Black Meetings and Tourism

May / June 2017

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AREA GUIDES M I S S O U R I STORIED MEETINGS IN MID AMERICA BY RUFUS MCKINNEY Missouri, located in the Midwestern region of the United States with over 6 million residents, is the 18th most popu- lous state in the nation. The largest urban areas are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia, while the capitol is in Jefferson City on the Missouri River. Long touted for its rich musical her- itage, many well-known musicians were born or have lived in Missouri. These include guitarist and rhythm and blues pioneer Chuck Berry, singer and actress Josephine Baker, "Queen of Rock" Tina Turner, and rappers Nelly, Chingy and Akon, all of whom are either current or former residents of St. Louis. And of course, ragtime compos- er Scott Joplin lived in St. Louis and Sedalia., while jazz legend Charlie Parker lived in Kansas City. Missouri, however, is more than just a mecca for music aficionados. This state serves meeting planners as an outstand- ing option when planning conferences of various sizes. Missouri's central location makes conference attendees traveling experience to the various cities for busi- ness relatively fast and convenient. ••ST. LOUIS•• Few destinations can boast a visitor product as impressive and all encom- passing as St. Louis. An outstanding array of meeting facilities, accommoda- tions, cultural attractions and things to do and see place this city at the top of most meeting planner's want lists. For starters, the city's major meeting venue, the America's Center Convention Complex, is home to four distinct meeting facilities under one roof: Cervantes Convention Center, The 67,000-seat Dome at America's Center, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre. In addition the conven- tion center features five exhibit halls total- ing 502,000 sq. ft., a 28,000-sq. ft. ball- room and more than 80 meeting rooms. When it's time for your next family reunion, think St. Louis! As a centrally located destination, St. Louis is the per- fect place for families to gather. In addi- tion to the ease of getting here, there are a number of great hotel packages avail- able that make St. Louis an affordable destination for your reunion. After a long day of meetings, there are a variety of lodging options where your attendees can re-charge and revitalize before heading out on another day of con- vention or reunion activities. There are more than 39,000 hotel rooms in St. Louis. Over 20 of St. Louis top hotels offer more than 10,000 sq. ft. of in-house meeting space. There are several must-see attractions for any visitor to St. Louis. Standing 630 ft. tall, the Gateway Arch, our nation's tallest man-made monument, anchors the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and stands as the iconic monument sym- bolizing the westward expansion of the United States. The Gateway Arch expe- rience includes the Journey to the Top of • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Crown Plaza Hotel St. Louis- Downtown 440 St. Louis Airport Marriott 601 DoubleTeee by Hilton St. Louis Westport 327 Embassy Suites St. Louis Downtown 212 Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis 200 Hilton St. Louis Frontenac 263 Holiday Inn St. Louis Downtown Conv. Cen. 293 Marriott St. Louis Grand 917 Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel 393 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Exhibit Space 502,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 28,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 80 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Explore St. Louis – (800) 916-8938 www.explorestlous.com St Louis Gateway Arch Photo Credit Bev Sykes B M & T ••• May/June 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 44

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