This page has been optimized for printing through your browser.
Your readers should call 1-800-916-0037 (USA and Canada) or 1-314-421-1023 for a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitors Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis online at www.explorestlouis.com
UNIQUE ST. LOUIS VENUES SET THE STAGE FOR
MEMORABLE MEETINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
Among a meeting planner's many challenges is the ability to find a meeting site which reinforces the theme of their meeting, boosts attendance by piquing the interest of their audience and enhances the overall meeting experience of their participants. St. Louis offers a variety of options for planners who want to schedule an "out of the box" meeting or event that attendees won't soon forget.
Some of the newest venues around town include the retro environs of Flamingo Bowl, a colorful martini bar/bowling alley located on trendy Washington Avenue. Roll a few frames while enjoying specialty cocktails and an eclectic menu of dining options - even the shoes are cool here! And speaking of rolling a few, there's no need to reinvent the wheel for your next St. Louis gathering. The Moto Museum, a hot spot for big wheels, displays an extensive collection of more than 80 motorcycles from the past century, including rare and vintage bikes from Germany, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, and Spain. Car buffs can meet and mingle with the magnificent machines at the Kemp Auto Museum, as there are more than 40 historically-significant and artistically inspired automobiles that range from the early 1900s to modern times. Favorites include the 1935 500 K Special Roadster - also known as "The Two-Million Dollar" car - the 1931 Mercedes Mannheim, and a 1929 Mercedes SSK Racing Car.
Meetings really roll along the mighty Mississippi River when they're held on an authentic paddlewheel riverboat. Gateway Arch Riverboats' Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher excursion vessels can handle large and small groups for day or evening cruises, team races, Dixieland or blues dinner cruises.
St. Louis' myriad assortment of museum offer unique experiences for visitors and interesting environs for meetings. From the offbeat versions that pay homage to dogs, baseball, magic, and recycling to the cultural offerings that include art, history, and live performance. The Contemporary Art Museum, located in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district, features distinctive architecture elements and more than 27,000 square feet of easily adaptable space. Speaking of Grand Center, there are a number of ideal spaces for private events, including the intimate Grandel Theatre, the Versailles-style Powell Symphony Hall, Jazz St. Louis, Sheldon Concert Hall, and the Fabulous Fox Theater. The lavishly decorated former 1920s-era movie palace welcomes groups for meetings, receptions and customized entertainment extravaganzas.
If sitting in a conference room turns convention delegates into bears, planners can cut them loose to roam among the rest of the wild things at the Saint Louis Zoo. The Zoo hosts meetings, receptions and dinners at the Living World facility, home to two theatres and a reception/dining area. There's also the McDonnell Center at River Camp, which is ideal for meetings and social functions for up to 200 people. Or invite a kinder, gentler meeting atmosphere as attendees float like a butterfly among the inhabitants of the Butterfly House in Faust Park. The venue features an opportunity to walk through thousands of butterflies in free flight and witness the mystery of metamorphosis.
Attendees will feel like kings at the Royal Dumpe Dinner Theatre. King Henry VIII and his serving wenches dish out medieval-style humor and entertainment along with a delicious dinner. A wee bit of meeting planner-provided background information prompts the cast to playfully skewer the association president or CEO and work in an anecdote or two about that day's agenda. Or visit one of the popular murder mystery dinner theaters in the region for a group meal and meeting "to die for."
Sports fans on the agenda? Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals offer fun and functional spaces at Busch Stadium, both on the playing field and in a number of group-friendly party plazas. Choose from the Homer's Landing picnic area, Batter's Eye Club, Hall of Fame Club, Stadium Club, or one of the ballpark's many private boxes and suites. Private boxes and suites are also available at the Scottrade Center, home of the NHL's St. Louis Blues, and in the Edward Jones Dome, home of the NFL's St. Louis Rams.
Planners who want to deliver the sun, moon, and stars to their attendees can do so at the Saint Louis Science Center and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium. Groups can explore hundreds of hands-on exhibits, take in a giant screen Omnimax film, enjoy a reception in the shadow of life-size animatronic dinosaurs or explore the history of flight and the miracles of technology in the galleries.
Speaking of space, those whose requirements demand lots of it can find 162,000 square feet on the floor of St. Louis' biggest venue, the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center. Guests can kick field goals on the field where the Rams play and watch instant replays or pre-recorded association or corporate videos on the giant Sony Jumbotron video boards.
Get Out! If you're looking for a place to meet al fresco, then head for the lush environs of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Groups can conduct business in a modern auditorium, then break for dining in settings as varied as a re-created rain forest, the nation's largest authentic Japanese Garden or a Victorian fantasyland complete with maze and observatory. At the Boat House in historic Forest Park, guests can party dockside or paddle along the park's meandering canals in pedal or row boats. Company picnics with all the trimmings are a fun way to get back to nature at Eckert's Country Store & Farms, located in nearby Belleville and Millstadt, Illinois. The picturesque farms offer hay wagon rides, horseshoe pitching, sand volleyball and washer games - or put your crew to work and send them out to the lovely orchards to pick their own strawberries, peaches, apples and pumpkins in season.
Updated: February 18, 2008
###
MEDIA NOTE: For more information or photography of St. Louis, send an e-mail to pr@explorestlouis.com or call Becky Sharp at 1-314-992-0652. For up-to-date information about St. Louis, your readers should call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040 or check out our website at www.explorestlouis.com. This news release is also available in electronic form. To obtain an electronic version, e-mail your request to pr@explorestlouis.com or go to St. Louis’ online media center at www.explorestlouis.com/media.
