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As
one of the nation's most versatile spectator facilities,
the new Trans World 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. "
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Intimate
Seating
As a football stadium, the Trans World 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.
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 ever-changing 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
Trans World Dome opened November 12, 1995, for the St.
Louis Rams' tenth game of the NFL season. Construction
began in May 1993.
The
Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward
Jones Dome at America's Center) is a multi purpose
stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St.
Louis Rams of the NFL. It 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, a private club seat and luxury suite
level, a concourse level (lower bowl) and terrace
level (upper bowl). The dome was completed in 1995.
The Edward Jones Dome itself was built for a speed
team. The playing surface, which for a long time was
AstroTurf, has been tinkered with recently but is
still one of the faster fields in the NFL. While
fans in the seats of the Edward Jones Dome are still
getting used to a new head coach and a new roster,
the Rams are still prime contenders in the NFC West.
That means it’s going to be another banner year for
Rams tickets and the Edward Jones Dome.
The Edward Jones Dome seating chart officially tops
out at 66,000. The JumboTrons are visible from every
seat in the house, a crucial element when you’re
ready to boo that blown call or agonize over a
replay. And the Edward Jones Dome is the only
stadium in the NFL to devote one entire floor to
it’s stadium club.
Some St Louis Rams history: The Cleveland Rams
were founded in 1936 as a member of the American
Football League (a different league from the AFL
that later merged with the NFL). A year later the
team joined the NFL. The Rams moved frequently,
playing in three different stadiums over several
losing seasons. In 1945 a remarkable turnaround
occurred as rookie quarterback Bob Waterfield led
the Rams to a 9-1 win-loss record and a 15-14
victory over the Washington Redskins in the NFL
Championship Game. Despite the Rams' successful
season, the franchise remained unprofitable.
Following the season the team moved to Los Angeles.
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