The organization that has championed Chesterfield's business community since 1976 is marking its 50th anniversary this year — just as billions of dollars in new development reshape the Valley around it.

The Chesterfield Regional Chamber of Commerce has grown from 100 members in 1982 to nearly 700 today. Its golden anniversary celebration is set for October 24, with sponsors including Commerce Bank, First Community Credit Union, and FordHarrison LLP.

The milestone lands during the most active building stretch in Chesterfield's history. Downtown Chesterfield — the $2 billion mixed-use redevelopment replacing the former Chesterfield Mall on an 80-acre site — entered its second phase this month, according to West News Magazine. The Staenberg Group's master plan calls for roughly 2,363 residences, more than 1 million square feet of office space, 605,000 square feet of retail, and a 3.3-acre central park. Utility work and site grading are underway.

Meanwhile, Wildhorse Village is bringing hundreds of residential units, a 15-acre lake, and commercial space to the Valley, and The Staenberg Group is converting the former Taubman Prestige Outlets into The District, a 300,000-square-foot shopping and entertainment center.

Chamber President and CEO Nora Amato, a Chesterfield native, told St. Louis Magazine earlier this year that she sees the anniversary as a launching point. She said she hopes to keep growing the organization, expand its events, and deepen member engagement — adding, "Here's to another 50 years."

The Chamber operates as a business nonprofit, independent of city government and funded entirely by member dues and sponsorships — no taxpayer dollars. Its signature Summer Concert Series, now in its 39th year, draws more than 50,000 people to Faust Park on Tuesday evenings from June through August. The Chamber says it organized the only outdoor concerts in St. Louis County during the summer of 2020, running 10 shows under CDC guidelines.

New members continue to sign on. In April 2026 alone, 10 businesses joined, including Kawai Piano Outlet St. Louis on Outlet Boulevard, Take 5 Oil Change on Olive Boulevard, and Raymond James.

The Chamber's trajectory mirrors Chesterfield's own — from a flood-prone valley that saw its levee break in 1993 to a regional commercial hub now courting office tenants relocating from downtown St. Louis. The October 24 celebration will mark the halfway point of a year that could define the next era for both.