Plaza Towers in Springfield Is Getting a Fine-Dining Restaurant, Rooftop Bar, and New Comedy Club in Early 2026

Plaza Towers, one of Springfield’s most recognizable landmarks, is gearing up for a major refresh as AMP Recreation prepares to launch three new dining and entertainment concepts in early 2026. The property, located at 1736 E. Sunshine St., has been under new ownership since earlier this year, and the team behind it is moving quickly to bring new life to the building.

The first addition is Towers Comedy Club, set to open in the first quarter of 2026 in the shopping center next to Plaza Towers at 1907 S. Glenstone Ave. According to Steve Belden, operating partner at AMP Recreation, the comedy club will take over two units near Jersey Mike’s Subs, featuring its own full kitchen and bar. The menu will lean toward upscale bar food, with a selection of appetizers and creative sandwiches—some potentially named after well-known comedians.

The space will include a large stage, multiple screens, and garage-style doors that open during comedy sets, music events, or sports nights. On evenings without live entertainment, it will function as a sports bar. This announcement follows the closure of the long-running Blue Room Comedy Club, whose downtown space will now be operated as Springfield Comedy Club by BARK Entertainment, an out-of-state company.
(Blue Room information: Springfield News-Leader)

Inside Plaza Towers itself, AMP Recreation is introducing Scratch & Co., a new fine-dining restaurant planned for the main level. Also slated for early 2026, the restaurant will seat around 125 guests, with more room available on the patio once renovations are complete.

Belden describes the menu as eclectic, ranging from chicken sandwiches and burgers to pasta dishes, steaks, and salads. Despite the upscale atmosphere, he says the pricing will remain approachable, allowing more Springfield residents to enjoy the space.

Just above the restaurant, Plaza Towers will debut its new rooftop bar and patio, which is designed to connect the restaurant below with the recently opened Sunshine Event Center on the third floor. The rooftop space, offering city views and outdoor seating, will serve dishes from Scratch & Co. via a dedicated dumbwaiter system.

Belden believes the rooftop could open as early as February 2026. The Sunshine Event Center itself seats up to 175 people and comes equipped with advanced technology, including speaker-tracking tools and more than 20 screens for presentations. Combined with the rooftop patio, the event area spans roughly 5,000 square feet.

These new ventures join The Daily Blend, a coffee shop AMP Recreation opened on Plaza Towers’ ground floor in November 2025. Belden declined to share the total investment for the new projects but emphasized that the goal is to shift Plaza Towers toward a more positive chapter after a turbulent period.

The building’s previous owner, Marco Denis, has been in jail since August 2024 on state charges including kidnapping, domestic assault, and tampering with physical evidence, along with separate federal gun charges. Plaza Towers was sold in a foreclosure sale in April 2025 for about $13.4 million to Trent Overhue, who is also a partner in AMP Recreation. Several lawsuits have emerged from the foreclosure, including claims from Denis of $9.2 million in personal property remaining in the building, as well as a rent dispute involving local attorney Brad Bradshaw.

Belden says that Overhue and AMP Recreation are focused on “bringing the building back to a positive place” and expanding Springfield’s entertainment options. For more on Plaza Towers and redevelopment plans, you can explore AMP Recreation’s commercial updates here:
AMP Commercial.