St Louis Union Station

Name

St Louis Union Station

Legal name

St. Louis Union Station

Website

https://stlouisunionstation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Attraction Admissions: Revenue from ticket sales for individual attractions including St. Louis Aquarium, St. Louis Wheel, Ropes Course, Mirror Maze, Mini Golf, Carousel, Flying Louie, Wave Swinger, Loco Motion Spinning Coaster, and Selfie Express.
2. Food & Beverage: On-site dining at multiple venues including The Train Shed, The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern, St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain, Station Grille, Taco Container, Fairground Eats, Anheuser-Busch Drink Container, Cookies and Cupcakes, and Landry's Seafood House.
3. Hotel Accommodations: St. Louis Union Station Hotel, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, generating revenue from room bookings. Packages bundle hotel stays with attraction tickets.
4. Private Event Venue Rental: Revenue from renting event spaces including 4 ballrooms, The Midway (43,000 sq ft), and Grand Hall for weddings, corporate events, conventions, and trade shows.
5. Retail Merchandise: Gift shops at St. Louis Aquarium and other attractions selling merchandise, plus special event merchandise like Shark Week plush giveaways.
6. Combo Tickets: Bundled attraction tickets offering savings vs. individual purchases, providing bundled admission to multiple attractions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. Louis Union Station is a 120-acre National Historic Landmark entertainment complex in downtown St. Louis operating more than a dozen attractions (including the St. Louis Aquarium, 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, Ropes Course, Mirror Maze, Mini Golf, Carousel, Wave Swinger, Flying Louie, Loco Motion Spinning Coaster, and Selfie Express), 10+ dining outlets, a Hilton Curio Collection hotel, and over 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The company sells admission tickets, food and beverage, hotel rooms, group and combo ticket packages, birthday party experiences, and private event venue rentals directly to consumers, tourists, families, and corporate/wedding event hosts.

Product overview

St. Louis Union Station is a National Historic Landmark turned premier entertainment complex featuring a diverse portfolio of attractions, dining venues, and hospitality services. The offerings include indoor and outdoor attractions such as the St. Louis Aquarium (home to 13,000+ marine creatures), The St. Louis Wheel (200-foot observation wheel), multiple thrill rides (Wave Swinger, Flying Louie, Loco Motion Coaster), family attractions (Mirror Maze, Ropes Course, Mini Golf, Carousel, Selfie Express), and free daily light shows (Fire and Light Show, Grand Hall Light Show). Accommodations are provided through the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton. Dining options span The Train Shed, The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern, St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain (famous for Freak Shakes), Taco Container, Fairground Eats, Station Grille, Landry's Seafood House, and Cookies and Cupcakes. The venue also offers event services including birthday party packages, group tickets, combo tickets, and private event hosting across multiple venues including ballrooms and The Midway.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• St. Louis Aquarium: An aquarium attraction housing over 13,000 marine creatures with touch pools, immersive habitats, and hands-on exhibits.
• The St. Louis Wheel
• Soda Fountain

