Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in St. Louis, MO

Hotels	96
Total Sleeping Rooms	17,292
Committable Sleeping Rooms*	917
Committable Meeting Rooms*	108
Convention Center Space	853,311 Sq. Ft.
Largest Exhibit Space	502,000 Sq. Ft.
Largest Ballroom	145,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate	USD $130
Average Daily Meal Cost	USD $54
Average Weekly Car Rental	USD $256
*Maximum for a single hotel

St. Louis, MO Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to Cvent's St. Louis Meeting and Event Planning guide – a city guide for meeting planning professionals. Downtown St. Louis has undergone a transformation over the past decade, with more than $5 billion pumped into redevelopment and renovation.

St. Louis hotels continue to raise the bar of reinvestment with luxurious new and renovated rooms. St. Louis’ Convention Quarter offers every major hotel brand to include Marriott, Four Seasons, Hilton, Embassy Suites and Hyatt with up to 7,000 committable rooms.

St. Louis event venues range from the massive America's Center convention complex to charming historical sites that would be recognized by such literary figures as Tennessee Williams and T.S. Eliot (both St. Louis natives); and to clubs and nightspots where groups can hear the music for which this town is so famous.

Located in the heart of downtown, the 500,000-square-foot America's Center convention complex houses five exhibit halls, over 80 flexible meeting rooms, a ballroom, a lecture hall and the 67,000-seat Edward Jones Dome. (The Center also comprises the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre.)

The center is within walking distance of 7,200 guest rooms and thousands of feet of offsite meeting space. Nearby, the 917-room Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel features 47,000 square feet of function space; the 910-room Hyatt Regency at The Arch provides 85,000 square feet of meeting space; the 675-room Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark offers 45,000 square feet of meeting space; and the 539-room St. Louis Hotel Union Station, A DoubleTree by Hilton also provides more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space. Finally, there are more than 38,000 guest rooms in the metropolitan St. Louis area. Across from America’s Center, the renovated and repurposed brick buildings of Washington Avenue offer relaxation for attendees in the form of boutiques and cafes. Larger groups of up to 11,000 may convene in such special event venues as the Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor amphitheater. In addition, both Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, and City Museum can accommodate more than 2,000 people. The City Museum, housed in the 600,000-square-foot former International Shoe Company, is a decidedly playful setting where everything is made of recycled or salvaged goods. Interactive exhibits include salvaged airplanes, a giant Slinky, a three-story-high slide, a Ferris wheel on top of the building and a treehouse brought in from the countryside.

In addition to the over 100 walkable restaurants in downtown, Ballpark Village opened in 2014 to rave reviews for not only tourists, but meeting/event planners as well. This is the first-ever sports anchored entertainment district located next to Busch Stadium home of the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis continues to expand and upgrade what it has to offer. It is creating its future and legacy through a $380-million CityArchRiver project that will transform the national park surrounding the Gateway Arch and create a new place to gather and celebrate in the heart of downtown. The exciting destination features a tight package for citywide meetings and events in the heart of the re-developed downtown central business district.

St. Louis, MO Awards

St. Louis, MO Area Destinations

Saint Charles, MO

St. Louis Downtown

Central West End St. Louis, MO

About St. Louis, MO / Additional Info

This beautiful Missouri city was founded as a trading post in 1763 by French fur trader Pierre Laclede and his stepson August Chouteau. Bounded by three rivers - the Missouri to the north, Meramec to the south, and Mississippi to the east - it's not surprising that St. Louis has strong ties to the water. When the Steamboat Era came to St. Louis in 1817 and river trade became more efficient and dependable, the city flourished as an inland port for commerce.

During the 1840s, immigrants from Germany, Bohemia, Ireland, and Italy began to stream in, causing the population to soar from 20,000 to 77,860. St. Louis quickly grew into a recognized location for both residents and travelers. As its reputation expanded, its size did as well, furthering growth and development, including the construction of Union Station, the largest and busiest railroad stop in the country. The city was also selected to play host to the 1904 World's Fair and the Olympics, the first games to be held in an English-speaking country.

