The art-centric 21c Museum Hotel will open its first location in the St. Louis area this spring.
The opening will coincide with the inaugural season for St. Louis’ new Major League Soccer team, which will play just four blocks away at CityPark stadium.
“We want to be a highlight destination. Being right there next to the stadium is going to create opportunities that will be very memorable,” said Chris Randall, the director of community impact for the 173-room hotel.
21c Museum Hotel will open at the former YMCA, a Renaissance Revival-style building at 1528 Locust Street, and will have 13,000 square feet of curated exhibit space, a restaurant, café and wellness center that will include a hot tub, spa and the YMCA’s historic lap pool. The building’s old gymnasium and track will remain, but turn into exhibit and event space.
St. Louis marks 21c Museum Hotel’s 10th location, joining hotels in Kansas City, Chicago and Nashville. The St. Louis hotel is now booking guests for June, according to its website, though the company said it could open reservations for spring 2023.
Randall, a retired Marine and former St. Louis County police officer, is tasked with community outreach and will help foster the company’s belief that art can be a “catalyst for urban revitalization and civic connection,” according to a release.
“We just want to show off the best of St. Louis, in every way possible,” Randall said.
Randall’s position is a first for the Louisville-based brand. He said the hotel wants to bring on local vendors, particularly those owned by people of color, and is aiming to connect with area youth organizations.
Randall also will be tasked with creating a workforce pipeline to connect people to the hospitality industry.
