An amazing thing happened to me last week. After reserving our tickets months ago, my wife Lyn and I took our seats at Meet Me In St. Louis at The Muny.
On its own, The Muny is the perfect example of how our region is already winning. The nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, its legendary performances draw up to 11,000 guests made up of locals and visitors traveling from across the country.
That hot summer night was no different. Lyn and I were surrounded by all kinds of different people – a motor biker from Iowa covered in tattoos who was, despite the heat, dressed in full leathers; a father and his two high school aged daughters; and a couple on their first date. After exchanging hellos, Lyn began to note the multiple actors and actresses with Broadway resumes in our program. It was the kind of talent to rival any other theatre in the world.
It was already a beautiful St. Louis evening, and then the national anthem began. Lyn and I stood and looked around at the crowd. Everyone – and I mean everyone – was standing and singing together.
It was America. It was St. Louis. And it was testament that there is always more that unites us than divides us. It was also a reminder that by working together and by focusing on what already makes us great, we will accelerate our forward momentum.
Our region is already home to remarkable neighborhoods, cultural institutions like The Muny that cities twice our size would envy, affordable living, and a quality of life that makes us one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family. We have world-class research institutions, globally significant companies, outstanding universities, and authentic strengths in aviation, aerospace, national defense, advanced manufacturing, agtech, bioscience, financial services, and logistics. We’re home to 14 Fortune 500 equivalent companies, a concentration greater than Indianapolis, Nashville, and Kansas City.
The truth is: We’re already winning. We have the assets. We have the opportunity. And by harnessing both, we can become a more confident, ambitious, and prosperous version of St. Louis. That’s our goal at Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Together, we are building what comes next.
Always Forward,
Ron Kitchens