HOK - Press Release
The Dome at America's Center (now Edward Jones Dome) was designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK), Inc., St. Louis, with the HOK Sports Facilities Group HOK Sport, Kansas City, which has provided design or consulting services for 28 of the 30 NFL teams. HOK Sport most recently completed the design of the new stadium for Florida's Jacksonville Jaguars and, in April, Coors Field in Denver. HOK, St. Louis, has designed numerous local landmarks including America's Center, Metropolitan Square, The Living World, St. Louis Planetarium and Lambert International Airport.
As one of the nation's most versatile spectator facilities, the new Edward Jones Dome was designed to function smoothly and efficiently as both a state-of-the-art stadium and as a standard-setting expansion of the America's Center convention complex. At the same time, the Dome serves to revitalize its surrounding neighborhood on the northeast side of downtown St. Louis, Missouri, through its cohesive definition of a new urban district. "This facility was designed to enhance St. Louis's ability to attract major events," notes HOK Sport Project Principal Dennis Wellner. "We focused on minimizing conversion times so that the building could be in use -- hosting exhibitions, concerts, shows and sporting events -- as much of the time as possible."
Intimate Seating
As a football stadium, the Edward Jones Dome features spectator seating for 67,000, with 125 private suites and club seating for 6,300. The stadium also has an enviably intimate seating configuration, providing every seat in the house with an "on top of the action" feel. As an extension of the America's Center, the facility adds 185,000 square feet to the center's exhibition space, along with 47,000 square feet of meeting rooms and support space.
'Magic' Turf
Two unique features have been added to the stadium to assure its complete flexibility. To speed the conversion time from football stadium to convention center, a 'Magic Carpet'? turf system has been used. With this system, forced-air jets in the floor create a 'cushion' that allows the turf to be rolled into place in about an hour. For storage, the turf retracts into a chamber beneath the event floor.
Adjustable Ceiling
To adjust the volume of the space for different events, the ceiling grid can be moved up and down. For football and other stadium events, the lighting grid will remain in its normal position under the roof. For conventions and exhibitions, the volume of the space will be reduced by lowering the lighting grid, which will create a lower ceiling plane and give the event floor a more intimate atmosphere.
Reviving Urban Life
In the design of the Dome's exterior facade, emphasis of architectural detail was placed on the structure's walls rather than on its massive dome. "The walls are where the city is and where the people are," states Steven Brubaker, HOK senior designer, who worked with Principal in Charge of Design and HOK Co-Chairman Gyo Obata. "We wanted the design to encourage urban life and activity in the Dome's surrounding district." The Edward Jones Dome facade is consistent in many of its details with the south expansion of America's Center which opened in May 1993. Architectural elements such as rotundas, turrets, ramps, pillars, portals and plazas extend along the entire convention complex in a manner Brubaker describes as "episodic" or "like pearls on a string." The details relate to the nearby Mississippi River and riverfront, the Eads Bridge and other historic structures, helping to ensure the future viability of nearby rehabilitated areas.
Reducing the Scale
"The greatest detail has been placed in those elements which people see and use the most such as entries and ramps," Brubaker explains. "Glass and openness, as well as signs, canopies and plazas, have been used to create welcoming areas for gathering and to add life to the street." Entry rotundas have been scaled to correlate with the Union Market and the Convention Center, reducing the scale of the Dome overall. "On the street, there is no sense of the dome element at all," the designer says.
Views to the city are everchanging from the ramp levels which provide close-up, seemingly touchable perspectives of the surrounding historic structures. On the east facade, the design impression of city towers defines the edge of the city while the nearby Eads Bridge piers are reflected in the Dome's stair towers of large-scale masonry buttressing steel spans. Further, a reference to St. Louis's signature Gateway Arch is suggested in the Dome's curving, cantilevered ramps and in the stadium's overall orientation pointing toward the Arch.
The Edward Jones Dome opened November 12, 1995, for the St. Louis Rams' tenth game of the NFL season. Construction began in May 1993.
