I did an impromptu NFL stadium tour on my road trip home

[rhinobean]

The Ed beats old Busch stadium for sure! Hope they put the n new stadium near Rams Park or in Fenton and it's a retractible! Downtown sucks!

 

[PolarBear]

The Ed beats old Busch stadium for sure! Hope they put the n new stadium near Rams Park or in Fenton and it's a retractible! Downtown sucks!

I like retractable roofs too. I prefer it being Downtown though.

 

[rhinobean]

I like retractable roofs too. I prefer it being Downtown though.

The only thing about downtown is the number of places to eat and drink! If they build it, those will come!

 

[PolarBear]

The only thing about downtown is the number of places to eat and drink! If they build it, those will come!

I don't know about that. There is only 8 games per season. You don't build restaurants that people will only go to 8 times a year.

 

[OldRock]

Have you ever been to the Georgia Dome? Given that its part of the convention center there, both are very similar in design. But yet, no one really ever rails on that stadium and it has even hosted a Super Bowl, (as we all know). In fact, I had the pleasure of walking into the dome (convention center) 2 weeks after the Rams won the SB, as part of a sporting goods convention. Standing in the very spot where Bruce scored the winning TD.

I feel you coach. I've been to many conventions there, from car shows ( saw Daisy Duke at one, she looked great) to sporting goods. It's strange going from looking at cars and duck decoys to watching a pro football game in the same building. Just my take on the Dome.

 

[rhinobean]

I don't know about that. There is only 8 games per season. You don't build restaurants that people will only go to 8 times a year.

I'd have to believe it would be used for other things beside football. Concerts and the like. Sta would find things to use it for!

 

[CoachO]

I don't know about that. There is only 8 games per season. You don't build restaurants that people will only go to 8 times a year.

10 NFL games (you forgot the Preseason), and most likely numerous college and/or HS games, which the current dome now is utilized for. If they would choose a site in the county, I fully anticipate something along the lines of Ballpark Village on a football scale to be developed in time. All that would do is enhance the value of the property, something Kronke knows a thing or two about.

 

[OldRock]

The only thing about downtown is the number of places to eat and drink! If they build it, those will come!

I could tell you some stories about where to drink dowtown, but I'm not sure if the statute of limitations has expired yet. And does anyone remember Jimmies, across the corner of the Gateway hotel. Saw some Cards football players in there before. Also saw a fellow worker fall face first into a plate of egg breakfast. It was always interesting there.

 

[rhinobean]

I could tell you some stories about where to drink dowtown, but I'm not sure if the statute of limitations has expired yet. And does anyone remember Jimmies, across the corner of the Gateway hotel. Saw some Cards football players in there before. Also saw a fellow worker fall face first into a plate of egg breakfast. It was always interesting there.

Had a few slingers in the past and lived to regret it. Lived here all my life and still not a fan of the downtown area the way it is now!

 

[OldRock]

Had a few slingers in the past and lived to regret it. Lived here all my life and still not a fan of the downtown area the way it is now!

Slingers! The greatest breakfast ever! It separated the men from the boys.

 

[OldRock]

Eggs, hashbrowns, cheese, hamburger pattie, all covered in a chili that looked like baby shit. Damn, that was good!

 

[OldRock]

Sorry, might have mixed up the O. T. Hodges breakfast with the WhiteCastles. Had them more than once for breakfast too. I lived. That's all I'm going to say about that.

 

[Angry Ram]

The biggest difference in Lucas Oil and the EJD, is the size of the concourses. The seating capacity is virtually the same. Obviously, they have the retractable roof, which is almost ALWAYS closed on gameday. I have heard Demoff say on more than one occasion, that this is the model they would copy if they choose to go the route of retractable stadium.

I have been attending games at the dome here in STL since 1995, and I have NEVER felt unsafe. Obviously, I have the routine down, in terms of where i park, which entrance to use, etc. So the gameday experience for me has never been an issue. For those who continue to clamor how much of a dump it its, I respectfully disagree. It's much better right now, then it was when it opened. With an improved sound system in the works for this season, and hopefully upgraded wifi coming soon, (all things Demoff is very well aware of), there are worse places to watch a football game. Try going to Georgia Dome, or worse yet, the Super Dome. Even with all the renovations after Katrina, that place is the definition of a dump. And you want to talk about not being safe around the stadium.

I know its popular to denigrate the current stadium, but at the end of the day, its where the RAMS play. What I find so interesting, is NO ONE complained about the stadium when they were winning games in that building. When they win, and the place is filled, there aren't many places that get louder, and create a better home field advantage. That has more to do with the product ON the field, than the the building the field is in.

The biggest reason the Rams want to get a new building, is purely from an operational standpoint. While at the OTA Monday, Mike O'Keefe, the VP of Sales spoke with us regarding a few of the things on peoples minds. The biggest thing he said, IMO, is the St. Louis Rams is the ONLY one of Stan Kroenke's businesses that he is a "tenant" rather than a "landlord". He is the largest commercial land owner in the country, and every single entity he owns, he is the landlord.

They have one of, if not the most attractive lease in the NFL, in that they pay $25000 per game per season. The drawback, is they don't control the things on the inside of the stadium, such as the person taking tickets, or the concessionaire who messes up your order. These are the things they WANT to have control over, and the REAL reason they need a new stadium. That an obviously, the added value, and revenue that comes along with being the landlord.

This was 1st impression. I've never, ever seen the dome in person until yesterday. A random day in June, it looked run down from the outside. Especially going from stadiums like MetLife and Heinz to the Ed. I'm especially jealous of Heinz. For all the crazy designs Jerry's World, Glendale, etc get...nothing can be as overall beautiful as Steel town's sports complex. Perfect blend of urban and natural.

