The Dome at America's Center

The Dome at America's Center

The Dome
Former names	Trans World Dome (1995–2001) Edward Jones Dome (2002–2016)
Location	701 Convention Plaza St. Louis, Missouri, United States 63101
Coordinates	38°37′58″N 90°11′19″W / 38.63278°N 90.18861°W / 38.63278; -90.18861Coordinates: 38°37′58″N 90°11′19″W / 38.63278°N 90.18861°W / 38.63278; -90.18861
Public transit	Metrolink: Convention Center
Owner	St. Louis Regional Sports Authority
Operator	St. Louis Convention/Visitors Bureau
Executive suites	120
Capacity	70,000
Surface	Astroturf GameDay Grass 3D (2010–present) FieldTurf (2005–2010) AstroTurf (1995–2004)
Construction
Broke ground	July 13, 1992 (July 13, 1992)[1]
Opened	November 12, 1995 (November 12, 1995)
Renovated	2010
Construction cost	$280 million ($440 million in 2016 dollars[2])
Architect	HOK Sport (now Populous) Kennedy Associates/Architects, Inc.[3]
Project manager	J.S. Alberici Construction
Structural engineer	EDM Incorporated[4]
Services engineer	Design Consulting Engineering Inc.[5]
General contractor	M.A. Mortenson Company[6]
Tenants
St. Louis Rams (NFL) (1995–2015)

Street side

2005 NCAA Basketball National Semifinal, North Carolina vs. Michigan State

Logo as Edward Jones Dome, 2002–2016

The Dome at America's Center or The Dome, is a multi-purpose stadium used mostly for American football in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It primarily served as the home of the St. Louis Rams from 1995 until 2015 when the Rams relocated back to Los Angeles in 2016. The stadium, previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001, and then as the Edward Jones Dome from 2002 to 2016, was constructed largely to lure an NFL team back to St. Louis and to serve as a convention center.

The Dome provides multiple stadium configurations that can seat up to 70,000 people. Seating levels include a private luxury suite level with 120 suites, a private club seat and luxury suite level with 6,400 club seats, a concourse level (lower bowl) and a terrace level (upper bowl). The Dome opened in 1995.

The Dome is part of the America's Center convention center. The convention portion has a much bigger footprint and adjoins to the west of the Dome, Cole Street to the north, Broadway to the east and Convention Plaza to the south. It is accessible off Interstate 70 eastbound at the Convention Center/Broadway/Busch Stadium exit, I-70 westbound from Illinois at the Martin Luther King Jr./Veterans Memorial Bridge, and Interstate 55 southbound at the Gateway Arch/Busch Stadium exit. The stadium is also serviced by the Convention Center MetroLink rail station.

Naming rights

During its planning and construction, the Dome was known as The Dome at America's Center. Trans World Airlines, a St. Louis-based air carrier, purchased naming rights in 1995 and held them until 2001, when TWA was acquired by American Airlines (American already has its name on two NBA/NHL venues in Dallas and Miami). During this time, the Dome was known as the Trans World Dome.

The facility then briefly reverted to the Dome at America's Center until the naming rights were acquired on January 25, 2002 by Edward Jones Investments, a financial services firm based St. Louis.

As part of a deal to sell the naming rights to Rams Park (dubbed at the time the Russell Athletic Training Center), the Rams' training facility in Earth City, Missouri, to sportswear manufacturer Russell Athletic, the Rams agreed to rename the Edward Jones Dome to Russell Athletic Field for the Rams' Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears on December 11, 2006. The renaming was for the one night only.

After the St. Louis Rams relocated to Los Angeles in 2016, Edward Jones exercised its right to terminate its sponsorship, and that the facility would once again be known as The Dome at America's Center.^[7][8]

Notable events

NFL playoff football

The Dome hosted five NFC playoff games, including the 1999 and 2001 NFC Championship Games, both of which the Rams won. The previous franchise, the St. Louis Cardinals, never hosted a playoff game in their history with the city (1960-1987).

