By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – A St. Louis-area organization that has promoted low-cost travel for decades is opening its own hostel.
Gateway Council plans to open the travel accommodations on the University of Missouri St. Louis campus in October.
The St. Louis-area organization holds the Moonlight Ramble bike ride each summer. It's also a part of Hostelling International USA.
Rob Dixon is the president of the Council's board of directors. He says the Gateway Council also plans to move its offices to Normandy Hall on the university's south campus.
"It's a three-story building. Initially we're going to take over just one of those floors, and then over the course of the next couple of years we'll go in and update the other floors and open up what should be 100 beds," Dixon said.
Dixon says an over-night stay will likely cost about $25 for an individual.
University of Missouri St. Louis Director of Residential Life John Klein says the lease agreement made sense since Normandy Hall is no longer needed to house students.
"We're very excited about it because it provides so many opportunities," Klein said.
He says it may help the university recruit students who would not have visited otherwise.
The hostel will be the only in Missouri affiliated with Hostelling International
USA.