The Harsh Reality of the Edward Jones Dome

Official Review by Brian McDowell, Stadium Journey Correspondent

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The St. Louis Rams, who have been varying degrees of terrible the last few years, play their home games at the Edward Jones Dome, a huge, charmless structure that crouches on the northeast corner of downtown. Fans enter this venue through a pleasant, airy lobby, but the actual stadium area is entered by navigating a labyrinth of large, nightmarish hallways that look like the crowded terminals of the average Midwestern airport. These hallways are where most of the stadium’s concession stands are located. Finally, there is the dome itself, whose metallic gray roof and noise level make the building resemble a large airplane hangar, which is appropriate for a place originally called the TWA Dome. More morbid minds would surmise that the place bears a vague resemblance to a tomb, which, considering how bad this team has been lately and its ownerships’ constant threats to pack up the team and move it to a more profitable area with a nicer stadium, might be another apt analogy.

The Edward Jones Dome was constructed in the early 90s, and the shifting and turbulent economic conditions of the NFL have led to this being one of the oldest venues in the sport. Unfortunately, this venue’s advanced age has not added to its charms. It is lacking in character, convenience and architectural flourish.

Still, there is fun that can be had while viewing a game here. Generally, every one of this stadium’s seats that I’ve ever plopped down in has provided me with a good view of the field. Games here feature plenty of pyrotechnics, cheerleaders and entertainment to distract the casual fan from the generally horrible level of play that the home team displays on the field. The noise level in this stadium is very impressive, during the few occasions that the Rams actually give their shrinking fan base anything to cheer about.

So, if you ignore the inflated ticket prices or the incompetence of the Rams, the Edwards Jones Dome is a decent place to see a football game, but the venue itself is nothing special.

Food & Beverage   2/5

If you have a bunch of money to burn or a swanky corporate job that gives you access to a luxury suite, there is a buffet and a “brew house” that can be accessed. Both places feature full bars, buffets, and large windows to watch the action through. However, those of us that aren’t in that group are stuck waiting in line to purchase stadium five dollar hot dogs and eight dollar small cups of beer. There are plenty of concession stands in the hallway, and, as far as I could tell, they all offered pretty much the same predictable fare.

Atmosphere   2/5

As previously mentioned, the inside of the Edward Jones Dome lacks any charm or aesthetic appeal. The structure’s main claim to any fame or history is that, for a couple of years, it was home to the “Greatest Show on Turf”, a team that, 10 years ago, attracted a very loud following in the city, and used a bombastic offensive attack to win a Super Bowl and almost win another one. Those days are long gone, most of the members of that legendary squad have either retired or gone on to lead other teams to glory, and the only reminders of it to be found at the dome are in the championship banners hanging from the building’s rafters, and on the jerseys that fans wear to the games, because, of course, no fan would want to shell out money for a shirt bearing the name of any the team’s modern terrible players.

Neighborhood   4/5

The best thing about the dome, its one lone redeeming quality, is that it is located in the heart of the city’s downtown bar scene. It is right in between the strip of trendy bars that line Washington Avenue and the blocks of bars and casinos that inhabit the cobblestone streets of Laclede’s Landing. Plenty of pre-game and post-game entertainment can be procured at any establishment in these two locations. Plus, even though this city’s residents have lost enthusiasm for their local team, the Rams games do attract a decent tailgating scene. Party tents and tailgating locations can be found in parking lots all around the dome, and much drinking and grilling does get done. One of the biggest locations for this is on Broadway, in between the dome and Laclede’s Landing. Also, before or after the game, whether you’re drunk or sober, City Garden, the Arch, and the City Museum are all within a mile of to the Edward Jones Dome. All three are well worth any fan’s time.

Fans   2/5

What fans? St. Louis has always been more of a baseball town than a football town anyway, but the recent lack of success for the Rams has pretty much knocked off most of those that jumped aboard the “Greatest Show on Turf” bandwagon. If you do encounter one of the endangered breed of sports fans that still roots for the Rams, chances are that, like most St. Louisans, they’ll be friendly and accommodating. Anyone traveling to the game to watch their team take on the Rams, if they root for a team that is at all good or popular, should find that they have plenty of company. In my most recent visit, far more fans were rooting for Brett Favre and the visiting Vikings than for the home team.

Access   3/5

Like the central business district of any American big city, parking in downtown St. Louis is usually not cheap. Also, predictably, parking lot operators tend to inflate their prices during the eight home Rams games that the city hosts every year. Plenty of pay lots can be found, however, free parking is also available, especially if a fan is willing to park a few blocks away from the stadium and walk a little bit. St. Louis does not enforce their parking meters on Sundays, so grabbing a metered parking space is free. Of course, some common sense must be used. Always read the signs around where you parked and make sure that the space is a legal one, because St. Louis police are not shy about issuing parking tickets. Another cheap option is the city’s Metro Link subway system. The Convention Center station is a quick walk from the dome. Riding the train to downtown is almost always easier than finding a parking space, and is relatively simple to use. The bathrooms and facilities at the Edward Jones dome may be annoying to get to, but they are pretty standard and plentiful.

Return on Investment   2/5

NFL tickets are very expensive, and there is no guarantee that anything a fan would see on the field or in the building itself at the Edward Jones Dome would be worth what you’d pay to experience it. A big football fan, who is attending a game to see a team that’s not the Rams play, can have some fun at this venue. That doesn’t mean that paying a bunch of money on tickets and concessions to sit in the Edward Jones Dome and watch the Rams get blown out can be considered a worthy investment.

Extras   1/5

If you don’t want to see a terrible team in an uninspiring venue, the Edward Jones Dome might not be for you.

Final Thoughts

Perhaps, if the team improves, the Dome will be more worthy of a visit, but as things stand now, if I were looking for a place to view live sports, I’d spend my dollar elsewhere.

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