The Business Journal this year wants your big ideas for St. Louis. And to start, we’ll talk with someone who already thinks widely and deeply about St. Louis who also some big ideas of his own for how to tackle one of this region’s thorniest topics: The merger of the city and the county. Show Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarradholst/recent-activity/all/

Earlier this year, Dominion Voting Systems, the company that won more than $800 million in settlements from lawsuits against 2020 election deniers, was acquired by a St. Louisan. This week, we talk to the buyer of the company to learn why he’s still raising issues of trust and transparency in marketing the newly renamed company.

Happy holidays from all of us at The St. Louis Business Journal! On April 17th, the Art City Report offered a look into the early makings of Mayor Cara Spencer's administration, a brief forecast of an upcoming event on advanced manufacturing. But the real reason this episode is special is because of Nathan Rubbelke's reporting on what we call the Saviors of South King's Highway. Brothers, Ivan and Berto Garcia have a really unique approach to taking risk in real estate investments in a ...

The Trump Administration’s crackdown on wokeness has put some of America’s elite academic institutions in crisis. But here in St. Louis, Chancellor Andrew Martin has become one of the leading voices for reform. This week, he sits down with the Arch City Report to explain whether doing so raises WashU’s profile for the better.

A major downtown stakeholder is waging a campaign to get the FBI to change how it tallies crime statistics for St. Louis. It’s part of a wider series of efforts to revive downtown. This week, we offer details from an event focused solely on those topics.

This week's guest, Ron Kitchens, the new CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc., discusses his vision for the organization and the St. Louis region. He emphasizes the importance of job creation and economic growth, the need to reframe the national perception of St. Louis, and the role of private sector investment in revitalizing the community. Kitchens also shares insights from his previous experiences, including the successful Kalamazoo Promise program, and how similar initiatives could benefit St. L...

Episode 47 EXTRA: Hear the full, hour-long discussion between St. Louis Mayor, Cara Spencer and Business Journal Editor Erik Siemers in front of a live audience.

At a Business Journal event, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer offered insight and ideas for tackling some of St. Louis’ biggest challenges, from downtown to tornado recovery to fixing city schools. This week, we get into the details on some of her most eyebrow-raising notions. Show LInks: Stories written from Mayoral interview: https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2025/11/21/spencer-goal-restore-trust-city.html https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2025/11/20/mayor-floats-free-colleg...

Lambert airport is poised to get its biggest makeover ever, with a new $3 billion terminal. But one thing that won’t be part of it is a place where all rental car companies can operate, maybe walkable from that new terminal. Right now, rental car companies operate from six separate facilities a shuttle ride from the airport. We talk about how Enterprise Rent-a-Car wants a fix for that as part of the new terminal.

Downtown St. Louis suffered a major loss last week when one of its highest-profile tenants announced it was leaving. But one of the leaders trying to turn the neighborhood around says everything is going just fine. This week, we go inside that story and some other mixed messages on the status of downtown St. Louis. The conversation explores the recent announcement of Peabody Energy's move from downtown St. Louis, the implications of corporate exits on the area, and the efforts of Kurt ...

Since it was established in 2002, the city’s Cortex innovation district has been home to more than $2 billion in construction. This week, the CEO of the district tells us whether to expect more projects in coming years. Episode Summary: The conversation explores the Cortex Innovation District's development, the importance of eminent domain, current projects, demand for lab space, community engagement, and funding strategies. Sam Fiorello discusses the challenges and opportunities withi...

St. Louis is again seeing fewer construction projects this year. The city for 2025 is roughly on target to match permit totals for last year, but those were down significantly from the past. The government’s development chief talks about why, and what’s being done to turn it around. Show Summary In this conversation, Otis Williams discusses the current state of development in St. Louis, highlighting the challenges faced in the building permit process and the need for more private developme...

Homebuilders say the city of St. Louis’ permitting process and regulatory requirements have made building there too expensive and time consuming. This week, we explain how and why Mayor Cara Spencer is taking action to change city bureaucracy as it battles to rebuild tornado-wracked north St. Louis.

Data centers, the plumbing of the internet age, have been around for decades. But one project in Midtown St. Louis has attracted fierce opposition. This week, we find out why this project is different. Summary: The conversation explores the contentious proposal for a new data center in St. Louis, highlighting the opposition from community organizations and the Missouri Workers Center. The discussion delves into the implications of data center development on local economies, environmental conc...

Lambert airport hasn’t had a flight to London since 2003. The airport’s director recently said that getting one back represented the proudest moment of her career. She talked with us about how the new deal with British Airways came together, with flights to begin in April, and what it means for the region.

The $1.1B north-south MetroLink expansion has given way to what is projected to be a significantly less expensive alternative. This week, we speak with the leader of the region’s transit authority, Bi-State Development, to hear how the modes of transportation shifted with the political winds.

The America’s Center Convention Complex is, to many people, their gateway to the Gateway to the West. This week, we speak with the new CEO of tourism agency Explore St. Louis to learn about convention strategy and crafting a brand for St. Louis.

A year ago, the St. Louis metro area’s population grew solely to an increase in the foreign-born population. A year later, the trends has shifted backward. We speak with St. Louis’ most prominent demographer, Ness Sandoval, to discuss the recent population trends in the region, focusing on the decline of the foreign-born population and the African-American demographic. He highlights the concept of 'demographic winter' and compares St. Louis's growth mindset to that of Cincinnati, emphasizing ...

In this episode of the Arch City Report, Jim Wild from the East West Gateway Council of Governments discusses the strategic planning efforts aimed at addressing population decline and various regional issues in St. Louis. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration among different sectors, the need for a common vision, and the significance of timing in initiating these plans. The conversation also touches on the challenges of revitalizing downtown St. Louis and the long-term commitment requ...

This week's conversation delves into Missouri's Senate Bill 3, which proposes a property tax freeze for certain counties. St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann discusses the implications of the bill, its constitutionality, and the potential consequences for local governance and taxation. The discussion highlights the need for uniformity in tax laws across counties and the challenges posed by differing treatment of counties under the law. Elliman emphasizes the importance of understanding...