Concerts

• On November 8, 1997, U2 performed at the Dome during their PopMart Tour.
• On December 12, 1997, The Rolling Stones broadcast a live Pay-Per-View concert event from their Bridges To Babylon Tour. The show was later released in edited form on VHS/DVD.
• On March 7, 2000, The Backstreet Boys performed at the Dome during their Into the Millennium Tour.
• On July 2, 2001, 'N Sync performed at the Dome during their Pop Odyssey Tour.
• Metallica's 2003 Summer Sanitarium Tour made a stop at the Edward Jones Dome on July 25, 2003. The tour featured headliner Metallica, with bands Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Deftones and Mudvayne.
• On August 27, 2014, One Direction performed at the Dome during their Where We Are Tour.
• On September 10, 2016, Beyoncé performed at the Dome during her The Formation World Tour. Vic Mensa served as the opening act.
• On July 27, 2017, Guns N' Roses performed at the Dome during their Not in This Lifetime... Tour.

Professional soccer

The Dome hosted a soccer match on August 10, 2013, when Real Madrid and Internazionale played a friendly game in front of 54,184 fans, a record attendance for a soccer match in St. Louis.^[9]

College basketball

In April 2005, the Edward Jones Dome hosted the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Final Four. Louisville, Illinois, Michigan State and North Carolina met, with North Carolina winning the title game against Illinois.

The Dome has hosted an NCAA Men's Basketball Regional four times. In 2004, the St. Louis Regional saw Georgia Tech defeat Kansas in a final that required overtime. Tech had previously defeated Nevada while KU became the first team (and the only one to date) to score 100 points in a college basketball game in the building in its regional semifinal win over UAB. The Dome also hosted the 2007 Midwest Regional, where Florida, en route to winning its second consecutive national championship, defeated Butler and then Oregon, who had defeated UNLV in the other regional semifinal. In 2010, Michigan State eliminated Northern Iowa, and Tennessee knocked off Ohio State, before MSU beat UT to move on to the Final Four. In 2012, North Carolina beat Ohio University and Kansas defeated NC State University. In the regional final, KU defeated UNC to advance to the Final Four.

College football

The Edward Jones Dome hosted the first Big 12 Conference football championship game in 1996 (Nebraska versus Texas). The third game, in 1998, was also held in the Dome (Kansas State versus Texas A&M). The Dome has also been a neutral site for regular-season college football matchups between the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri, promoted locally as the "Arch Rivalry". Missouri has won all six games (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010).

MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl

The Dome held the annual Missouri State High School Activities Association football championship games from 1996-2015. The Show-Me Bowl had previously been contested at Faurot Field in Columbia, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield and Busch Memorial Stadium. With the Rams' departure and the effective end of football at the facility, the MSHSAA voted to return to rotating hosts, with Springfield getting the 2016 championship and Columbia the 2017.

Legends of the Dome game

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, the Isaac Bruce Foundation hosted a charity flag football game to raise money for the Isaac Bruce Foundation and relive great memories from the Rams' time in St. Louis. Many members of the Greatest Show on Turf including Kurt Warner, Dick Vermeil, Mike Martz, Torry Holt, Ricky Proehl, Az Hakim, Marc Bulger, Orlando Pace, Aeneas Williams, and many others were among the players and coaches involved. At halftime, 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame and longtime Rams All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace was honored. Retired Navy Petty Officer Generald Wilson performed the National Anthem. Voice of the Rams' Steve Savard broadcast the game live on 101 ESPN radio in St. Louis. 10,600 fans were on hand for the game.

Religious conferences

Currently, the building hosts the annual Joyce Meyer Ministries Love Life Women's Conference, attended by 10,000 to 20,000 women each year. Other major religious conventions/conferences include:

• It became the site of the biggest indoor gathering in United States history, on January 27, 1999 when Pope John Paul II held mass in the stadium. Over 104,000 people attended.
• In 1999 the Rev. Billy Graham held The Greater St. Louis Billy Graham Crusade with well over 200,000 people attending in throughout four days. Michael W. Smith and Kirk Franklin were among the musical artists that performed.
• In 2005, the Dome hosted the General Conference Session of Seventh-day Adventists.
• In 2007, the Nazarene Youth Conference was held at the stadium.
• Since 2009, the Dome has been the host of the International Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ
• The InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Urbana missions conference, held every 3 years, has been held at the Dome since 2006.
• The Dome also hosted the 85th annual General Conference of The United Pentecostal Church International on September 30 – October 4, 2009.
• The Dome will host the North American Youth Congress, a biennial gathering of young people via the General Youth Division of the United Pentecostal Church International from July 31 - August 2, 2019.

