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B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 62 MISSOURI AREA GUIDES THE SHOW-ME STATE'S GREAT CENTRAL LOCATION SERVES AS A CONVENIENT LOCATION FOR GROUP TRAVEL BY SONYA STINSON The Show-Me State has plenty to show for itself to meeting groups and leisure travelers. Missouri's central loca- tion makes it an easy-to-reach meeting destination, while its captivating history, rich musical heritage and abundant out- door attractions entice attendees to see more of the local areas hosting their events. A meeting or vacation in Missouri brings a chance to see the courthouse where the case that led to the infamous Dred Scott Supreme Court decision began, or get steeped in the history of Blacks in baseball. It offers outdoor activi- ties like cave exploring and hiking along the Katy Trail—the longest developed rail- to-trail project in the United States. And of course Missouri's largest cities are world-famous for producing two of America's most popular foods and bever- ages: barbecue and beer. Here's a deeper look at the accommo- dations and attractions in those cities. ST. LOUIS St. Louis is an ideal site for national meeting groups seeking a destination most members can easily access. Sixty- eight non-stop flights and a daily aver- age of 500 total flights take off from and land at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, which is minutes from the downtown area. Air travelers can also access the city's MetroLink light rail sys- tem from the airport. In the center of downtown sits America's Center Convention Complex, encompassing four distinct meeting facili- ties under one roof: Cervantes Convention Center, The Dome at America's Center, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the Ferrara Theatre. The complex holds seven contiguous exhibit halls totaling 574,000 square feet, including a 72,000- square-foot hall added during a recent renovation. For gatherings not quite large enough to require the kind of space the 2.2 mil- lion-square-foot America's Center offers, there are more than 20 St. Louis hotels that have more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space. The downtown area has nearly 8,000 guestrooms combined, while the metro area offers more than 40,000 rooms. Most of the downtown hotels are within walking distance of America's Center and some of St. Louis's most popular visitor attractions, like the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse (where Dredd Scott's unsuccessful case to be freed from enslavement was first heard), Busch Stadium and Citygarden. Groups looking for a unique event venue might consider downtown's Grand Hall at St. Louis Union Station, which can hold up to 600 beneath its 65-foot-high, fresco-covered, barrel-vaulted ceiling. The addition of a spectacular 3D light show to the historical grandeur is certain to make any event at the Grand Hall unforgettable. Another elegant space housed in a historic building is City Winery in Midtown St. Louis. Between its main dining room, concert venue, mezza- nine and large patio, it has room for 350, while smaller groups might opt to rent out just one of the spaces. Visitors with ample time for sightsee- ing should definitely include the city's most recognized landmark, the Gateway Arch, on their must-see list. From the top of the top of the arch they can take in a panoramic view of the Old Courthouse, downtown St. Louis, the Mississippi River and parts of neighboring Illinois. At the ground level, they can browse the exhibits in the on-site museum. The Griot Museum of Black History features an exhibit on St. Louis native Josephine Baker, an outdoor sculpture inspired by traditional Ghanaian rammed- earth architecture and life-size wax figures of famous African Americans in history. Forest Park—which surpasses New York City's Central Park in size— contains a large cluster of recreational and cultural attractions, including the World's Fair Pavillion, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Saint Louis Zoo and an outdoor theater called The Muny. Meanwhile, at St. Louis Union Station, the St. Louis Aquarium, 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, carouselm and 18-hole miniature golf course provide more options for a family-friendly daytime outing. • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel 917 Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch 910 St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton 567 EXHIBITION FACILITIES America's Convention Center Complex Total Meeting Space 150,000 sq. ft. Largest Hall 80,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 28,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 95 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Explore St. Louis — (800) 916-8938 https://explorestlouis.com/ America's Center photo credit: America's C.C.C