By Astrid Zeppenfeld
Lodging Hospitality Management never ceases to amaze. Shortly after the grand opening of its latest
enhancement, The Canopy at DoubleTree-St. Louis/Chesterfield, it is now Westport’s turn for a
complete makeover.
According to Todd Hotaling, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “It’s a major development that is
redefining the dining and attraction options travelers will have in the Midwest. In the next six months,
we are adding two new restaurants: Soda Fountain Express, a variation of the popular Union Station
restaurant, and a 360 Rooftop Bar on the top floor of the gold tower. Its square footage will be about
twice the size as the one downtown (ca. 12,000 sq ft).”
This event space will provide room for around 450 attendees, so St. Louis will have yet another
fantastic indoor venue option by LHM at the end of the year.
Soda Fountain Express will be a fast and casual alternative to Union Station’s Soda Fountain, still
offering the great food options you are used to, only on a smaller scale.
But there is more. Hotaling adds, “We are tearing down some buildings in the middle of Westport and
creating an outdoor event space of about 20,000 sq ft, where we can have large, public events like
festivals and concerts. However, it will also be available for weddings, corporate functions, award
ceremonies, etc. And it’ll be surrounded by multiple restaurants and synergize the whole complex for
entertainment.”
At the end of next year, Rawlings HQ is moving in with an experiential store where patrons can
customize their own baseball gloves. With all that, the Sheraton Plaza is going to undergo a full
renovation which will start this fall and is slated to be completed next spring.
Hotaling declares, “We are excited to excel Westport into a position that it’s never been in before. We
are looking to have monthly events, such as concerts, which groups in town for business could enjoy as
well. It could be an added activity to a corporate booking.”
About six more months to the newest LHM experience – start planning for it now.
MEET
Astrid Zeppenfeld is a contributing writer from St. Louis.
