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PostJul 15, 2023#401

^Sounds like an update to the "atmospheric theatre" idea, where the ceiling of your theatre is painted as a sky and lit in such a way that you can make the time of day or night or even the weather change. That or it's the world's largest planetarium dome. Or both at once.

Which is to say I like it, but it'd be hell to work with if you ever wanted to have a concert in there, as you'd have to rig around all that somehow. Make it removable panels? I like it, but I fear it.
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PostJul 17, 2023#402

^If they were able to construct a ceiling with some continuity that could all be done a bit more easily with projectors. That's how some of those Disney rides work. 
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PostJul 17, 2023#403

Fascinating idea if it's feasible. It could provide an entire new life to the Dome and, with the decrease in total domes out there, it'd make it a very unique facility. To do this, it'd need a public-private partnership, as I'm sure it'd be prohibitively expensive as a public-sector endeavor, especially with all the other costs of running our cash-strapped city. You'd also need a private sector entity, some form of consultant, to even see if such a concept is viable and for what an idea of costs would be. With so many questioning the future of the Dome, getting a private-sector partner in its operations would be a heck of a lifeline. 
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PostJul 17, 2023#404

^^The continuity is part of what I worry about. To oversimplify a bit, when you have a rock show or something like it you're generally tying wire ropes around the roof trusses to hang all your lights and speakers. Anytime there's a ceiling of any sort below the roof it complicates things. Typically a ceiling isn't designed to hold the sorts of weights involved, so you have to remove panels, work through light holes, or even cut holes in the ceiling to access the roof trusses. (Which is a job of work when the ceiling is steel panels, for instance. You'd think you could rig on steel panels, but you really can't unless an engineer is willing to sign off that they'll support the weights involved, which is frequently a matter of a ton or more per point, and there are liable to be dozens of points in a relatively small area.) Anyway . . . I think it's possible, but a solution that allows lifting out panels would make life easier. But if the aquarium people can make the ceiling at Union Station into a pretend fishtank with projectors anything is possible.
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PostJul 17, 2023#405

Uh, Taylor Swift has concerts in stadia with no ceiling at all. Like Arrowhead. Let the 1 or 2 concerts per year that use the dome figure it out — like pretending it is an open stadium.


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PostJul 18, 2023#406

^You ground rig a show like that. And tour with twenty trucks worth of nothing but structural materials. Adds the best part of a week to your load in and load out and probably a zero to the tour cost at a guess.

Again, I like the ceiling idea. I really do. It'll be expensive and complicated and I'm not sure it's practical, and it'll make shows more difficult, but . . . I really do like it. Honestly, I like it a lot better than a twenty story laser ball sitting on the lawn.
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PostJul 18, 2023#407

It's a cool sounding concept. The main issue is cost. If this idea was viable, then build out a light roof on the inside ceiling and put another series of LEDs along the top of the Dome. Whether or not it's economically feasible, it would definitely need the involvement of another investment partner...

First, they'd need to hire a consultant who can ballpark the amount of investment necessary to get this done, just to figure out if it's feasible. Then, the City (Explore STL and/or the RSA) would need to set up a public-private partnership with a REIT, as well as maybe Caesars Entertainment (they own the Horseshoe Casino / Lumiere). And to get this done, I'm not sure if the Dome could be used for anything until it's complete, say Battlehawks games or major conventions, so those are sunk costs. Still, talk about a hell of a way to attract conventions back to STL... 

@symphonicpoet Any idea how much something like this would cost? How long it'd take to redo the interior? What the ROI could be? Respectfully deferring to your industry understanding and expertise here. 
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PostJul 18, 2023#408

Prediction: In ten years, top teir stadiums will have light roofs.  :)

I am not sure it makes sense to double down on the dome.  Would have to seriously scrutinize whether the investment would pay off for an already nearly 30 year old facility.  Our next dome should have a light roof though (possibly the Enterprise center replacement, home to both NBA and NHL)  Would be really cool alternative to a jumbo tron.
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PostAug 05, 2023#409

13M building permit application submitted for INT & EXT ALTS - MLK LOBBY ADDITION PER PLANS

PostAug 23, 2023#410

^Issued
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PostAug 23, 2023#411

^I haven't been down by the convention center in ages... anyone happen to see any recent photos of the new construction?  
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PostAug 23, 2023#412

"Sneak peek at $240 million expansion at America’s Center"

https://www.kmov.com/2023/08/22/only-4- ... as-center/
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PostAug 23, 2023#413

^Hah, amazing timing, thanks!
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PostAug 23, 2023#414

Looks like for the time being they are no longer pursuing a second phase.  So, the expanded ballroom is out but most of the rest will be done sometime in 2024.

