The massive CityArchRiver project, which capped I-44 to connect the Gateway Arch to downtown, took five years to complete and cost $380 million.
Now a new report commissioned by the project’s backers, the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, says that the work has already paid off, and then some. The report by consulting firm Tripp Umbach found that the project generated $599.4 million in economic impact to the region during its construction (2013–2018), supporting 4,458 jobs and generating $14 million in tax revenue during that time.
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Now that the project is finished, the report says the impact continues, with $572 million regional impact in 2024. St. Louis city and county saw $486 million of that impact. In 2024, 2.5 million people visited the Arch, the highest number since 2012. Another 54,000 people visited off-site events sponsored by CityArchRiver.
Why It Matters: Since its completion in 1965, the Arch has become the most prominent symbol of St. Louis. But the highway that cut through downtown (first I-70, and then I-44) was a major impediment to Eero Saarinen’s vision for the monument—as well as a challenge for visitors seeking to access it. By capping the highway, and putting a park on top of it, CityArchRiver made it possible for visitors to walk from the heart of downtown directly to the Arch grounds. It’s a huge improvement.
Quantifying those improvements in dollars, however, can be complicated. The report claims the park’s impact was 34 percent higher (adjusted for inflation) in 2024 than in 2012. That’s even though the park saw the same number of visitors in those two years.
In its analysis, the report benefits from two newer ways of looking at the numbers: First, a new methodology, introduced in 2023, is more generous in how visitors are counted. Second, the authors rest their conclusion on increased per-visitor spending, as well as updated economic modeling that “captures a more comprehensive range of impacts, from supply chain purchases to job creation,” says Paul Umbach, founding partner and president of Tripp Umbach, via email.
And don’t ignore the importance of its symbolism. The report cites a 2024 survey conducted by the St. Louis Business Journal, which found that the Gateway Arch was the first thing that came to mind when people were asked about St. Louis. “Without the Gateway Arch,” the report notes, “the top two mentions would be sports teams and crime.”
What’s Next: The Gateway Arch Park Foundation is working to take control of the Millennium Hotel, which sits adjacent to the Arch and has sat vacant since 2014. The foundation previously announced they’d selected The Cordish Companies’ $670 million plan, which would incorporate residential, office, commercial, and public spaces, including an amphitheater and a food hall.
Hear more about Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s plans on The 314 Podcast.
