CITY BEAT 3-1-2003

Meetings & Conventions: Newsline newsline.gif (8042 bytes) CITY BEATSt. Louis
.........................
DOWNTOWN RENAISSANCE
New life has been given to several historic buildings, including the old Statler hotel, which reopened as the $265 million, 918-room St. Louis Renaissance Grand. The 165-room Renaissance Suites debuted next door. Forest Park, which hosted the 1904 World’s Fair, is being spruced up for its centennial. Other developments: A new ballpark is in the works for the Cardinals’ 2006 season, and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is spending $21.7 million on improvements.

Wichita, Kan.
.........................
RESTORING A RIVERFRONT
The $130 million Wichita WaterWalk will bring retail and restaurants to the area around the Century II Convention Center and along the Arkansas River. A first phase is set to open in 2006. Radisson branded the 231-room Broadview Hotel in February 2002 and finished a $9 million renovation last September. Also, a 153-room La Quinta Inn opened last month near the convention center, following a $5 million facelift.