With 1,500 employees, HOK is the largest U.S.-based architectural firm and ranks third in the world. In addition to St. Louis and Kansas City, HOK offices are in 18 other worldwide locations including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mexico City, Berlin, London and Warsaw. HOK Sport project leaders are available for interviews as follows:
St. Louis (314) 421-2000
Gyo Obata, principal in charge of design
Steven Brubaker, senior designer
Dennis Laflen, project manager
Kansas City (816) 221-1576
Ron Labinski, senior vice president
Dennis Wellner, senior designer
Charles E. Coon, project architect
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From I-44
I-44 intersects with I-55/70 near Downtown. Exit merged Interstates at Downtown Exit Memorial Drive. Memorial Drive to Washington Avenue. For the Broadway Central Entrance to the Trans World Dome, turn left on Washington Avenue to 9th Street (one-way). Right on 9th Street (one-way) to Cole Street. Right on Cole Street to Broadway (one-way). Right on Broadway (one-way south) to Broadway Central Entrance (located in center of the block in between Entries C and B).
From I-55
See above directions after I-44 merge.
From I-270
I-270 does not extend into Downtown St. Louis. It does intersect with I-55, I-70, I-44 and Highway 40 at various points.
From Illinois (I-55/70) via Poplar St. Bridge
Exit bridge via the Memorial Drive Exit (one-way north). Memorial Drive to Washington Avenue. For the Broadway Central Entrance of the Trans World Dome, turn left on Washington Avenue to 9th Street (one-way). Right on 9th Street (one-way) to Cole Street. Right on Cole Street to Broadway (one-way). Right on Broadway (one-way south) to Broadway Central Entrance (located in center of the block in between Entries C and B).
From I-64 (Highway 40)
Highway 40 to the Last Missouri Exit (Broadway). At end of ramp make left on Cerre Street (one-way east). Cerre Street to 4th Street. Left on 4th Street to Washington Avenue. For the Broadway Central Entrance to the Trans World Dome, turn left on Washington Avenue to 9th Street (one-way). Right on 9th Street (one-way) to Cole Street. Right on Cole Street to Broadway (one-way). Right on Broadway (one-way south) to Broadway Central Entrance (located in center of the block between Entries C and B).
From Lambert St. Louis International Airport
Approximately 18 miles south of the airport. Take I-70 East to Broadway Exit. Broadway (one-way south) to Washington Avenue. Broadway Central entrance to the Trans World Dome will be located in the center of the block in between Entries C and B.
THE ULTIMATE SPORTS ROAD TRIP
By: Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell
| Edward Jones Dome Ranking by USRT |
| Architecture |  | 7 |
| Concessions | | 5 |
| Scoreboard | | 5 |
| Ushers | | 8 |
| Fan Support | | 7 |
| Location | | 7 |
| Banners/History | | 8 |
| Entertainment | | 4 |
| Concourses/Fan Comfort | | 7 |
| Bonus: Tailgate Scene | | 1 |
| Bonus: Atrium Lobbies | | 1 |
| Bonus: Ring of Honor | | 2 |
| Total Score |  | 62 |
October 1, 2000 & October 30, 2005 - The TWA Dome was built by taxpayers desperate to get an NFL team back.. and build it they did! This facility is glitzy, modern, and has more of the feel of a hockey arena than a football stadium. Opened in 1995, this facility is a centerpiece of the "America's Center" convention center complex which dominates the north end of downtown St. Louis. Bright, airy, and imposing, the stadium is used by the St. Louis Rams as the principal tenant and also function as a multi purpose use event and convention facility.
Getting to the venue
The stadium can be easily seen when traveling along I-70, but St. Louis is bisected by a number of interstates, including I-55, I-64 and I-44 all converging on downtown St. Louis. signage will direct you right to the Dome. Public transportation via the St. Louis Metrolink light rail brings fans right to the convention center complex. There is ample surface and garage ramp parking within a 10 minute walk of the stadium, with fees running $10-$20.
