Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/704649
If you're looking for the perfect city to host your next event, then look no further as St. Louis is ready to open its doors to you and your group. St. Louis is centrally located, less than a day's drive from more than a third of the U.S. population or a quick flight away. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is located only 12 miles from downtown, with an average of 500 flights daily to 68 non-stop destinations. St. Louis will keep your delegates entertained with world-class restaurants, sports, theatre, live music and more that are all within reach. In downtown St. Louis, the America's Center Convention Complex provides more than 502,000 sq. ft. of continuous exhibit space with 80 versatile meeting rooms, 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre and the 67,000-seat Dome at America's Center, providing planners with unparalleled flex- ibility and accessibility. With some of the most premier hotel brands in the industry, including Marriott, Four Seasons, Hilton, Embassy Suites, Drury, Holiday Inn, Doubletree and Hyatt, there are more than 7,000 available guest rooms in downtown St. Louis and more than 38,000 rooms in the metropolitan area. More than 1,750 of those rooms are newly remodeled and all within steps of America's Center. Their newest attraction honors the city's blues music heritage, which originated in African-American communities in the Deep South. The National Blues Museum opened in April 2016 and features innovative, interactive and technological exhibits. The museum explores and preserves the historic significance of the Blues as the foundation of American music, celebrates the genre's various styles, and recognizes the musicians who created, sustain and advance the art form. The 23,000-sq. ft., facility includes multifunctional space for performances and events and can accommodate anywhere from 15 to 450 guests. The museum grants visitors blues music education, programming and opportunities to create blues music in a mixing booth. World-renowned musicians in the entertainment industry are also featured in the museum. The museum covers the powerful role and influence of blues musicians and the blues genre as the foundation of American music. The blues transformed America, and St. Louis is the perfect location for the National Blues Museum as it is centrally located between along the Mississippi River corridor in America's heartland. St. Louis is an integral part of the long history of the music that helped shape our nation and told the stories of pain, sorrow and life. Blues music has the ability to convey raw, genuine emotion and transform it into a visceral and cathartic experience, giving meaning and substance to every other type of music that has derived from it. The Old Courthouse in St. Louis was the site of the notable Dred Scott v. Sanford court case, which ultimately led to the Civil War and would for- ever change America's destiny. The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark. Step into the King of Ragtime's home where he composed music that would make him known to the world. During your downtime, don't forget to look out for performances at The Black Rep and try the soul food at Sweetie Pie's, the restaurant featured on Oprah's OWN Network reality show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's." St. Louis is attracting many meetings of organizations of color. In 2017, the National Urban League, the nation's oldest and largest community- based civil rights organization, will host their annual conference in St. Louis. The Church of God in Christ has hosted their annual Holy Convocation in St. Louis since 2010. The National Bar Association will also return to St. Louis within the next year. To see all St. Louis has to offer your next meeting, visit www.explorestlouis.com. ST. LOUIS IS BACK, AND YOU'LL BE TOO B M & T ••• March/April 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 12