ExploreStLouis.com; @ExploreStLouis
For those who think they’ve seen it all, St. Louis surprises, says Catherine Neville, vice president of communications for Explore St. Louis. “We deliver a rare mix of accessibility, affordability, and unexpected adventures that feel anything but ordinary,” Neville says, noting media outlets have recognized St. Louis as the “next great food city,” while Grand Centr has been spotlighted as the nation’s “most exciting emerging arts district.” She adds, “With more free attractions than any U.S. city other than D.C., travelers can explore iconic landmarks like the Gateway Arch National Park without spending a penny.”
In the heart of downtown, America’s Center Convention Complex has four distinct facilities under one roof: Cervantes Convention Center, The Dome at America’s Center, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center, and the Ferrara Theater. Altogether, the center features 574,000 square feet of exhibit halls, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, a 1,400-seat theater, a 67,000-seat arena, and more than 95 meeting rooms.
St. Louis has nearly 8,000 guest rooms in the heart of a walkable, redeveloped downtown central business district, all within a mile or less of the America’s Center.
Set to open this spring in the historic Jefferson Arms building, AC Hotel St. Louis Downtown will feature 225 guest rooms, 235 apartments, and 13,686 square feet of event space for up to 766 guests. Larger convention hotels include the 910-room Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch—the closest hotel to Gateway Arch National Park—with 83,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space; historic 917-room Marriott St. Louis Grand, with 74,014 total square feet of function space across 40 event rooms; 671-room Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, with 36,436 square feet of event space, including a grand ballroom with a reception capacity of 1,500; 173-room 21c Museum Hotel, with an art gallery, a full-service wellness center, and more than 14,000 square feet of function space; and 216-room Live! By Loews St. Louis, with 17,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space.
With 567 guest rooms and more than 100,000 square feet of event space, including 48 meeting rooms, the AAA Four Diamond St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton has been a St. Louis icon since 1894. Prime spaces at the complex include Midway, which can seat 3,178 theater style, and the historic Grand Hall, which seats 400 banquet guests and features a 65-foot-high barrel-vaulted ceiling covered in frescoes, intricate woodwork, and Tiffany windows. The St. Louis Aquarium and a 200-foot-tall observation wheel are part of the Union Station complex.
Located in downtown near the Gateway Arch, Horseshoe St. Louis Casino features two hotels: the 294-room Hotel Lumière at The Arch and the 200-room Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. The hotels offer more than 20,000 square feet of event space, including an 8,000-square-foot ballroom. The complex offers table games, poker, slots, boutique shopping, spa services, and fine dining, including Ramsay’s Kitchen and Morton’s
The Steakhouse.
Offsite event venues include the 40,000-person-capacity Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village, with more than 15 venues, concert stages, and other event spaces; City Museum, with a variety of event rooms, including the 300-person-capacity Vault Room, adorned with salvaged bank relics; City Winery, part of City Foundry, with a dining room, mezzanine, patio, and concert venues; and St. Louis Art Museum, located in Forrest Park and featuring a 465-seat auditorium. Event space at the city’s famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery includes the 150-person-capacity Lager Room, an outdoor tented and heated Biergarten for up to 300 guests, and an indoor Biergarten, which can seat up to 150 guests, or 500 guests when combined with the outdoor space.
For teambuilding and excursion options, Big Muddy Adventures offers river paddles in downtown, full-moon floats to river islands, and other paddles on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