The Ed from the inside, I can't comment on. But I will after this season. Damnit I need to make a gameday trip up there.

 

[RamzFanz]

New dome. Retractable roof. St Charles county.

St. Louis downtown, for all I want it to be a great place, is second only to Detroit in crime.

In the end though, I won't go because a new stadium means more greed with higher prices and smaller seats.

I could only hope the Rams change the trend and improve the game experience instead so suffocating it.

 

[Oldgeek]

Hard to compare a stadium to a convention center. Imagine if they had tried to combine Busch and a convention center? Too bad there isn't major college football in St Louis, so you could have an outdoor stadium for that and the Rams.

 

[rhinobean]

Sorry, might have mixed up the O. T. Hodges breakfast with the WhiteCastles. Had them more than once for breakfast too. I lived. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Had the OT Hodges ones in mind!

 

[CoachO]

New dome. Retractable roof. St Charles county.

St. Louis downtown, for all I want it to be a great place, is second only to Detroit in crime.

In the end though, I won't go because a new stadium means more greed with higher prices and smaller seats.

I could only hope the Rams change the trend and improve the game experience instead so suffocating it.

If you aren't gonna go regardless, why does what they do matter to you either way? In every comment they have made, publicly and privately, all the Rams talk about is enhancing the "game day experience" for the fans. Be it upgrading the current dome, or looking towards a new stadium, the only common theme is making the experience better for the people WHO ATTEND THE GAMES.

Why do you just assume that it will be all about "greed and smaller seats"?

 

[rdlkgliders]

10 NFL games (you forgot the Preseason), and most likely numerous college and/or HS games, which the current dome now is utilized for. If they would choose a site in the county, I fully anticipate something along the lines of Ballpark Village on a football scale to be developed in time. All that would do is enhance the value of the property, something Kronke knows a thing or two about.

Agreed.
Yes there is far more to creating a revenue stream at a stadium than the sporting events. The Forum here in L.A has managed to stay open and even get a very expensive facelift recently. The Lakers and Kings have been gone for years and there are no sports teams playing there.

 

[LesBaker]

The biggest reason the Rams want to get a new building, is purely from an operational standpoint. While at the OTA Monday, Mike O'Keefe, the VP of Sales spoke with us regarding a few of the things on peoples minds. The biggest thing he said, IMO, is the St. Louis Rams is the ONLY one of Stan Kroenke's businesses that he is a "tenant" rather than a "landlord". He is the largest commercial land owner in the country, and every single entity he owns, he is the landlord.

Dude I have been telling people that since SK bought out the remaining shares. This is the main reason why he ISN'T going to LA.

But not everyone listens.

 

[markstewart67]

OK if you didn't know, I was gone for 2 weeks on a road trip up to the northeast. I was in PA, NJ, and NY (for a day).

On the way back, we were gonna go through Pittsburgh, Indy, and of course St. Louis so I decided to stop and stare at each stadium, starting with MetLife in New Jersey. Keep in mind, I didn't go in the stadiums, just outside. I rarely get a chance to go even to NFL cities, let alone their stadiums so I just took this opportunity. Plus, we had time to kill.

Metlife Stadium: Holy crap, this place is huge. This stadium is just before NYC (you can see the skyline from the parking lot). It's next to the Izod Center and Giants Training Facility. The stadium itself looks like a spaceship...just layers of metal and steel. Very high tech looking. Not much else to say.

Heinz Field: Sitting right on the banks of the Ohio River, the home of the Steelers was a lot more aesthetically pleasing than I anticipated. The way it's designed it there's a park right b/w the stadium and the river, where you can jog/bike/walk/have a picnic on a lawn, etc. Lots of greenery and shrubbery. Plus it overlooks downtown Pittsburgh. It's a very beautiful sports complex, as PNC Park (Pirates baseball) is walking distance from Heinz. In fact, there was a Pirates game going on when I went.

Lucas Oil: If MetLife was huge, Lucas Oil is gigantic. The stadium is easily accessible from I-70. Literally, you just exit and the stadium is right in front of you. Lucas Oil is in the middle of an industrial area, so not that much greenery, just surrounding the stadium proximity, just some trees . This was the only stadium that had an attached Pro Shop that was open year-round. I even went in it (wearing my James Laurinaitis shirt..ha). Lots of selection of gear.

And last but not least....

Edward Jones Dome: Man, compared to those other 3 the Dome is a dump. It looked run down and sweating. The good news is like Lucas Oil, it was easily accessible from I-70 and all the major interstates (70, 64, 44, 55) are right there as well. No greenery, except for a little mini park across the ticket office. The key thing I need to say here is I didn't feel safe when out of my car. There were shady people all over. Now, on game days I'm sure it's not like that. But if I were to leave the confines of the Ed on Sunday...IDK. Pro Shop is only open 8 times a year on game days. That was also disappointing (thus, I went to 3 different malls to find Rams gear and found a Tavon Austin jersey half off...score!). Anywho...my overall impression of the Ed was not very good. But I do still have plans to attend a game this season.

If the Rams do get a new stadium, they need to do something like the Colts have. A huge stadium near an industrial park, with the Mississippi running near it. Make it a complex...have a lawn with lots of greenery on one side. Plus a year round Pro Shop (maybe shorter hours during the summer, but currently as is on game days only is just too disappointing).

The could also take a book from the Steelers, and have it in a location where you can see downtown STL from across the Mississippi. Although I wouldn't know WHERE that could actually be, just throwing that out as an idea.

So that concludes my stadium tour of the northeast. Oh and I'm back.

That was a nice little read. Glad you had a safe trip. Thanks for the pics too!!
GO RAMS!!!