Updated Wash Ave entrance:


Outdoor park:


Exhibit hall and MLK Lobby:


Expanded and sheltered loading docks:


Food garden:




Previous:


https://explorestlouis.com/americas-center/ac-next-gen/
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PostAug 23, 2023#415

I'm wondering... Is the second phase (ballroom extension) being shelved for now just because of increased costs while the project was held up in the STL County Council, with inflation jacking up pricing over time to make it prohibitive? Or, is it now preferred to pool resources and tackle development on the recently-acquired old parking garage on the 7th Street side, to expand into that gap before building that planned "second phase" out? 
sc4mayor
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PostAug 23, 2023#416

^ I think it has everything to do with the delay by the County Council.  Had the bonds been issued on time there wouldn't have been an 8 month delay and the ballroom probably would have already been under construction.

At this point...they should draw up a plan for a new ballroom in a future project that reconfigures the southern half of the center and utilizes that surface parking lot.
sc4mayor
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PostAug 30, 2023#417

First look at the progress of the new convention center in downtown St. Louis
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/bus ... -top-story
But Hall said that despite those setbacks, the expansion is already drawing interest from groups his agency haven’t been able to reach before, though he declined to disclose which groups.

The loading docks, especially, will make events run more efficiently, he said. Truck drivers will be able to back up and turn around inside the convention center, eliminating the bottlenecks on Cole Street and making life easier for nearby residents.

A new lobby, facing Martin Luther King Drive, will allow easier access for multiple events. A community garden, which will supply events with fresh food, is planned for 10th Street. Greenspace will replace a surface lot at Ninth Street and Convention Plaza.

Although next year will be short on events, convention officials are optimistic business will bounce back in 2025. Already, they said, they’ve booked the same number of events as they have for 2024. And they said there’s a 57% increase in booked rooms for hotels contracted with the facility, Hall said.
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PostAug 30, 2023#418

I'm glad the surface parking is still being replaced with green space. Not that we need more green space, but it sure as hell beats surface parking.
sc4mayor
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PostAug 30, 2023#419

As someone who attends a fair amount of trade shows I think a nice landscaped area where attendees can get outside and catch some fresh air is actually a really good idea.
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PostAug 30, 2023#420

Gotta say the community garden idea seems dumb.  I love community gardens, but they should be part of communities.

The idea that they will source the produce for convention center events is even more ridiculous.  Who is planting these things and weeding.  Those vegetables belong to them.

If the convention center is doing plantings then its not a community garden.  And good luck planning around whenever your tomatoes decide to turn red.  It make far more sense for the convention center to source from professional growers.  Aim for local and organic if they see value there but self growing is a waste of their time.
sc4mayor
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PostAug 30, 2023#421

As pointed out in an earlier article, the center’s food service provider will be maintaining the garden. Not the CVC.
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PostAug 30, 2023#422

sc4mayor wrote: ↑
Aug 30, 2023
As pointed out in an earlier article, the center’s food service provider will be maintaining the garden.  Not the CVC.
well lets not call it a community garden then

Also probably not an efficient use of their time but that's up to them.  I love gardening and for people supplying their own table and giving to neighbors is great.  It hard for me to imagine a food service company making this a worthwhile component of their sourcing strategy.
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PostAug 31, 2023#423

Every reference I've seen appears to refer to it as a Food Garden. But I still agree that it seems like a gimmick. They can impress their attendees by highlighting how some of their food came from the event's very own, hyper local, farm-to-table, sustainable, equitable, (insert other trendy feel good term here) food garden, even if it only makes up 0.000000001% of the food they serve.

That being said, it does look like a LOT of raised garden beds. I look forward to seeing how well they can handle the upkeep. I'm hopeful, but not super optimistic.
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PostNov 12, 2023#424

Just some thoughts of the long term viability of the dome.  I still view it as a building that provides a home for events that would not happen in our region without it.  I would hate to see it deteriorate through neglect.  I also think that the dome is dark and bland and devoid of any personality and minor improvements won't change that.  I don't think the approach for improving the dome should be to entice a tenant (NFL, etc).  This gives the region the freedom to make the dome relevant and functional without the constraints of making the dome "top tier".   In my opinion, the bulk of the improvements should focus on a roof replacement and an exterior makeover.  The BC Place (built in 1983) renovation in Vancouver would be ideal for me.  The difference is drastic.  I've attached a before and after shot below.  With that said, I also understand that there is a balance between funding and revenue generated that makes a project like this unlikely.  

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PostNov 13, 2023#425

slcorley wrote: ↑
Nov 12, 2023
Just some thoughts of the long term viability of the dome.  I still view it as a building that provides a home for events that would not happen in our region without it.  I would hate to see it deteriorate through neglect.  I also think that the dome is dark and bland and devoid of any personality and minor improvements won't change that.  I don't think the approach for improving the dome should be to entice a tenant (NFL, etc).  This gives the region the freedom to make the dome relevant and functional without the constraints of making the dome "top tier".   In my opinion, the bulk of the improvements should focus on a roof replacement and an exterior makeover.  The BC Place (built in 1983) renovation in Vancouver would be ideal for me.  The difference is drastic.  I've attached a before and after shot below.  With that said, I also understand that there is a balance between funding and revenue generated that makes a project like this unlikely.  
I wouldn't replace it until there is an real NEED to replace it, but its a good model for when the time comes.  
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