New Study Indicates Expansive Economic Impact From The Arts, St. Louis Named One Of The Fastest-Growing Startup Cities, And More
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PAINTING A PICTURE OF GROWTH: NEW STUDY INDICATES EXPANSIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THE ARTS
A new study released by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis in partnership with Americans for the Arts has found that the arts contributed more $868 million to St. Louis' economy in 2022, with the sector generating 12,000 jobs, $611 million in wages, and four out of five tourists to the region.
“The economic and social impact the arts and culture sector has on St. Louis is undeniable,” said Vanessa Cooksey, president and CEO of RAC, a GSL member investor. “Our nonprofit organizations contribute to the local economy every day – employing thousands of people, creating unique and high-quality experiences for millions of attendees, and through daily operational expenditures.”
ST. LOUIS NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD’S FASTEST-GROWING STARTUP CITIES
St. Louis is one of the top 20 fastest-growing startup hubs in the world, according to a new ranking from PitchBook, joining only six other U.S. cities on the list. In venture capital firm PitchBook’s new Global VC Ecosystems ranking, St. Louis joins Dubai, Milan, Miami, and other global cities “growing their VC activity at a faster rate than more established, expensive, and saturated locations.”
VENTURE FOR AMERICA CHOOSES ST. LOUIS FOR NATIONAL EVENT
Venture for America, a national entrepreneurship organization, announced this week that it will bring its annual reunion program to St. Louis in 2024 in partnership with Greater St. Louis, Inc. and Arch Grants, a GSL Investor Council member. The event will bring hundreds of alumni to St. Louis, showcasing the metro’s rapidly growing startup scene.
CAPITAL FRONTIERS: ST. LOUIS COULD BE AMERICA’S GREATEST CITY
Fresh on the heels of national media coverage of St. Louis by way of a New York Times feature on the City Museum, Capital Frontiers asks, “Is St. Louis America’s Greatest City?” The urban planning site makes the case for St. Louis as “impressively situated on the axis of commerce and culture,” not denying its challenges or complicated history, but highlighting its strengths and possibilities.
“St. Louis is a value city overall. Think of it as a three-for-one. Here you get everything you’d expect in a much larger city, but with the low-stress cordialities of living in a smaller one. Light traffic, affordable housing, and a general manageability of scale. But packaged together in a place of intrinsic historic value of cultural import whose existence has been pivotal to the trajectory of our nation.”
NEW IISTL RECRUITMENT EFFORTS HOPE TO BOLSTER STL POPULATION, WORKFORCE
The International Institute of St. Louis, a GSL Investor Council member, is hoping to boost St. Louis’ population numbers by attracting Latin American migrants to the metro. The organization hopes to replicate success found with both Afghan and Bosnian populations, offering Latin American migrants a welcoming home while building the metro’s workforce.
ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO LAUNCHES WELCOME KIT FOR NEWCOMERS
This month, St. Louis Public Radio debuted a collaborative initiative designed to help newcomers to the St. Louis region get fully established in their new home. The “STL Welcome Kit” will feature a collection of stories from the station’s newsroom to fully immerse readers in the politics, history, quirks, and culture of St. Louis.
TOPGOLF OPENS IN MIDTOWN, DRIVING CONTINUED GROWTH IN URBAN CORE
GSL CEO Jason Hall joined local leaders late last week to open the metro’s newest Topgolf location in Midtown near Saint Louis University — the latest development for St. Louis’ urban core. The venue is expected to provide more than 400 jobs, attract 600,000 customers, and generate $2 million in sales tax each year.
Two new basketball courts in St. Louis’ Tower Grove Park now offer extra space for kids and adults to move and play in one of the city’s largest parks. “It sends a signal to our community that parks are welcome for everyone no matter how you choose to have fun,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
St. Louis Community College celebrated its latest STLCC Transformed efforts this week, with a groundbreaking for a new Transportation Center on the Forest Park campus. It marks the sixth and final new building STLCC, a GSL Chair’s Council member, will construct as part of its commitment to modernize its campuses and programming. The construction is made possible through the passage of Prop R, proudly backed by GSL and approved by voters.
St. Charles Community College broke ground this week on a new $41.9 million Regional Workforce Innovation Center — the first building on the college’s new 55-acre campus in Wentzville. The center will prepare the region’s workforce for jobs in technology, advanced manufacturing, robotics, sustainable energy, healthcare and more. The college anticipates opening the center in the fall of 2025.
Dr. James T. Minor, Chancellor at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and a GSL Board Member, shows off the fall splendor around the SIU-E campus in a recent post on Linkedin.
Fooddive.com this week featured Rob Vitale, CEO of St. Louis-based Post Holdings, Inc., in a Deep Dive, highlighting the business executive’s reputation for strategic thinking and strong and authentic leadership.
“During his tenure at Post, Vitale has transformed the once fledgling cereal company into a major food player with brands spread across multiple categories,” the article reads, noting that the company’s shares have risen 15% annually in Vitale’s tenure. Headquartered in St. Louis, Post is an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council.
GSL CONTINUES TOUR OF METRO’S LOCAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS IN GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS
GSL this week visited Greenville, Illinois, to meet with local leaders and highlight the work of small businesses in the Bond County community. “As we start to approach the critical holiday shopping season, shining a light on the importance of local small businesses and business districts is a critical component of our work to drive growth across the metro,” said Jason Hall, GSL CEO.
STL YOUTH JOBS OPENS EMPLOYER APPLICATION FOR SPRING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
STL Youth Jobs is seeking new employer partners for the organization’s spring Learn & Earn Internship Program, a partnership with Saint Louis Public Schools. Young job seekers in these programs receive job readiness, financial literacy training, and connection to a Job Coach. Employer partners can help build the future of the metro’s workforce while investing in talent for their businesses.
Arkadin Cinema & Bar opens up worlds in the Bevo neighborhood, where owners Sarah Baraba and Keith Watson share a love of film and add to a growing repertory movie scene.