Outside the Venue
The stadium is physically attached to the massive America's Center, and is surrounded to the south and west by office buildings and hotels. Being on the fringes of downtown, brownfields and industrial areas lie to the north. The coolest area a couple blocks from the Dome is a historic district called "Lacledes Landing", a collection of historic buildings housing restaurants, shops, nightclubs, and the streets are packed with people, horse drawn carriages, street entertainers and hot dog vendors. On game days, the plaza to the east of building and hotel lots kitty corner are set up with music platforms and street vendors are everywhere making for a festive pregame atmosphere.
Tailgating does go on here but is not a focal point of the outdoor events and activities.
The outside facade of the stadium is emblazoned not only with the building
name, but also backlit neon signs of corporate sponsors (Missouri Lottery, Budweiser etc). Andrew thought this looked cool but Peter saw it as too tacky and commercial.
Concourses
The concourses here are mega wide and the floor and walls are done in the teams blue and gold colors. Multicolored flags and concession canopies add to the nice decor, and on both upper and lower levels there is plenty of glass and natural light, so during the daytime the hallways and corridors are bright and airy looking. There are 4 entry points, one in each corner of the building, and each with its own specious atrium and glass escalators taking you to your level.
Premium Seats
Two levels of suites, 120 total, ring the seating bowl, one at the top of the lower level and the second at the top of the club level. Club seating is at the 200 level and runs th entire periphery of the bowl except for the location of the end zone scoreboards. The club areas are served by two premium restaurants - The Rams Club at the north end, offering an upscale buffet, and an appointed bar area with a video wall, and the south end is the Budweiser Brew House, with wings burgers and a sports bar motif.
The Bowl
The seating area here is massive and cavernous, and a bit dark compared to the bright concourses. Seats are all colored wine red, and the bowl has three levels of seating, with the lower level broken up by a center aisle which wraps around the entire seating bowl. Backlit ad panels and small dot matrix boards are interspersed among the club and upper level balconies, and end zone scoreboards and videoboards are bookended by more ad panels. The technology here is pretty far behind the times compared to some of the newer NFL venues.
Banners/Retired Numbers
Inside the bowl there is a ring of fame containing retired numbers and Rams hall of famers, and kudos to the organization for bringing their rich history with them from Los Angeles and displaying all the old LA greats. This in contrast to the Colts who pretend the franchise didn't exist prior to 1984. And yes, they proudly display their Super Bowl XXXIV championship banner high up in the rafters.
Concessions
Just a point here the food items are really pricey, even my sports standards (large beer $9.50 yikes!).The various stands feature all different kinds of hot dogs and bratwursts. like the "Big Dog" topped with chili. We recommend the cheese filled pizza sticks and the nachos grande with all the gooey toppings. And no, we could not locate any of the famed St. Louis toasted raviolis! All good stuff, but pretty expensive menu and little imagination in the food offerings.
Touchdowns, Extra Points, Penalties...
Extra Point - The Rams are sold out on season tickets, and have a lengthy waiting list - To build the stadium they sold Personal Seat Licenses.
Penalty - Ahh yes PSL's a concept which is common in some of these new sports venues but something we are loath to embrace. Yet another shakedown of the ticket buying public.
Touchdown - Outside the Dome is a wall of fame of all the PSL buyers who help pay to build the stadium... it is engraved and kind of reminds me of the Vietnam memorial is DC. When we were there there were quite a few people checking out the names, so it was quite an attraction..
And of course the corresponding penalty... The down side of course is someone always gets left out - the woman next to us was a PSL holder, attended every game the Rams ever played, attended every St Louis Cardinals football game before that team left, and her name was omitted and she was angry about that.
Summary
Overall we were so impressed with this building that it earns high marks as one of our favorite NFL venues - architecturally stunning, beautiful and functional building, downtown location and great fan support.
