, not have you go some place.
We were young and dumb, didn't know any better at the time.
We are all just sloguns waiting to have our triggers pulled.
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