The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

There may be a housing crisis nationwide, but the meetings business is still being courted with downright ferocity in the South-Central states, where billions of dollars are being spent on new hotels, venues, convention centers, and mass transit in hopes of luring more business travelers.

And it's not just the big cities of St. Louis, Kansas City, and Little Rock that are leading the parade. Traditional secondary cities such as Wichita, Kan.; Hot Springs, Ark.; and Branson, Mo., are all ramping up their hospitality projects in search of more meetings.

For more details, go to The South-Central States.