Products and services

• St. Louis Aquarium An indoor aquarium attraction featuring over 13,000 marine creatures with touch pools, immersive habitats, and interactive exhibits showcasing aquatic life from local rivers and ocean environments. Home to over 13,000 marine creatures. ZAA (Zoological Association of America) accredited.
• The St. Louis Wheel A 200-foot observation wheel with fully enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas offering panoramic views of the St. Louis skyline, operating 365 days a year.
• A-Maze-Ing Discoveries Mirror Maze An indoor labyrinth of mirrors featuring LED lighting and visual illusions that challenge visitors' sense of direction, honoring the spirit of the 1904 World's Fair.
• Ropes Course A multi-level indoor aerial obstacle course housed in the historic 1894 train station, featuring over 30 high-flying obstacles including balance beams, rope bridges, and swinging logs, with a separate Sky Tykes course for younger children. General Admission $15, Sky Tykes $5.
• Mini Golf An 18-hole miniature golf course located beneath the historic train shed, featuring interactive obstacles, themed layout, and fully lit for day or night play.
• Carousel A classic amusement carousel ride in the outdoor plaza, open daily from 10am to 10pm, suitable for all ages with parents able to accompany young children at no charge. $5 per person.
• Wave Swinger A classic amusement ride that lifts riders up to 25 feet while swinging in a circular motion, offering panoramic views of the downtown St. Louis skyline.
• Flying Louie A swinging pirate ship ride that reaches heights of 40 feet, providing an exhilarating experience as the ship swings back and forth simulating wave motion.
• Loco Motion Spinning Coaster A mini spinning roller coaster reaching 20 feet in height, combining classic coaster motion with unpredictable twists and turns in a compact space.
• Selfie Express An interactive photo walk-through attraction featuring over 10 uniquely themed rooms with professional lighting and 3D props designed for social media content creation.
• Fire and Light Show A free nightly outdoor spectacle featuring eight lotus-shaped pods shooting 25-foot pillars of fire choreographed to music, with glowing water and sparkling icicle lights.
• Grand Hall Light Show A 3D projection mapping light show on the 65-foot ceiling of the historic Grand Hall, featuring over 30 animated vignettes including flowers, fireworks, and deep-sea dwellers set to music. First of its kind in the U.S., created by Technomedia (Cirque du Soleil collaborator). Narrated by John Goodman, Jon Hamm, Bob Costas, Dan Dierdorf, Joe Buck, and Chris Kerber.
• St. Louis Union Station Hotel A historic AAA Four Diamond hotel managed by Hilton's Curio Collection, blending Union Station's railroading heritage with luxury accommodations including the Grand Hall and Clock Tower rooms.
• The Train Shed Restaurant A restaurant offering diverse menus from appetizers to entrees with rotating taps and cocktails, located under the historic train shed.
• The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern A sports bar and tavern located across from Energizer Stadium, offering food and drinks with group event capabilities up to 300 people.
• St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain A retro-style soda fountain famous for its 'Freak Shakes' and classic diner fare including burgers and fountain drinks.
• Taco Container A quick-service Mexican restaurant offering tacos with barbacoa, beef, carnitas, fish, and pollo asada, plus frozen or on-the-rocks margaritas.
• Fairground Eats A classic fair food venue serving soft pretzels with cheese, funnel cakes, hot dogs, popcorn, soft serve, and cotton candy.
• Station Grille A historic restaurant in the Union Station Hotel serving breakfast and lunch, continuing the Fred Harvey dining tradition that began in the terminal hotel. Seats 130 customers.
• Landry's Seafood House A Gulf Coast seafood restaurant specializing in Blackened Snapper and Lemon-Pepper Catfish with boardwalk dining and Fire and Light Show views.
• Cookies and Cupcakes A bakery offering Jilly's Cupcakes and freshly baked cookies including Chocolate Chip, Triple Chocolate, Reese's, and seasonal flavors, located next to the aquarium.
• The Grand Hall (Restaurant and Event Venue) The crown jewel of Union Station featuring 65-foot archways, fresco details, mosaics, and art glass windows, operating as both a restaurant/bar and event venue with small plates and crafted cocktails.
• Birthday Party Packages Five different birthday party packages offering access to various attractions combined with private party spaces, food, and entertainment for groups of up to 12 guests. Priced $300-$600.
• Group Tickets Group ticketing services for groups of 10 or more guests, offering discounted access to attractions including the St. Louis Wheel, St. Louis Aquarium, and Mirror Maze.
• Combo Tickets Bundled attraction tickets offering savings when combining multiple experiences including aquarium visits and wheel rides.
• Private Events and Weddings Event hosting services including ballrooms, The Midway (43,000 sq ft event space), Grand Hall, and Aquarium venue for weddings, corporate events, and conferences. Over 100,000 sq ft of meeting space available.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, minor and legacy.

