MISSOURI: AN EVER CHANGING MEETING & VACATION DESTINATION

KANSAS CITY

Kansas City is an energetic destination forged by a rich history, lined with impressive boulevards, spacious parks and 200 beautiful fountains. The city's downtown area has experienced a major renaissance that has added many new attractions and improved the ones already here. The renovated Kansas City Convention Center received now has one of the 10 largest ballrooms in the country at 46,484 sq. ft.

The opening of the Kansas City Power & Light District has re-energized downtown, transforming it into a lively hub for entertainment, retail, and dining for both locals and visitors alike. On the eastern edge of the new entertainment district is the 18,500-seat Sprint Center. Kansas City is also renowned for its legacy of jazz and blues and with more than 20 nightclubs featuring jazz on a regular basis this reputation is well earned. Relive the heyday of the era at the American Jazz Museum in the Historic Jazz District. Air travel into the area is via Kansas City International Airport.

ST. LOUIS

Why should you host a meeting in St. Louis? For one the city's downtown resurgence has added more than $4 billion in development. The very large <st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region>'s Center is still one of the best meeting facilities around. In addition to more than 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, first-class catering options, and easy access, <st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region>'s Center also provides more than 80 flexible meeting rooms, the 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre, the 67,000seat Edward Jones Dome, and the IACC certified Executive Conference Center. And who could forget the St. Louis Union Station Marriott. This hotel radiates with architectural elegance, is recognized as a Historic Hotel of America, and boasts a 16,000-sq. ft. ballroom.

St. Louis' hotels are experiencing a building boom. A Four Seasons hotel has just opened offering 200 spacious guest rooms and suites, as well as a 12,000-sq. ft. luxury spa, an expansive fitness center, pool, and a 24-hour business center. The Adam's Mark hotel was rebranded as the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront after undergoing a $63 million dollar, St. Louis Skyline building-wide renovation. The former Hyatt Regency at Union Station has been re-flagged as the St. Louis Union Station Marriott, and has undergone considerahle upgrades.

St. Louis also boasts a considerable amount of heritage sites worth exploring. The Old Courthouse in Downtown St. Louis is one of <st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region>'s most important historic sites. It was here that Dred Scott sued for his freedom. Other sites include the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing, the Missouri History Museum, and the Black World History Museum which features wax figures as well as a recreation of a slave ship.

BRANSON

Branson is an incredible value with more than 50 live performance theaters, three pristine lakes, 12 championship golf courses, an international award-winning theme park, dozens of attractions and museums, shopping galore, a full range of dining options, and a host of hotels, motels, resorts and meeting and conference facilities. The Branson Convention Center offers 220,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, including two exhibit halls totaling 50,000 sq. ft. There is also a 23,000-sq. ft. ballroom. Branson Airport is just eight miles south of the city and provides nonstop service from Atlanta.