St. Louis' role as a hub for culture and commerce is still seen in many of its present-day attractions. Laclede's Landing showcases dining and entertainment in preserved historic buildings from the city's original riverfront establishment. Replica steamboats ferry visitors up and down the Mississippi River as they did in the early 1800s. Renowned Italian community "The Hill," established by the influx of Italian immigrants in the 1800s, serves world-famous authentic Italian cuisine, including St. Louis' original toasted ravioli. Forest Park, site of the St. Louis World's Fair and now one of the nation's largest urban parks, still preserves some of the fair's original construction, along with a host of modern attractions such as the Saint Louis Zoo and Saint Louis Art Museum.

Today, the landscape of St. Louis has been greatly transformed from its humble beginnings as a small riverfront town. As the 18th-largest city in the U.S., over 318,000 people call the city of St. Louis home. Tall buildings, high-rises, and the iconic Gateway Arch populate the skyline, as do the headquarters of large corporations, such as Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto, and Purina.

St. Louis, MO Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Time Zone: Central Time (CT)
Convention Center(s):

America's Center

Hotel at Convention Center? No
Sleeping Rooms 1 Mile from Convention Center: 7,172

Airport(s):

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

Destination Type(s):

Smoke-free Restaurants

Special Event Venues
140
Population
318,416
Restaurants
1,000
Country Code
1
Sales Tax
6.08%
Currency
U.S. Dollar
Standard Tipping Practice
10-20%
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Official Languages
English

Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques widely accepted? Yes

All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.

St. Louis, MO Area Destinations

	Population	Meeting Hotels	Hotel Rooms	Special Event Venues
Saint Charles, MO	65,000	35	3,750	15
St. Louis Downtown	15,000	23	7,172	25
Central West End St. Louis, MO	14,473	-	-	20

Cities Near St. Louis, MO

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Columbia, MO	127 mi	2 hr 4 min	3 hr 5 min	USD $448+
Indianapolis, IN	242 mi	3 hr 50 min	3 hr 5 min	USD $286+
Kansas City, MO	249 mi	3 hr 51 min	4 hr 15 min	USD $286+
Memphis, TN	292 mi	4 hr 31 min	3 hr 25 min	USD $358+
Chicago, IL	297 mi	4 hr 50 min	1 hr	USD $208+

St. Louis, MO Climate Information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. High (°F)	28	44	54	67	76	85	89	87	80	69	54	43
Avg. Low (°F)	21	25	34	46	55	65	69	67	59	48	36	26
Rec. High (°F)	77	83	89	93	98	105	115	107	104	94	85	76
Rec. Low (°F)	-18	-10	-5	22	31	43	51	47	36	23	1	-16
Rainfall (in)	2.0	2.1	3.3	3.6	3.9	3.8	3.8	3.0	3.0	2.8	3.1	2.6

St. Louis Midwest location gives it a continental climate with four distinct seasons. The average high is 66°F and the average low is 46°F. July is the hottest month of the year with highs reaching almost 90°F, while January is the coldest month with temperatures dropping as low as 39°F.

The average precipitation is 36.8 inches. Winter is generally the driest month and spring is the wettest. Thunderstorms generally occur 40 to 50 days a year and are sometimes severe. The best time to visit St. Louis is in the fall or spring when temperatures are mild.

Meeting Planning in St. Louis, MO

America's Center

Only 13 miles south of the airport and two blocks away from the MetroLink convention center station, America's Center Convention Complex is a convenient location for meetings and events of any type and size. Its 500,000 square feet of meeting space includes a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, the Ferrara Theatre, which seats 1,400 people on three terraced levels, over 80 flexible meeting rooms and six exhibit halls ranging including the Edward Jones Dome. The Edward Jones dome opened in 1995 and has hosted professional football, numerous sporting events, musical performances, and a pastoral visit from Pope John Paul II, which was the largest indoor gathering ever held in the U.S. For smaller meetings of up to 100 people, rooms in St. Louis Executive Conference Center (SECC) are available on the third floor on the complex.

Onsite security staff, audio visual capabilities and Wi-Fi accessibility are among the amenities offered by America's Center, along with on-site catering from nationally recognized Levy Restaurants. Services are offered for breakfast, lunch, dinner, receptions, and snacks, and menus can be customized for any event or meeting, whether it be filet mignon or a barbecue buffet. The ECC also offers an onsite business center for copy, fax, and secretarial services and Wi-Fi capability, and rooms are equipped with soundproof walls, ergonomic chairs, Wi-Fi access in addition to teleconference and cable television capabilities. ECC rooms are also held on a 24-hour basis, privately and securely, so set-ups can remain overnight.

