America's Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis.

Skilled Labor at America’s Center

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The Workforce at America’s Center Stands Ready To Help You

The skilled labor at America’s Center Convention Complex is focused on helping customers create and execute memorable and successful events.  Paramount to those efforts are the services provided by our skilled labor trade unions, who along with the facility’s staff, stand ready to address the specific needs and requirements of each event held in the facility.  St. Louis’ event labor pool is made up of experienced, skilled, professional tradesmen and women that take pride in their work – not day laborers pulled off the street .  They understand what they do is a vital component to the success of every event at America’s Center and they take that responsibility very seriously.

To help in the planning process, we’ve crafted the following set of “Frequently Asked Questions” to help address potential questions about creating an event at America’s Center, and how to effectively work with our team.  If you do not see an answer to your question below, just let us know.  We are always eager to answer your inquiries and help provide you and your organization a world-class meeting/event experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not difficult to work with the unions at the America’s Center. The Unions at America’s Center are some of the safest and best-trained professionals in the convention and trade show industry. We have learned from experience that the majority of the best workers in the entertainment and event industry work through our skilled trade unions. We want to provide you with the best workers in our market to ensure that your show is a success. They are skilled professionals that know their job, do it efficiently, and are happy to do their part to make the show happen. They carefully follow your specifications and instructions, have a strong work ethic, and know-how to work as a team to get the job done.

Our local unions provide highly skilled workers with years of training and experience both in their specific trade and working within the America’s Center Convention Complex. With that training and expertise, it allows the convention planners and exhibitors to focus on the needs of their attendees. Also, our local trades allow clients contractors to save money from not having to bring along any of their employees who will incur additional costs in travel, lodging, and meals. Additionally, the unions at America’s Center work in a cooperative manner amongst themselves, clients and contractors to ensure events run smoothly and efficiently. Finally, the unions pride themselves on working safely to avoid injuries and reduce any potential damage to equipment and materials.

We have some vendors who are exclusive to the facility that includes Levy Restaurants and Edlen Electrical. For other services, clients can use their own preferred vendors/service providers. There are some exclusive agreements related to work in specific areas of the facility, like the Ballroom, that clients must follow, and our team is standing by to work with you in advance of your meeting to explain and address any specific operational questions you may have about the facility and the vendors who provide services. Additionally, Explore St. Louis’ “Exhibitor’s Rights” document is an easy resource to assist you in understanding those agreements.

Yes, the America’s Center’s labor relations manager handles any labor-related matters and proactively maintains positive relationships with the unions, which aids in providing a seamless experience. The labor relations manager is standing by to assist the needs of all Clients and their designated service providers.

More Questions?

Contact Brent Buchanan at (314) 342-5094 or bbuchanan@explorestlouis.com.

See What Clients and Contractors are Saying About Labor at America’s Center:

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your efforts and those of your labor crews at the America’s Center. I would be remiss if I did not tell you how stellar your labor crews were during our event.

Marcia J. Slakie
Director of Meetings and Conventions
Door and Hardware Institute

Thank you for taking time at the end of the American Dietetic Association’s Annual Meeting to review our labor experience at the America’s Center. Overall the show was a success from our standpoint.

Warren S. Abraham
Senior Account Executive
AVHQ Meeting Services

The spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the representative trade unions of America’s Center during the production of this event were not only experienced by Freeman, but we received many compliments from exhibiting companies regarding the labor situation in St. Louis, MO.

Robert C. Audette
Vice President Sales Exposition Services, Executive Sales Group
Freeman

The degree of cooperation and professionalism from [your staff] and the litany of your support staff far surpassed any other group I’ve had the pleasure to work with over these past 30+ years… YOUR STAFF MAKES HEROES! Let me dispel another myth about working a convention in St. Louis. Rumor has it that the St. Louis required union labor is of concern. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Edward S. Korczak, CAE
Executive Director
National Wood Flooring Association

It’s not often that I sit down to write a letter to a facility…Courteous, flexible, pro-active, accommodating, knowledgeable, professional, service-oriented…these are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind in describing our experience with your staff at America’s Center. I’d like to take it one step further and include the union labor in this accolade. We could not have been more pleased with the quality and professionalism of all the crafts involved in producing events there at your facility… Be sure to tell them to call me, I’ll give you a terrific reference.

Mary Anne Rogers
National Sales Manager
Shepard Exposition Services
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