An at-a-glance guide to leading meeting&convention destinations CityFile
St.Louis S
T. LOUIS OFFERS EVERY- thingyou expect from a first- tier city—things like
nightlife, arts, culture, history, and a first-rate convention package. But there’s none of the downside you associate with many big-city experi- ences, like congestion, cost, and competition for resources In the past decade, more than $5
billion has been invested in restor- ingdowntown St. Louis, resulting in a vibrant, bustling neighborhood surroundingthe convention center. That figure includes nearly $100 million in updates to America’s Center, such as new wall coverings, carpets, escalators, a new cateringkitchen, and extensive back-of-house upgrades. With more than 38,000 hotel rooms in the metro area, including 8,000 within walkingdistance of the America’s
CONVENTION FACILITIES America’s Center Convention Complex Total space: 1.2 million sq. ft. Meeting space: 154,608 sq. ft. Exhibit space: 502,000 sq. ft. Ballroom: 28,000 sq. ft. Breakout rooms: 80
Scottrade Center (664,000 sq. ft.) Eric P. Newman Education Center (23,300 sq. ft.) Coronado Ballroom and Meeting Facility (10,100 sq. ft.) Palladium Saint Louis (6,500 sq. ft.)
84 pcma convene April 2011
CONNECTIVITY: St. Louis’ MetroLink light-rail sys- tem brings riders from the airport to the conven- tion center, downtown, and into St. Louis County.
A first-tier convention city, minus big-city hassles
Center, St. Louis offers a compact convention package where dele- gates commingle with office work- ers and residents throughout the historic and revitalized downtown. Plus, the Gateway to theWest is located at the center of four major interstates, which makes it the lit- eral crossroads of the country. Lambert–St. Louis International Airport serves every major U.S. car- rier and averages 246 nonstop departures to 59 destinations daily. St. Louis has everythinga first-
rate meetingneeds—except the high price. Cosmopolitan, econom- ical, and easily accessible: These are
three very important attributes to consider when planninga 21st-century meetingor convention. For more information about how easy it is to meet in St. Louis, call (800) 325-7962 or visitwww.explorestlouis.com.
Charles F. Knight Executive Education & Conference Center (135,000 sq. ft.)
HOTELS Number of properties: 323 Number of rooms: 38,834 Largest hotels: Renaissance St. Louis Grand & Suites Hotel (1,073 rooms)
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch (910 rooms)
Millennium Hotel St. Louis (780 rooms)
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark (675 rooms)
St. Louis Airport Marriott (601 rooms)
St. Louis Union Station Marriott (539 rooms)
ATTRACTIONS Gateway Arch
Citygarden Saint Louis Art Museum Saint Louis Zoo Saint Louis Science Center Anheuser–Busch Brewery Grant’s Farm Missouri History Museum Missouri Botanical Garden City Museum Museum of Transportation Laumeier Sculpture Park Old Courthouse The Griot Museum of Black History and Culture
Contemporary Art Museum
TRANSPORTATION Lambert–St. Louis International Airport averages 540 daily arrivals, is located less than 13 miles from downtown, and is accessible to the MetroLink light-rail system. MetroLink has stations in both airport terminals.