Haunted hotel guide · Springfield, Missouri
The Haunted University Plaza Hotel, Springfield: The Colonel Who Walks After Midnight
A modern downtown convention hotel with an old ghost story, about a gentleman in black that staff call the Colonel.
University Plaza is downtown Springfield’s big convention hotel, a nine-story building with 267 rooms at 333 John Q. Hammons Parkway, next to the Springfield Expo Center and a short walk from Missouri State University. It is a practical, modern place to stay, and not where most people expect a ghost story.
Yet University Plaza has one of the best-known ghost legends in the city. Staff and guests describe an older gentleman dressed all in black, seen late at night in the back hallways and the ballroom, whom they call the Colonel. Legends of America notes that the hotel is “not proud of its resident ghost,” and the hotel does not promote the story. Because the building is modern, the legend is about the land underneath it, said to have once belonged to a Civil War era estate. Here is the story, what we could and could not confirm, and where to stay if you want older walls around you. See all our haunted hotels in Springfield.
University Plaza at a glance
Haunted Rooms Score
- Address 333 S John Q Hammons Pkwy, Springfield, MO 65806, near East St. Louis Street
- Building A nine-story hotel built in 1984 and renovated in 2009, with 267 rooms (41 of them suites) and meeting space that reaches about 120,000 square feet with the Expo Center; managed by Atrium Hospitality
- Most haunted spots The ballroom and the back hallways, between midnight and 4 am
- Best-known ghost The Colonel, an older gentleman dressed all in black
- Booking the haunted room There is no haunted room. The stories are set in the hallways and ballroom, so any room will do.
- Good to know Pet friendly, with a pool and fitness center. Book early on Missouri State event days, when the hotel fills up.
The ghosts of University Plaza Hotel
The Colonel
The hotel’s ghost is a distinguished older man dressed all in black. Legends of America says he is most often seen between midnight and 4 am in the hotel’s ballroom and back hallways, and Springfield’s downtown association describes him as an older, well-dressed man in black who appears late at night.
Legends of America says the Colonel “has been seen by almost everyone who works at the Convention Center,” and Springfield’s downtown association repeats the story each Halloween as one of the city’s local legends. No dated, first-hand account has been published, so we treat him as a Springfield legend rather than a documented haunting.
Who was he?
Local lore says the land under the hotel was once a large plantation belonging to a well-decorated Civil War hero, and that the Colonel is that man, still walking his property. A Legends of America reader suggested two candidates, first John Polk Campbell, the founder of Springfield, and then in 2005 John S. Phelps, the Civil War colonel and later Missouri governor, apologizing for the earlier guess.
We have not found land records that confirm who owned this exact ground, so neither name should be taken as fact. What the story does capture is how close the city’s 19th century history sits to its modern downtown.
A ghost the hotel does not talk about
Unlike some historic hotels, University Plaza has never made anything of its ghost. Legends of America says the hotel is not proud of its resident ghost, reportedly because it fears he will hurt business. That is part of why the story has lasted: it has been passed on by night staff and convention workers rather than by marketing.
The most haunted rooms and places to look
- The back hallways: Where the Colonel is said to walk after midnight, in the service corridors behind the public areas.
- The ballroom: The other place he is reported, sitting quietly long after the events have ended.
- The Terrace Lounge: The hotel’s bar, the easiest place to ask night staff whether they have heard of the Colonel.
History of University Plaza Hotel
University Plaza opened in 1984 as a convention hotel along the parkway named for Springfield hotel developer John Q. Hammons, between downtown and the Missouri State University campus, and was renovated in 2009. Today it has 267 rooms over nine floors, including 41 suites, indoor and outdoor pools, the Terrace Lounge, and the Springfield Expo Center across the street. It is an independent hotel managed by Atrium Hospitality.
Its ghost story has been told for years and appears on Legends of America’s list of Springfield haunts. Springfield’s downtown association still lists the Colonel among the city’s spooky stories, next to the Walnut Street Inn and its woman in Victorian dress, the Landers Theatre and the Gillioz Theatre.
Tips for a haunted stay
- For old-house atmosphere, sleep at the 1890s Walnut Street Inn, about half a mile away, and walk over to University Plaza for a late drink.
- Take a walk past the ballroom after midnight, the hours when the Colonel is said to appear.
- Book early when Missouri State has a big event; AAA warns the hotel gets busy on college activity days.
- The hotel is pet friendly, which is rare among Springfield’s haunted stays.
- Pair your stay with a show at the Landers Theatre or the Gillioz, both on Springfield’s ghost story list.
More haunted hotels nearby
- Walnut Street Inn, Springfield: an 1890s B&B with the Rosen Room ghost, about half a mile away
- Haunted places in Springfield: theaters and houses with ghost stories of their own
- The Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas: one of America’s most famous haunted hotels, a drive south
- Haunted hotels in Missouri: every haunted stay in the state
- Haunted hotels in Missouri
- Haunted hotels in Springfield
Stayed in one of these hotels? Tell us what happened
We collect first-hand accounts from guests and add the best ones to our guides, with your first name and the date of your stay. We read every story before it’s published.
Frequently asked questions
Is University Plaza Hotel in Springfield haunted?
It has a long-running local legend. Staff describe an older man dressed in black, called the Colonel, seen in the ballroom and back hallways between midnight and 4 am. The hotel does not promote the story.
Who is the Colonel at University Plaza?
Local lore says he was a Civil War era officer whose estate once covered the land. Some have suggested John Polk Campbell or John S. Phelps, but no record confirms who owned the site.
How old is University Plaza Hotel?
It opened in 1984 and was renovated in 2009, so the Colonel story is about the land rather than the building.
When is the Colonel seen?
Most often between midnight and 4 am, in the ballroom and the back hallways.
Is University Plaza Hotel pet friendly?
Yes, according to AAA’s listing.
What other haunted places are near University Plaza?
The Walnut Street Inn is about half a mile away, and the Landers Theatre and Gillioz Theatre downtown both have ghost stories.
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the hotel’s own website, historic records and news coverage. Ghost stories are reported as guests, staff and local historians tell them. Read how we rate haunted hotels.
- Legends of America: Haunted Springfield, Missouri
- Downtown Springfield Association: Spooky downtown
- AAA: University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center
- Hospitality Online: University Plaza Hotel
- Cvent: University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center
Get new haunted hotel guides by email
New guides, haunted hotel picks and ghost hunt dates near you. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
About the authors
The Haunted Rooms Team runs public ghost hunts and overnight investigations at historic venues across the United States. We research every hotel in our guides using hotel histories, local archives, news coverage and the accounts of guests and staff, and we review each guide regularly so you are not booking a hotel that has closed or changed its name. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
Booking links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.