Late December, 2007, a $507 million urban resort opened in downtown St. Louis, complete with a casino, two hotels (including Missouri’s first Four Seasons Hotel), seven restaurants (including two by celebrity chef Hubert Keller) and four retail shoppes.

St. Louis hasn’t seen a development of this grandeur open in the heart of downtown in a very long time, and The Vandiver Group, Inc. was tasked with generating attention for this monumental event.

Since 2003, TVG has been working to build buzz in St. Louis, around the Midwest and across the country for the opening. After breaking ground and major announcements such as the project’s name, hotels and restaurants to be included, TVG focused its attention on a truly grand night. TVG created buzz by building suspense and not releasing any interior photography until opening day.

TVG wanted to open the doors to this crown jewel for the City of St. Louis and have a wow factor. Everyone across the region saw a skyscraper rising over the past two years; TVG wanted to save the best for last. The response opening night was overwhelmingly positive, drawing some of the regions biggest names and most prominent figures.

On opening day, media rushed to the entertainment complex to begin live coverage at 5 a.m. By 11 p.m. that night TVG had generated more than 100 broadcast, print and web placements including all of the local Print, radio and TV outlets, along with several regional and national outlets including the AP, ABC, the Chicago Tribune and Forbes. To increase their media presence, TVG opted to hire a full TV crew and put the largest rooftop fireworks display in St. Louis history, live on satellite, along with a video news release. At the event TVG used a crew of four people to work with the media, providing tours, accessing interviews, handing out media packets and operating a full media center in the lobby of the new casino and hotel.

The opening was an event to remember for St. Louis and The Vandiver Group. Through its communications plan of strategic suspense building in the media and general public TVG was successfully able to generate media coverage and casino crowds.

Contact us at tvg@vandivergroup.com or send comments to blog@vandivergroup.com.