Other events

• From 2011 through 2017, the Dome will host the World Championship of the FIRST Robotics Competition. 600 teams from around the world qualify annually to compete in the championship held in mid-April. The FIRST LEGO League World Festival and FIRST Tech Challenge Championship occur at the same time, in nearby venues.
• The Dome hosted the Nerium International's Spring Conference in April 2014; and the 35th and 37th Annual Herbalife Extravaganza in July 2015 and 2017 respectively.
• The Music for All Bands of America St. Louis Super-Regional championships has been held annually at the Dome since 1997.
• The Dome hosted an AMA Supercross Championship round since 1996.^[10]
• In 1998, the Dome was home to the largest pro wrestling crowd in Missouri state history ^[11] when WCW broadcast a live Monday Nitro event on TNT. Nearly 30,000 attended live, braving an ice storm to attend. WCW would return on May 9, 1999 with a Pay-Per-View event titled "Slamboree", which drew 20,516 fans.
• The Dome also hosts Monster Jam events every year as well as a round of the Stadium Super Truck series.^[12]
• The Dome hosted the Gateway Dirt Nationals on December 16–17, 2016, featuring late model and modified events on a 0.2 miles (0.32 km) track, the largest indoor oval track in the United States.^[13] Nearly 100 Open Late Models and 130 Open Modifieds entered in the three day event. The race surface, built in four days, was a 1/5th mile banked oval. Late Model driver Scott Bloomquist captured the $20,000 to win main event in front of nearly 15,000 spectators. Not to be out done by the pass from Shannon Babb on Bloomquist during the Friday night main event with Jason Feger and Darrell Langian running close behind with only two laps remaining. Open Modified driver Tommie Seets Jr. captured the $10,000 to win main event.

Renovations

Interior view prior to 2010 renovations

Interior view after 2010 renovations

Interior view after 2010 renovations

The Dome received a $30 million renovation in 2009, which replaced the scoreboards with LED video displays (one large in north end zone and one smaller in south end zone) and LED fascia boards around the bowl of the Dome. The renovations also added new premium areas (Bud Light Zone and Clarkson Jewelers Club). Some of the paint work in the Dome was lightened as well and painted in Rams colors (Blue, Gold, and White). In 2010, the Rams locker room was re-built and switched ends from the north end zone to the south end zone. For 2011, new HD monitors were installed throughout the Dome in place of the older screens at concession stands and other areas. Before the 2010 season, the Dome also received a new permanent turf surface. The surface, manufactured by AstroTurf, was be AstroTurf’s Magic Carpet II Conversion System, which features its GameDay 3D Synthetic Turf System. This system is similar to the original turf system that was in the Dome from 1995 to 2004 whereas it can be rolled up and stored underground in a pit at the Dome. The Dome used a FieldTurf brand surface from 2005 to 2009.

The loss of the Rams (2012–2016)

The Dome's primary problem throughout the years centered on a lease signed by the Rams when they came to St. Louis in 1995. For the first decade of its existence, the dome had no major problems. As the 2010s rolled around, the Rams and city leaders became concerned with the Dome's long-term viability.

The lease and poor rankings

Under the terms of the lease that the Rams signed in 1995, the Dome was required to be ranked in the top quartile of NFL stadiums through 2015. This meant the Dome had to have the proper fan amenities and other features found in modern NFL stadiums. If the building wasn't ranked in the top quartile, the Rams were free to break the lease and either relocate without penalty or continue to lease the Dome on a year-to-year basis.^[14][15][16]

Not helping matters was the Dome's poor reception with NFL fans and the general public as the years went by. Even after the 2010 renovations many websites ranking the 31 NFL stadiums listed the Dome near the bottom of their respective rankings.^[17][18] In 2008, St. Louis fans ranked it in a Sports Illustrated poll the worst of any NFL stadium with particularly low marks for tailgating, affordability and atmosphere and in May 2012 Time Magazine ranked the Dome as the 7th worst major sports stadium in the United States.^[19][20] Both the Rams and city leaders realized the Dome needed a major overhaul or St. Louis would lose the Rams.

