St. Louis Sees Major Reduction In Violent Crime, GDP Growth Pushes St. Louis To #16 in Largest Markets, And BJC Completes $10B Merger
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Photo Credit: Brad Henderson
ST. LOUIS SEES MAJOR REDUCTION IN VIOLENT CRIME
The City of St. Louis saw major improvements to public safety in 2023, including double-digit reductions in homicides and shooting incidents. At a press conference this week, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Commissioner Robert Tracy released public safety data for the year, revealing that the efforts made by local leaders — and called for by the business community — are proving effective to reduce violent crime.
“We want to applaud the work the City of St. Louis and the SLMPD have done to address public safety and to drive the reductions in violent crime announced today. Addressing violent crime is critical to restoring economic growth and prosperity for all and to meeting the objectives of the STL 2030 Jobs Plan,” said GSL CEO Jason Hall.
“There is still much work to be done, but this data is a great sign of improvement and more proof of the resurgence of the St. Louis metro.”
GDP GROWTH PUSHES ST. LOUIS TO #16 IN LARGEST MARKETS
Real gross domestic product in the St. Louis area grew by 2.1% in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ranking the metro 16th among the 30 largest U.S. metros — a performance better than many peer markets, including Baltimore, Detroit, and Chicago.
BJC Healthcare, an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council, has completed a $10 billion merger with Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, bringing BJC’s employee total to 44,000 — strengthening its position as one of the region’s largest employers.
DRIVING PRO-GROWTH PUBLIC POLICY: GSL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2024
As the Missouri Legislature begins the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session, the Policy Advisory Board of Greater St. Louis, Inc. has affirmed a policy agenda that will continue to grow the metro in the new year. The agenda includes recruiting advanced manufacturing megaprojects, revitalizing downtowns and main streets, and streamlining the historic tax credit program.
The annual community campaign of the United Way of Greater St. Louis — a GSL Investor Council Member — raised over $67 million dollars to help neighbors across metro, providing vital funding and support to over 160 local nonprofit partner agencies.
GSL-BACKED TAX CREDIT PROGRAM OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS
To drive more inclusive economic opportunity and stimulate research and development investment in Missouri, Greater St. Louis, Inc. helped pass the Research and Development Tax Credit in 2022. The result of that policy — the 2024 Qualified Research Expense Tax Credit Program — is now open for applications.
In a merger of the XFL and the USFL into the United Football League, the St. Louis Battlehawks — by far the most supported XFL team — will play another season in Downtown’s Dome at America’s Center. The UFL’s eight teams will play a total of 10 games each beginning March 30.
“St. Louis has been the flag bearer for last year’s version of the XFL — and what St. Louis has meant to this merger in general has been is sort of beyond words,” said UFL CEO Russ Brandon.
Based in the Bevo neighborhood, Immigrant Home English Learning Program connects foreign-born residents with volunteer tutors to learn English — and often, to forge lifelong bonds.