• Hilton (Curio Collection)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSt. Louis Union Station Hotel operates as part of Hilton's Curio Collection, with packages sold through Hilton's booking engine. Sister hotel Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark co-markets baseball packages.
• TechnomediacoreTechnology or IntegrationCreated the Grand Hall 3D Light Show, an award-winning collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. Technomedia designed the first-of-its-kind 3D projection system for the 65-foot Grand Hall ceiling.
• Cirque du SoleilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntertainment company whose award-winning collaborator Technomedia developed the Grand Hall Light Show. This partnership brought Cirque du Soleil-caliber entertainment technology to St. Louis Union Station.
• St. Louis Wheel ParkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelated entity operating the St. Louis Wheel, Wave Swinger, Flying Louie, and Loco Motion attractions, cross-referenced on Union Station website as a 'Site Sibling.'
• St. Louis AquariumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeparate entity operating the aquarium, cross-referenced as a 'Site Sibling' and partnered for combo tickets, birthday packages, and Summer Shell-ebration events.
• St. Louis Aquarium Sponsors (Hilton, Tetra, Ameren, Coca-Cola, Purina, Anheuser Busch)minorOthersSummer Shell-ebration sponsors include Hilton, Tetra, Ameren, Coca-Cola, Purina, and Anheuser Busch, displayed on the Aquarium Foundation page.
• Fred Harvey Company (Historical)legacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically, Fred Harvey revolutionized railroad dining at Union Station through his company, which operated restaurants and employed the famous Harvey Girls. The Station Grille continues this heritage.
• Landry's Seafood HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site restaurant partner offering Gulf Coast seafood with boardwalk seating and Fire and Light Show views. Part of the Landry's restaurant group.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Navy Pier: Chicago's Navy Pier is a historic lakefront landmark redeveloped into a multi-attraction entertainment complex with a Ferris wheel (Centennial Wheel), amusement rides, dining, retail, and event venues — directly comparable in historic-landmark + multi-attraction destination model.
• Broadway at the Beach: Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC is a multi-attraction entertainment/dining/retail destination with rides, aquarium, dinner theater, and event venues — directly comparable as a bundled leisure + attractions + F&B complex.
• American Dream: American Dream in East Rutherford, NJ is a large-scale indoor entertainment and retail complex featuring an indoor theme park (Nickelodeon Universe), water park, ice rink, and aquarium — comparable as a multi-attraction, weather-controlled destination resort.
• Mall of America: Mall of America in Bloomington, MN anchors Nickelodeon Universe (indoor amusement park), Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, and a wide dining/retail mix on a single mega-site — directly parallel to Union Station's bundled attractions + aquarium + F&B model.
• Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center: Gaylord Opryland is a large convention-resort hotel with extensive meeting space, on-site attractions, and F&B — the closest analog to Union Station's hotel + 100,000+ sq ft event venue + on-property entertainment model.
• Great Wolf Lodge: Great Wolf Lodge operates indoor waterpark resort hotels with bundled attractions, dining, and event/party packages — directly comparable as a destination resort with all-in-one ticketing, F&B, and group event revenue.
• Silver Dollar City: Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO is a regional theme park operating rides, shows, and seasonal events for the same Missouri/Heartland tourism market — a directly comparable regional family destination drawing from overlapping visitor bases.
• ICON Park: ICON Park on Orlando's International Drive is a multi-attraction entertainment complex anchored by The Wheel (400-foot observation wheel), museums, and dining — directly comparable on the observation-wheel + multi-attraction destination axis.
• Kalahari Resorts & Conventions: Kalahari Resorts combines indoor waterparks, theme-park attractions, convention space, and on-site dining under one roof — closely comparable to Union Station's integrated attractions + conventions + F&B model.

Broad incumbents

• SeaWorld / Busch Gardens (United Parks & Resorts): United Parks operates large-scale marine and theme parks (SeaWorld, Busch Gardens) with aquariums, rides, and events — a broader incumbent in marine-themed entertainment that overlaps with Union Station's aquarium and ride-based attractions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGrandHallSTL
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegrandhallstl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-louis-union-station

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St Louis Union Station