Negotiations

The Convention and Visitor Center (the stadium's operator) and the Rams negotiated throughout 2012 on the renovations and agreed to go into arbitration in 2013 if a deal was not worked out in which three arbitrators mutually agreed on from the American Arbitration Association to arbitrate the case in 2013.^[21]

In January 2012, the CVC proposed $48 million in improvements including a new 947-vehicle garage all funded publicly with the Rams keeping the garage game day revenue.^[21] After the Rams rejected the $48 million deal the CVC next proposed $124 million in renovations including a new three-story structure on Baer Plaza on the east side facing the Mississippi River for a main entrance as well as new suites. The Rams would have picked up $64 million of that project.^[21] The Rams countered with a $700 million proposal that called for much of the stadium to be rebuilt including a sliding roof panel and a new four-sided center scoreboard. No details on how to pay for the renovations were made.^[21] The sides did not hammer out an agreement in 2012 and the matter went into arbitration hearings in January 2013. Officials noted that even if the arbitrators decide on implementing a more expensive plan and the CVC was unable to fund it the Rams would still be able to break the lease.^[22]

With no agreement between both sides in 2013 there was considerable speculation on the future of both the Rams and the stadium with some^[23] suggesting the Rams could return to Los Angeles. It is important to note that bonds for construction of the Dome were still being paid and will continue to be paid through 2021. Missouri will pay $12 million/year and St. Louis City and St. Louis County will pay $6 million/year each.^[24]

On February 1, 2013, the arbitrators ruled in favor of the Rams' $700 million proposal to tear down half the Dome and replace it as the only way to bring the Dome up to first tier status. Various city and county officials said it was unlikely that public funding would be found for such a project. Officials noted that the Rams were contractually obligated to play in the Dome until March 15, 2015 and there was no "buy out" provision to permit the Rams to move before then. City and county officials said they were considering all options including construction of a new stadium elsewhere in the St. Louis area. Rams officials, meanwhile, indicated their preference to stay in St. Louis.^[25]

The St. Louis Regional Convention (the stadium's owner) and Sports Complex Authority hired Goldman Sachs in February 2013 "to keep the Rams in the Dome, or, if that’s not possible, to maintain a National League Football team in St. Louis." An attorney for St. Louis noted that Goldman had "financed or advised on the financing of every NFL stadium recently built."^[26] In April 2013, it was reported by the Wall Street Journal that the arrangement was being scrutinized by the Securities and Exchange Commission as new Dodd-Frank rules restrict firms from offering financial advice to municipalities where it also underwrites its municipal bond transactions.^[27] Eventually the hiring fell through and nothing resulted from it.

On July 2, 2013, the CVC announced that they were rejecting the Rams' renovation proposal.^[28] Missouri governor Jay Nixon had been negotiating with owner Stan Kroenke since the decision had been made.^[29] The earliest the Rams could have broken the lease on the Dome would've been following the 2014 season, but they chose not to do so in 2014.

Inglewood purchase

On January 31, 2014, both the Los Angeles Times and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Stan Kroenke purchased approximately 60 acres of land adjacent to the Forum in Inglewood, California. Commissioner Roger Goodell represented that Mr. Kroenke informed the league of the purchase. Kroenke subsequently announced plans to build an NFL stadium on the site, in connection with the owners of the adjacent 238-acre Hollywood Park site, Stockbridge Capital Group.^[30] This development further fueled rumors that the Rams intended to return its management and football operations to Southern California. The land was initially targeted for a Walmart Supercenter but Walmart could not get the necessary permits to build it. On January 5, 2015, The Los Angeles Times reported that Stan Kroenke and Stockbridge Capital Group were partnering up in developing a new NFL stadium on the Inglewood property owned by Kroenke. The project included a stadium with up to 80,000 seats and a performance venue of up to 6,000 seats while reconfiguring the previously approved Hollywood Park plan for up to 890,000 square feet of retail, 780,000 square feet of office space, 2,500 new residential units, a 300-room hotel and 25 acres of public parks, playgrounds, open space and pedestrian and bicycle access. The stadium would likely be ready by 2019.

In lieu of this St. Louis countered with a stadium plan on the north riverfront area of downtown, known as National Car Rental Field, with the hope of persuading Kroenke to keep the Rams in the city. However, on February 24, 2015, the Inglewood City Council approved the stadium and the initiative with construction planned to begin in December 2015.^[31][32] As the Inglewood stadium would be built without taxpayer subsidy, that effectively sealed the fate of the Rams in St. Louis.

The Rams leave St. Louis

The Rams formally filed their request to leave St. Louis for Los Angeles on January 4, 2016.^[33] On January 12, the NFL approved the Rams' request for relocation to Los Angeles for the 2016 NFL season.^[34] Once the team left, Missouri taxpayers shouldered the remaining $144 million in debt and maintenance costs on the stadium until the debt is paid off in 2021.^[35][36] As of July 2017, the Dome no longer has any tenants, be they permanent or temporary.

