General Information 

Springfield, Missouri, sits atop a plateau of the largest mountain range in the country - the Ozark Mountains.  Surrounded by rolling hills, the city offers the best in metropolitan and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect family destination.  With more than 400,000 people in the metro area and millions of tourists each year, Springfield is rich with interesting and entertaining attractions, approximately 6,000 hotel rooms, more than 800 dining options and a variety of shopping and cultural activities.

Springfield's central location in the nation also makes it easily accessible by major highways and the Springfield-Branson National Airport.

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Population
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Springfield Emergency & Medical Directory
Springfield History
Springfield Demographics
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Population
Springfield is the third-largest city in Missouri and the largest Springfield in the nation.  The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population within the city limits is 154,777.  The estimated Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is more than 420,000. 

Education
Nearly 24,000 students attend the Springfield R-12 School District.  Nearly 21,000 attend Missouri State University, 10,250 attend Ozarks Technical Community College, 5,000 attend Drury University and 1,800 attend Evangel University. 

Green Initiatives
Among Springfield's finest assets are its beautiful scenery and clean environment, something community leaders are striving to maintain through a variety of programs and sustainable building projects.

Those projects include the Discovery Center, a hands-on science museum housed in a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building. The Discovery Center, certified at the Gold level, was the first building in southwest Missouri to attain the certification.

Springfield also is home to the Green Circle Shopping Center, an environmentally friendly building that houses several retailers including Dynamic Earth, an outdoor sporting goods store. The new shopping center is expected to receive its Platinum Certification in early 2009.
    
Other green buildings are in the city's future. In 2010, the Convention & Visitors Bureau plans to open a green tourist information center at U.S. 65 and Chestnut Expressway and the Springfield City Council passed an ordinance in 2008 mandating all future city-owned buildings meet LEED certification standards.

Convention & Meetings
Springfield is a one-of-a-kind city for meetings, conventions and recreation. Nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population lives within a 500-mile radius of Springfield, which is Missouri's third-largest city. Offering nearly 6,000 hotel rooms and convention and exhibit space, Springfield can accommodate groups up to 12,000 and has consistently ranked by the "Corporate Travel Index" as one of the least expensive convention cities in the nation. Easy access via major highways, interstates and the recently-expanded Springfield-Branson National Airport allows Springfield to be a prime meeting and convention destination. In one of the country's most scenic regions, Springfield and the Ozarks offer fabulous entertainment, great attractions and wonderful shopping.

Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Annual Report:  2008 Annual Report 
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