By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Beginning next summer, those wanting to view the Gateway Arch and the St. Louis skyline from the east side of the Mississippi River will have a new spot to check out.
A $4 million facility, featuring a four-story overlook platform, will soon be built on the grounds of Malcolm Martin Memorial Park in East St. Louis.
Mike Buehlhorn, executive director of the Metro East Park and Recreation District, says East St. Louis officials are hoping the overlook will spur more tourism business. "I think they've put their best foot forward on this," Buehlhorn said, in an interview. "They know it's going to attract a lot of visitors.
"I would suspect when this is running at its capacity, it would attract maybe 300,000 - 400,000 people a year just to view the Gateway Arch from another perspective."