With its wealth of historic buildings gaining new life as chic hotels, one-of-a-kind restaurants, entertainment venues and cultural attractions, St. Louis itself is gaining new life as an exciting choice for meetings and events.
“An enormous amount of investment has occurred in our downtown infrastructure, so overall our hotel product is outstanding,” said John Bettag, vice president of sales for the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission. “We’re continuing to push our message out to meeting planners about what St. Louis has to offer, whether the group is large, medium or small.”
Part of the city’s message to planners is its central location, Bettag added.
“Our air accessibility is outstanding, with a large number of nonstop flights on 10 airlines, including Southwest, which keeps fares in the affordable range,” he said. “We’re also in driving distance of many locations, so people don’t lose a day of travel getting here.”
When it comes to citywide conventions, the city is better equipped to handle them than ever before, according to Bettag.
“We have an easy-to-navigate downtown able to commit a block of up to 5,000 rooms,” he said. “Most are within walking distance of the convention center or just a short trip away via light rail or downtown trolleys. For those large association or SMERF groups bringing in up to 20,000 people, we can handle that too. Our light rail connects all over the region, including the airport and midtown.”
The centerpiece of St. Louis’ downtown convention package is America’s Center Convention Complex, a multifaceted meetings facility offering 502,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, 67,000-seat Edward Jones Dome, 1,400-seat Ferrara Theater and the St. Louis Executive Conference Center.
Just beyond the convention center is where the bulk of new hotel developments are happening. Among the many enhancements is the recent rebranding and $30 million renovation of the former Renaissance St. Louis Grand, now the Marriott St. Louis Grand, the city’s largest hotel. The project included the renovation of all 917 guest rooms and the addition of a Marriott Great Room lobby, a restaurant and 6,400 square feet of new meeting space, bringing its total to over 55,000 square feet.
“This was an outstanding project that transformed the property by opening up the lobby area and capping an atrium space to double the square footage,” Bettag said. “What’s great is that the Marriott brand is one that really speaks to convention planners.”
Boutique Boom
The Marriott rebranding is just one of many new nearby hotel developments, particularly in the boutique sector. Examples include the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis Downtown, a 212-room property that is a new incarnation of the grand 1906 Laurel Building across the street from the convention center; the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Convention Center, a stylish 165-room boutique property with rooftop meeting space located in the historic Lennox Hotel building; and the Magnolia Hotel St. Louis, a reincarnation of a 1925 hotel offering 185 guest rooms, a 4,500-square- foot conference center and 2,500-square-foot ballroom.
On the horizon for downtown St. Louis is the Hotel Indigo at the Arch scheduled to open in late 2017 in the LaSalle building with 86 guest rooms, a ground-floor restaurant and a rooftop bar. Set for a fall 2017 opening, the Hotel Last, which is being converted from a historic building that once housed the International Shoe Company, will offer 140 guest rooms and a rooftop pool deck available for events.
Also scheduled for next year, the 145-room Hotel Angad will open in the Missouri Theatre building as part of an office and retail complex.
Unique Venues
Along with a vibrant hotel scene, St. Louis also continues to up the ante on its cultural attractions, many of which make compelling off-site venues.
“The thing we often hear from planners is how surprised they are about much is available and how much is affordable or free,” Bettag said. “There’s the Missouri Botanical Garden and Forest Park with the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Science Center, Missouri History Museum and golf courses. There’s so much to do within our region.”
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Among the city’s newest attractions is the National Blues Museum, which opened in April in the downtown MX entertainment district within walking distance of America’s Center. The museum offers interactive exhibits, a 150-seat performance venue and 27,000 square feet of event space available for receptions and private concerts. Along with viewing artifacts and films featuring such bluesmen as B.B. King, Ray Charles and Buddy Guy, visitors can try their hand at various instruments and even record their own music.
“The Blues Museum has been a big hit since it opened, a place where people attending conventions can go over and spend some time exploring the music and exhibits,” Bettag said. “It’s also next to some great restaurants like Sugarfire Smoke House BBQ, where people can grab a quick and affordable lunch at a place that’s not a big chain.”
Another crowd pleaser is Ballpark Village, a multipurpose event venue within walking distance of the convention center and adjacent to Busch Stadium, that accommodates up to 5,000 people. Amenities include five music stages, the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum as well as numerous bars, restaurants and clubs.
“We used Ballpark Village for the opening reception of PCMA this past June and it worked very well,” Bettag said. “Groups of all sizes love it—you can use part of it or even buy out the whole facility.”
St. Charles
The charming enclave of St. Charles, located about 20 miles from St. Louis, still retains the historic buildings and brick-lined streets that recall the days when it welcomed such explorers as the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery and Daniel Boone. Today St. Charles provides an intimate atmosphere for small to midsize groups seeking high-quality hotels and venues as well as convenient access to the airport, according to Joe Ward, director of the Greater Saint Charles CVB.
The city’s largest meeting venue is the St. Charles Convention Center, which offers two ballrooms and 66,000 square feet of exhibit space and is attached to the 296-room Embassy Suites Hotel. Another important option for groups is the 397-room Ameristar Casino Resort Spa, which includes multiple dining options, an expansive pool area conducive for events and meeting space that includes a ballroom holding up to 1,800 people for a reception.
Also popular with groups is the Streets of St. Charles, a 27-acre complex of restaurants, retail stores and offices at the north end of town. The complex is set to include a 180-room Drury Inn and Suites, which will feature meeting space and an indoor/outdoor pool when it opens next summer.
“We’re seeing a resurgence in meetings, especially among corporate groups,” Ward said. “Our convention center does well and the Ameristar is awesome—a Four Diamond property that is great for groups that want the hotel gaming experience. For small groups, Boone’s Colonial Inn works well for retreats.”
With its many early19th century stone structures, including Missouri’s First State Capitol, St. Charles is a natural for events with a historic theme, including lunches served by costumed wait staff at Boone’s Colonial Inn and progressive dinners where horse-drawn jitneys transport attendees to restaurants along Main Street.
