This Week in the Region: This Spring, Sports in St. Louis Will Have an Outsized Economic Impact, 314 Day is One Week Away, and More
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This Spring, Sports in St. Louis Will Have an Outsized Economic Impact
A wide range of sporting events will bring big economic impact to the St. Louis metro this spring. From youth tournaments in St. Louis County to Arch Madness Downtown, leaders are estimating that this season’s sports tourism will bring hundreds of teams to the metro, account for 41,000 hotel nights, and generate $40 million in economic impact.
“This is wonderful for the region,” said Marc Schreiber, President of the St. Louis Sports Commission, which is seeing success in competing for and winning bids to host big events here. “It’s going to boost the hospitality industry, especially in Downtown St. Louis. It’s going to bring a lot of life when we desperately need that vibrancy and activity downtown. It’s a big boost.”
St. Louis Retains Top Spot for Inland Port Efficiency
Five key regional facilities handle 26 million tons of cargo annually along 70 miles of the Mississippi River, making the St. Louis metro the most efficient inland port in the country, Global Trade Magazine reported this week. The news underscores what the region already knows — St. Louis’ transportation and logistics sector, labeled a priority cluster in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan, is strong and getting stronger. Its efficiency offers a strategic advantage for shippers, said Dan Lester, SVP of Business Development for Ingram Infrastructure Group.
Announced last year, a $500 million expansion of Wieland Manufacturing’s Madison County plant is now in progress and will be complete in the next three years. “This modernization of Wieland’s East Alton facilities is a step forward for economic development for our region,” said Alton Mayor Darren Carlton. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the investment “a massive commitment of capital and people by a great international company.”
How Will You Celebrate 314 Day? St. Louis Business Leaders Count the Ways
With 314 Day one week away, we asked regional business leaders how they plan to celebrate St. Louis for the metro’s unofficial holiday. Sporting swag for local teams, supporting local businesses, celebrating cultural institutions, and of course, eating Imo’s — a new GSL Chair’s Council member — all made their lists.
Whether your area code is 314, 636, 618, or 573, you're part of 314 Day, which generates meaningful civic pride across the metro and helps bolster St. Louis’ reputation. This week, here’s how you can help:
Spread the word through your company’s social and digital channels using #314Day and #STLMade. Use our toolkit.
Engage your own team in the celebration and/or host an event or deal. Submit to the calendar.
Showcase your personal pride and tell your St. Louis story on your own digital platforms.
In Madison County, an apprenticeship program connects employers with high school students with disabilities, with the goal of leading to real-world experience and full-time employment. “This was an opportunity for us to get them the job skills that they needed to help them move along with the rest of their lives, at the same time helping employers who were short employees," said Tony Fuhrman, Madison County Employment and Training Director.
How St. Louis’ API Innovation Center Is Making a National Impact
With generic drug shortages causing real problems in the U.S., reshoring active pharmaceutical ingredient production is more important than ever. The API Innovation Center in St. Louis is helping do just that, reducing shortages and vulnerabilities through a “Missouri model,” a unique approach that uses a partner network to innovate, manufacture, and distribute generic drugs.
In her 12 years as Executive Director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, Betsy Cohen worked to make St. Louis the top major metro for immigration. As this well-known local leader steps down from the role, Assistant Director Suzanne Sierra will step up. Sierra will fill the role starting March 17, hoping to “make our global talent one of the cornerstones of the region’s economic growth.”
March 20: Chambers Partner to Host Multicultural Job Fair
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro St. Louis is partnering with the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, St. Louis and the St. Louis African Chamber of Commerce to host a Multicultural Job Fair on March 20. The event offers employers an opportunity to connect with highly skilled, bilingual, and culturally diverse talent. All three chambers are members of GSL’s Affiliate Chamber Program.
Introducing Chelsea Farris, a St. Louis designer and illustrator and the 314 Day design finalist for 2025. In this year’s colorful, bold design, she “wanted to focus on [our] community and show people thriving.”