St. Louis Football Ring of Fame

Former Cardinals and Rams football players were included in the St. Louis Ring of Fame in the Dome. During the Rams' time in St. Louis the names were displayed on an overhang surrounding the field.

References

1. ↑ Mark S., Rosentraub (1999). Major League Losers: The Real Cost Of Sports And Who's Paying For It. New York: Basic Books. p. 220. ISBN 0-465-07143-0. 
2. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2017. 
3. ↑ "Edward Jones Dome - KAI Design & Build". 
4. ↑ "Projects - EDM". 
5. ↑ DCE Inc - Educational/Recreational
6. ↑ Mortenson Construction - Edward Jones Dome
7. ↑ Feldt, Brian (February 19, 2016). "Edward Jones name to come off dome". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved March 11, 2016. 
8. ↑ Hunn, David (February 19, 2016). "Edward Jones scraps naming rights on Dome". STLToday.com. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 20, 2016. 
9. ↑ Sports Illustrated, Real Madrid dominates Inter to close American tour, August 10, 2013, http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130810/real-madrid-inter.ap/?sct=sc_t2_a4
10. ↑ 2015 AMA Supercross media guide
11. ↑ http://explorestlouis.com/media-page/news-releases-newsroom/releases/the-dome-delivers-mega-events/
12. ↑ "Schedule". Stadium Super Trucks. Retrieved October 18, 2013. 
13. ↑ Turner, Todd (February 16, 2016). "Indoor Late Model event set for St. Louis". DirtOnDirt.com. Retrieved 2016-02-16. 
14. ↑ deMause, Neil. "Tales of city mismanagement: How the St. Louis Rams won their sweetheart lease". Field of Schemes. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
15. ↑ deMause, Neil. "StL stadium chief: Replace dome, or lose Rams / Search Results / Field of Schemes". www.fieldofschemes.com. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
16. ↑ Coats, Bill. "New venues put city on notice for keeping Rams". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2016. 
17. ↑ "Edward Jones Dome listed as one of 10 worst stadiums". KTRS. St. Louis. May 11, 2012. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
18. ↑ http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/10/best-worst-nfl-stadiums-capacity-rankings-lambeau-field-solder-field-size-super-bowls
19. ↑ Carbone, Nick (May 10, 2012). "7. Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis | Top 10 Worst Stadiums in the U.S.". Time. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
20. ↑ "NFL Stadium Rankings". Sports Illustrated. 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
21. 1 2 3 4 Hathaway, Matthew (June 15, 2012). "CVC Enters Arbitration With Rams; Deadline is Dec. 31". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
22. ↑ Hunn, David (July 23, 2012). "A New Stadium for the St. Louis Rams?". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
23. ↑ "Report: NFL may discuss relocating teams to Los Angeles at December meeting". theScore.com. 
24. ↑ Rathbone, Michael (February 2, 2012). "Dough for the Dome". Show-Me Daily. Retrieved February 11, 2013. 
25. ↑ Hunn, David (May 14, 2012). "Will Rams Leave St. Louis? 'Take a Deep Breath,' Official Says". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 11, 2013. 
26. ↑ Hunn, David (February 11, 2013). "St. Louis Agency Hires Goldman Sachs to Keep Rams in Dome". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 11, 2013. 
27. ↑ "Regulators Scrutinizing Dome Deal, Report Says". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 9, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2013. 
28. ↑ Associated Press (July 5, 2013). "Edward Jones Dome Won't Get $700M in Upgrades". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 9, 2013. 
29. ↑ "Is L.A. the place for the NFL? It’s hard to tell". 
30. ↑ Farmer, Sam; Vincent, Roger (5 January 2015). "Owner of St. Louis Rams plans to build NFL stadium in Inglewood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 January 2015. 
31. ↑ "St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke buys 60 acres of land in Los Angeles". ESPN.com. 
32. ↑ "Report: Rams owner bought 60 acres of land in Calif.". KSDK. 30 January 2014. 
33. ↑ Brinson, Will (January 4, 2016). "Chargers, Raiders and Rams file for relocation to Los Angeles". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 5, 2016. 
34. ↑ "St. Louis Rams relocate to Los Angeles". ESPN.com. 
35. ↑ Robin Respaut (3 February 2016). "With NFL Rams gone, St. Louis still stuck with stadium debt". Reuters. 
36. ↑ "In Losing the Rams, St. Louis Wins". The New York Times. 16 January 2016. 

External links

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