CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Over the past several months, there have been announcements of new developments and businesses coming to the Chesterfield area.
The AC Hotel by Marriott held its grand opening celebration on Thursday. It’s located on Wild Horse Creek Road, near I-64.
“This area is just unbelievable. The growth that we have seen in Chesterfield and the reception we’ve had since we have been here is outstanding, and we are just so excited to be here,” said Jeffrey Brown, CEO of Schahet Hotels.
This is the first hotel development in the St. Louis region for the hotel group based out of Indianapolis.
During its grand opening, the hotel announced its partnership with Wings of Hope, a global humanitarian non-profit. It provides flights for people in remote areas of the world, such as using drones to deliver anti-venom medicine to Ecuador. The Nobel Peace Prize-nominated organization is headquartered at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield.
“We’re partners with the AC Marriot for the long term, and there will be opportunities for them to support us, much like they are doing tonight,” said Bret Heinrich, president and CEO of Wings of Hope.
The silent auction during Thursday night’s grand opening celebration benefited Wings of Hope. A specialty cocktail that’s exclusive to Chesterfield’s AC Mariott will also give back to the non-profit.
“The fact that they chose Chesterfield is an honor and a privilege,” Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation said. “Development just comes here, and we don’t have to provide any incentive or things like that.”
The new hotel is not the only new development in the area. The music venue, The Factory recently opened and has held dozens of concerts. It’s located off I-64 and Boones Crossing near the former Chesterfield Outlet Mall. The Factory is 52,000 square feet.
The area has been called The District, which is where a new pickleball facility is also slated to open. The facility is anticipated to be a first-of-its king pickleball sports entertainment venue called The Real Dill Pickleball Club. It’s expected to open in summer 2023.
Plus, the largest music and film production facility in the U.S. broke ground in Chesterfield, just north of Spirit of St. Louis Airport. Gateway Studios and Production Services is expected to build its four-studio campus for $111 million. The 32-acre site is anticipated to include a 330,000-square-foot complex.
According to the Missouri Department of Economic Development, GSPS “will employ more than 100 music and film professionals who will manufacture, build, test, and launch globally touring musical acts and movies.”
“For its new operation, GSPS used the Missouri Works program, an incentive tool to help companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation,” the agency said in a statement.
Plans are also in the works to redevelop the Chesterfield Mall.
“We consider ourselves very fortunate and blessed to have all of this development ongoing in spite of the covid that we’ve had for the last couple of years,” Nation said.
Nation said there is concern about where the economy is headed, especially with the mixed-use facility off Wild Horse Creek for office space. However, he said there is no telling if a dip in the economy will happen.
