St. Louis Arena facts for kids
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| Former names | Checkerdome (1977–1983) |
|---|---|
| Address | 5700 Oakland Avenue |
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Coordinates | 38°37′45″N 90°16′58″W / 38.62917°N 90.28278°W |
| Owner | City of St. Louis |
| Operator | City of St. Louis |
| Capacity | Ice hockey: 14,200 (1929–1968) 14,500 (1968–1969) 15,500 (1969–1970) 17,776 (1970–1971) 17,821 (1971–1972) 18,005 (1972–1974) 18,008 (1974–1975) 18,006 (1975–1978) 17,968 (1978–1985) 17,640 (1985–1988) 17,188 (1988–1994) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1927 |
| Opened | September 23, 1929 |
| Closed | May 23, 1994 |
| Demolished | February 27, 1999 |
| Construction cost | US$1.5 million |
| Architect | Gustel R. Kiewitt and Herman M. Sohrmann |
| General contractor | Boaz-Kiel Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| St. Louis Flyers (AHA/AHL) (1929–1953) St. Louis Eagles (NHL) (1934–1935) Chicago Black Hawks (NHL) (occasional use; 1951–1959) Toledo-St. Louis Mercurys (IHL) (1959–1960) St. Louis Braves (CHL) (1963–1967) St. Louis Blues (NHL) (1967–1994) St. Louis Hawks (NBA) (occasional use; 1955–1968) St. Louis Bombers (NBA) (1946–1950) St. Louis Stars (NASL) (1971, 1974) Spirits of St. Louis (ABA) (1974–1976) St. Louis Steamers (MISL) (1979–1988) St. Louis Storm (MISL) (1989–1992) St. Louis Ambush (NPSL) (1992–1994) St. Louis Vipers (RHI) (1993–1994) Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball (NCAA) (1968–1973 and 1991–1994) Saint Louis Billikens men's ice hockey (1970–1979) |
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The St. Louis Arena was a famous indoor stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. It was also known as the Checkerdome for a few years. When it opened in 1929, it was one of the biggest indoor places for entertainment in the whole country.
Many different sports teams called the Arena home. This included the St. Louis Blues ice hockey team. It also hosted many other exciting events. These events included concerts, horse shows, circuses, and even big basketball tournaments. The Arena was located across the highway from Forest Park.
The St. Louis Arena was a very important place for sports and entertainment for many years. It was finally torn down in 1999.
Contents
History of the St. Louis Arena
After the big 1904 World's Fair, St. Louis stopped hosting large annual shows. The city wanted a new place for events like boxing matches.
In 1928, a group called the National Dairy Show wanted St. Louis to be their permanent meeting spot. Business people raised money to build a new $2 million building. They hired Gustel R. Kiewitt as the architect.
Building the Arena
Kiewitt designed a special roof that didn't need many support poles inside. This meant everyone had a clear view! The roof looked like fish scales. It was made of strong wooden ribs.
The huge building was finished in 1929. It was over 476 feet long and 276 feet wide. Only Madison Square Garden was bigger at the time. You could have fit a 13-story building inside it!
Changes Over Time
The Arena wasn't always kept in great shape. In 1959, a tornado damaged its roof. After repairs, it reopened and became home to the St. Louis Braves hockey team. During these repairs, fences that separated people were removed.
The Arena hosted many important sports events. In 1971, it held the first professional indoor soccer tournament in the U.S. In 1973, the UCLA Bruins won the NCAA Basketball Final there. Their star player, Bill Walton, scored 44 points!
In 1974, the St. Louis Stars soccer team played against the famous Red Army team from Russia. In 1978, the Kentucky Wildcats won the NCAA Basketball Final at the Arena.
From 1980 to 1993, the Arena also hosted the "Braggin' Rights" basketball game. This was a big rivalry game between the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois.
The Spirits of St. Louis Basketball Team
After the St. Louis Hawks basketball team left in 1968, a new team came to town. They were called the Spirits of St. Louis. They played at the Arena for two seasons, from 1974 to 1976.
Famous sportscaster Bob Costas was their announcer back then. Young players like Moses Malone played for the Spirits. The team was not included when the ABA league joined the NBA. However, the team's owners made a very smart deal. They received money from TV rights for many years, which earned them a lot!
The St. Louis Blues Hockey Era
When the St. Louis Blues hockey team started playing at the Arena in 1967, it needed a lot of work. The Blues' owner bought the Arena and spent millions to fix it up. He added about 3,000 seats, bringing the total to almost 15,000.
The Arena was always being improved. By the time the Blues left in 1994, it could hold almost 20,000 people. Many fans loved the Arena because it had great views of the ice. It was also known for being one of the loudest arenas in the league!
The Blues played their first game there on October 11, 1967. It was a tie game against the Minnesota North Stars.
In 1977, a company called Ralston Purina bought the Arena and the Blues. They renamed the building the Checkerdome after their company logo. But by 1983, they sold the team. A new owner bought the team and changed the Arena's name back to St. Louis Arena.
The Blues played their last game at the Arena on April 24, 1994. They lost to the Dallas Stars. After the Blues moved to their new home, the last event at the St. Louis Arena was a concert by Christian artist Carman.
Closure and Demolition
After the Blues moved to a new stadium, the St. Louis Arena sat empty. A deal was made that prevented the Arena from hosting events. This meant it couldn't make money.
Because it cost money to keep the empty building, the city decided to tear it down. The Arena remained empty for almost five years. It was finally demolished in 1999.
The Arena Site Today
Today, a new area called The Highlands stands where the St. Louis Arena used to be. It's named after an old amusement park that was once nearby.
The Highlands now has:
- Four apartment buildings.
- A Hampton Inn hotel, restaurants, and a coffee shop.
- An office building that houses several radio stations.
- A grassy plaza where the Arena once stood.
- A medical office building.
Sports Teams That Played at the Arena
Many different sports teams called the St. Louis Arena home over the years:
- St. Louis Flyers (hockey)
- St. Louis Eagles (hockey)
- Chicago Black Hawks (hockey, sometimes)
- St. Louis Braves (hockey)
- St. Louis Blues (hockey)
- St. Louis Hawks (basketball, sometimes)
- St. Louis Stars (soccer)
- Spirits of St. Louis (basketball)
- St. Louis Steamers (indoor soccer)
- St. Louis Storm (indoor soccer)
- St. Louis Ambush (indoor soccer)
- Saint Louis University basketball team
- Saint Louis University hockey team
- St. Louis Vipers (roller hockey)
Concerts at the Arena
The St. Louis Arena was a popular place for concerts. Many famous bands and artists performed there:
- Led Zeppelin played two sold-out shows in 1975 and 1977.
- The Bee Gees performed there in 1979.
- KISS and John Cougar played in 1979.
- Fleetwood Mac had two sold-out shows in 1979.
- The Police performed in 1983 as part of their Synchronicity Tour.
- Prince played at the Checkerdome in 1982.
- Journey performed in 1986.
- Pink Floyd played two shows in 1987.
- Michael Jackson performed a sold-out show in 1988 during his Bad World Tour.
- Van Halen played two shows in 1988.
- ZZ Top performed two shows in 1990.
- Bruce Springsteen played several times between 1981 and 1992.
- Metallica performed in 1991.
- Neil Diamond played many concerts at the Arena between 1977 and 1993.
- MC Hammer performed in 1990 and 1993.
See also
In Spanish: St. Louis Arena para niños