America's Center is located amid several downtown parking garages and surface lots. Over 30,000 spaces are available within a 10-minute walk to the complex.

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St. Louis, MO Airport Information

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)

Approximate taxi fare: $42 USD

Lambert-St. Louis International is an airport of "firsts," being the first municipally-owned airport as well as the location of the first plane ride of President Theodore Roosevelt and the first parachute jump. Located only 13 miles northwest of downtown, it is the 31st busiest airport in the U.S. The airport provided service to 12.4 million passengers in 2014 and offers an average of 250 flights each day. The airport operates two terminals and airport serves more than 63 nonstop national and international destinations with 9 airlines.

In 2014, the airport completed a $70-million renovation of Terminal 1 and its concourses. The renovations gave the terminal a modern makeover with new and improved restrooms, expanded checkpoint, new flooring, new lighting, improved wayfinding and signage, and new installations of art. There’s also been major upgrades to retail shops and restaurants, which now offer popular local options such as Mike Shannon’s Grill, Schlafly’s Bar & Grill and Anhueser Busch’s Eighteen-76. The airport has two parking garages and six surface parking options (www.superparkinglot.com) that accommodate intermediate, short- and long-term parking. A free shuttle bus connects the lots and terminals. The MetroLink light rail also connects the airport's terminals to downtown, making stops at points of interest such as the Gateway Arch. A two-hour pass from the airport is $4.

The airport has two parking garages and five open-air parking lots that accommodate intermediate, short- and long-term parking. A free shuttle bus connects the lots and terminals. The MetroLink light rail also connects the airport's terminals to downtown, making stops at points of interest such as the Gateway Arch. A two-hour pass from the airport is $4.

Airline carriers serving Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

Air Canada
Air Choice One
American

Cape Air
Delta
Frontier

Southwest
United
US Airways

St. Louis, MO Train Information

Amtrak service in St. Louis arrives at the Gateway Station. Opened in 2008, it is the state’s largest rail transportation station. The station sees over 900 Amtrak passengers daily as part of the Amtrak's Illinois Routes, Missouri River Runner and Texas Eagle. Together these routes include the cities of Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri, Dallas and San Antonio. For more information about Amtrak, please visit www.amtrak.com.

St. Louis, MO Ground Transportation

MetroBus

The MetroBus runs over 50 routes throughout St. Louis City and County. Hours vary by route and day of the week. MetroBus fare is $2, with reduced fares for children ages 5-12, seniors ages 65 and older and people with disabilities. Exact change is required.

MetroLink

The St. Louis MetroLink is a 46-mile-long light rail transit system with 37 stations. The system consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, Missouri, to Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois. MetroLink stops at numerous points of interest including Union Station, Busch Stadium, Laclede's Landing and Forest Park. Each day an average of 67,684 people ride the MetroLink, which runs daily with hours based on day and location. Cash fare $2.25 and a day pass is $7.50. Reduced fares are available for children ages 5-12, seniors ages 65 and older and people with disabilities. Fare is free for children under 5. More information is available at www.metrostlouis.org.

Rental Cars

Various rental car companies operate in St. Louis. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty serve the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Courtesy buses are available to take passengers from the rental car services in the main terminal to their respective offsite lots.

Taxis

St. Louis has numerous taxi cab services available, with over 700 on-call companies holding licenses with the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission. One of the oldest and largest companies is St. Louis County Cab with 250 vehicles. Sample fares, which are in accordance with the MTC's guidelines, for the company are $3 for the first 1/10 mile and $0.20 for each additional mile. Additional charges include $1 for each additional passenger, $1 per trip fuel surcharge and $3 surcharge for each trip originating at Lambert Airport.

Distance To...

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Columbia, MO	127 mi	2 hr 4 min	3 hr 5 min	USD $448+
Indianapolis, IN	242 mi	3 hr 50 min	3 hr 5 min	USD $286+
Kansas City, MO	249 mi	3 hr 51 min	4 hr 15 min	USD $286+
Memphis, TN	292 mi	4 hr 31 min	3 hr 25 min	USD $358+
Chicago, IL	297 mi	4 hr 50 min	1 hr	USD $208+