Missouri’s "Gateway City" is a historic, riverfront destination that has been revitalized in recent years by billions in development. With an attractive combination of new and upgraded facilities, value and hospitality, St. Louis is a premier option for Midwest get-togethers.
"St. Louis is a place where history and imagination collide, and the result is a Midwestern destination like no other," says Donna Andrews, director of public relations for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. "In addition to a revitalized downtown, a vibrant new hospitality district continues to grow outside of the America’s Center convention complex. Historic buildings in the Gateway City’s central business district are undergoing transformations that will add new life and new visitors to the America’s Center convention complex district. In addition to the new Seventh Street Parking Garage, historic structures are being repurposed for 21st century uses."
An easily navigable city full of friendly faces adds an invaluable selling point for groups.
"St. Louis blows you away by being user-friendly," Andrews says. "You are not going to find a better value. Planners rave about the level of hospitality experienced here and that our hotels are beautiful and the convention center is a perfect fit. They value St. Louis being accessible and easy to navigate. We often hear planners saying that attendees have asked when they are coming back, and that’s what we like to hear."
In recent years, St. Louis has seen more than $5 billion in new developments, including projects such as the boutique Moonrise Hotel, the $375 million River City Casino and the Four Seasons hotel at Laclede’s Landing. Several more projects are in the pipeline.
America’s Center, the city’s largest convention venue, is in the midst of several rounds of upgrades to both meeting space and infrastructure, and it has 502,000 square feet of meeting space.
There are more than 37,000 hotel rooms in the greater metro area, with more than 7,800 rooms within a mile of America’s Center.
Downtown, Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark offers more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space a short walk from Busch Stadium. The Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch has more than 83,000 square feet of meeting space.
Other downtown meetings hotels include The Millennium Hotel St. Louis, with 65,000 square feet of meeting space, and the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel, with 45,000 square feet of function space. Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis offers more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space at Lumiere Place, a hip downtown casino and entertainment complex, which is also home to the 294-room HoteLumiere St. Louis.
Outlying communities such as Chesterfield, Westport, Lambert and Clayton also provide meetings-friendly properties, including options such as the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center St. Louis, the Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel, the Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel St. Louis, the Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Airport, the Hilton St. Louis Airport, the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis and Harrah’s St. Louis Casino & Hotel.
A true sports town, St. Louis supports several winning franchises, from the MLB’s Cardinals to the NFL’s Rams to the NHL’s Blues. The city’s many sports venues include arenas, fields, swimming facilities and ice-skating rinks that make it ideal for almost any athletic competition.
Groups have unique alternative venue options throughout the city.
"If meeting planners are looking for someplace special, St. Louis can deliver everything from historic theaters and paddlewheel riverboats to lush gardens and quirky attractions," Andrews says. "Re-create the 1904 World’s Fair, relive the days of Mark Twain or feed your soul with some live blues music—whatever your idea of ‘different’ is, you’re sure to find something in St. Louis."
Several of the city’s most beloved attractions boast exciting improvements, and the sesquicentennial of the Civil War is bringing fascinating new museum experiences to the city.
St. Louis Science Center added a 13,000-square-foot LEED-certified exhibition hall to host large-scale traveling exhibits. The entire facility is available for rental, and it has 260,000 square feet of space and hosts more than 700 hands-on exhibits relating to nearly every facet of science.
The new Missouri Civil War Museum is opening in 2011 to mark the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the War Between the States. Housed in the historic Jefferson Barracks, built in 1903, the museum will display artifacts and documents relating to the war and educate visitors about Missouri’s role in this cataclysmic chapter of U.S. history.
In addition, the Missouri History Museum will present a comprehensive exhibit entitled The Civil War in Missouri, aimed at commemorating the conflict. The exhibit will be on display from November 2011 through March 2013. The museum welcomes rentals and can host groups as large as 345.
Meanwhile, the former Kiel Opera House is undergoing a $74 million renovation and will be reflagged as the Peabody Opera House. The historic, city-owned venue, which opened in 1934, will reopen in fall 2011 with a full schedule of events. There will be a 3,500-seat main theater as well as four smaller theaters.
Another interesting off-site venue is the St. Louis Zoo, which can accommodate groups as large as 10,000 and offers four separate banquet facilities.
Planners can also rent Third Degree Glass Factory, which focuses on the art of blowing glass. Groups can watch a glassblowing demonstration or take a hands-on class. There is more than 7,000 square feet of space at the facility.
The historic Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn can welcome 300 for banquets in an atmosphere of 19th century elegance. The property is believed by some to be haunted, and guests can take a paranormal tour of the inn or participate in a murder mystery a event.
Just a 60-mile drive from St. Louis, Meramec Caverns is well worth a day trip. In 2010, the caverns added the 90-minute Caveman Zipline adventure to its offerings. Participants can zip through treetops and past rocky bluffs from May through October. The spectacular limestone caverns are open for tours year-round, and group rates are available. Other activities include canoeing, riverboat rides and special lantern-lit tours of the caves.
St. Charles
Just eight miles west of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, St. Charles is a historic, accessible city set along the Missouri River.
"One of the key selling points for St. Charles is the city’s close proximity to the St. Louis metropolitan region," says Martha Little, director of sales at the Greater St. Charles CVB. "In addition to our spectacular St. Charles Convention Center property, all of our area hotels and conference centers offer complimentary parking on-site at their facilities. The St. Charles Main Street historic district along the Missouri riverfront is the oldest and largest in the state, providing a home to over 100 specialty shops, quaint restaurants, a winery and a microbrewery all within minutes."
St. Charles Convention Center offers 66,000 square feet of meeting space, 19 breakout rooms and a 16,200-square-foot grand ballroom.
Built in 2008, Ameristar Resort Casino Spa offers 397 luxury suites, 19,000 square feet of meeting space and a 130,000-square-foot casino.
A former railroad car manufacturing plant erected in the 1940s, the Foundry Arts Centre was transformed into a landmark cultural center in 2004. The facility displays world-class art exhibits and hosts working artists on-site, providing a creative scene for a banquet as large as 400.
Wine country awaits a short drive outside city limits. The scenic limestone cliffs and winding Missouri River provide a stunning backdrop for wine tasting at 10 local wineries. Many offer private rentals for group events.
Art and wine go well together, but sometimes the agenda calls for a little more activity. Demolition Ball and Adrenaline Zone invites groups as large as 500 to play. Laser tag and a Wiffle Ball game played from bumper cars are sure to get hearts pumping and ice breaking.
In addition to plenty of meeting space and interesting attractions, the CVB is hoping to catch the eye of more planners with a new perk.
"The St. Charles CVB has a terrific incentive program that we are currently offering to meeting planners," Little says. "When you contract 100 or more guest rooms, we provide an incentive of $500, and if you book 250 or more rooms, we offer a $1,000 incentive."
Freelance writer Kelly Crumrin spent many summers enjoying Ted Drewes frozen custard—only available in St. Louis. Try the peach flavor.
