Photos by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Enterprise Center 1401 Clark Ave St Louis, MO 63103
Year Opened: 1994
Capacity: 19,022
St. Louis is No Longer Singing the Blues
The St. Louis Blues were born in 1967 and in 2019 they reached the pinnacle of the NHL by winning their first Stanley Cup championship. From 1967 to 1994 the Blues played at St. Louis Arena before moving to The Enterprise Center formerly Scottrade, Savvis and Kiel Center. The building is owned by the City of St. Louis.
The arena seems a bit older than some of the modern buildings but a recent renovation has kept the arena relatively up to date. The Enterprise Center also hosts concerts, WWE, Disney on Ice and the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in March.
The Blues feature a local band which entertains before and during each game on a stage built during the renovations. Blues fans are supportive and many sport jerseys. The team is lucky to be the only professional team in the city that plays during the late fall and winter months.
Food & Beverage 4
There is a wide array of food and beverage choices. The arena does an impressive job of highlighting local food including beer. Some of the choices include tacos, barbeque (Sugarfire), St. Louis style pizza and toasted ravioli. Pepsi products are the beverage of choice and there is St. Louis’ own AB (Anheuser Busch) Beer Garden and Brews of the Lou for non Budweiser choices. There is also a Shake Shack on the lower level, 3 Stripes Pizza and Hi-Pointe Drive-In (burgers and sandwiches).
Beer runs $13.99 for a 25 ounce can, Premium Draft beer is $11.49, 16 ounce bottle is $9.99 and $6.49 for soda (Pepsi products) while bottled water is $5.99. St. Louis style hot dog (provolone cheese, bacon, onions, mustard and banana peppers) is $13.99. A regular hot dog or a pretzel with cheese are both $9.99. Two tacos at Mission Taco are $9.49.
There are also full bars and grab and go areas for beer and soda purchases which reduces wait times.
Atmosphere 4
As you enter the arena running parallel to Clark Avenue at Gate 2, fans pass through Hall of Fame Plaza (installed in 2015), which features bronze statues of Blues icons Brett Hull, Al MacInnis and Bernie Federko.
Once inside the rafters are filled with many Division and Conference Championship banners including the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship banner. Banners also recognize the retired numbers of MacInnis, Hull and Federko, along with brothers Bob and Barclay Plager, Brian Sutter, Doug Wickenheiser, Bob Gassoff and announcer Dan Kelly.
Assisted Listening Devices are available from the Guest Experience Center located on the Plaza concourse across from Portal 19. Devices are handed out on a first come, first serve basis and are provided free of charge.
The scoreboard shows the players on the ice and often updates the total ice time for each skater. The leg room is average. The concourse is wide enough for fans to move around but bathroom lines cause gridlock in between periods.
Another Enterprise Center staple is superfan Ron Baechle. Since 1990 Baechle, also known as the "Towel Man" or "Towel Guy," is shown on the big screen from section 314 waving his towel and igniting the crowd after every Blues goal.
The new center scoreboard is a welcomed addition. The three-ton board features twelve screens and is almost twice as large as the old scoreboard. The LED ribbon board added to the first mezzanine level was the first complete 360-degree ribbon board display in the NHL and has a display area of 2,800 sq. ft. Several other lighting and sound upgrades were also made throughout the arena.
Enterprise Center sports an encompassing 4,100 square feet Team Store on the main level and stocks an extensive collection of Blues apparel, accessories and novelties. Store locations are also on the Mezzanine and PNC Premier levels.
The three-year renovation completed in 2022 included a Beer Garden on the first level complete with a stage for live performances. The Blues have a live band on stage performing before game and during intermissions as part of their Rhythm and Blues campaign. Club and Terrace Level seats were all updated and the Clark Avenue Club and The Ledge were added with new food and drink options. A Blues Fan Deck was added behind the goal that St. Louis defends twice.
Neighborhood 4
The arena is in Downtown West with many attractions close by including the Stifel Theater, CityPark home of St. Louis SC and Union Station. St. Louis City Hall and many of the municipal buildings are also in close proximity. Busch Stadium and its Ballpark Village entertainment complex are within walking distance or one stop away on the Light Rail.
The St. Louis Wheel is next to Union Station and serves as an excellent observation point. It is open year round and features 42 climate control gondolas than can carry up to eight passengers. The famous Gateway Arch is about one mile walk.
For lodging, Curio Collection (Hilton Hotel), Courtyard Marriott, Fairfield Inn and 21c Museum Hotel and Drury Inn are just a few of the many hotels nearby.
Fans 4
The Blues averaged 18,049 last year which is basically a sell out every night. The Blues are averaging 18,074 in 23-24 so the economy had not curtailed ticket sales. The crowd is enthusiastic, despite not a lot of artificial noise. Louie, a polar bear, is the St. Louis Blues mascot and on this visit was not often visible. The Cheerleaders are located in the Cheer Deck.
The organ is a pleasant sound and plays The Blues Come Marching In after each St. Louis goal and the crowd responds with a resounding “Let’s Go Blues!” chant. At the conclusion of the national anthem, the fans replace: Home of the Brave with Home of the Blues! The Blues do a nice job of mixing stadium anthems with songs played by the organ. Everything is played at a decent decibel level.
The arena’s most recent tradition is the playing of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Roads” in the third period and the crowd responds enthusiastically. The song was first played during the 2019 Stanley Cup run.
Access 4
The Enterprise Center is easily accessed either by expressway or by public transit.
There are plenty of parking lots nearby and prices range from $15-$25. There is also a light rail system (called MetroLink) that stops conveniently at Civic Center. It costs $2.50 per ride and $5 for a one day pass. Amtrak stops at nearby Union Station.
There are four gates at Enterprise. The main gate is 2 and all gates open 1.5 hours before the event starts and 15 minutes earlier for season ticket holders. The area is walkable and there are a number of restaurants and hotels in the vicinity.
The bag policy is clutches no larger than 4” x 6” x 1.5” are permitted after visual inspection and will not be subject to x-ray screening.
Return on Investment 3
Ticket prices are about average for an NHL game. Upper bowl seats for a weeknight can be had for around $52 but those seats increase to around $90 for weekend games. The lower bowl is about $90 for a weeknight in the corners and elevates to $150 and up for weekend dates.
The fan cost metric in 2022 ranked the Blues near the middle of the league at $421.54 (20 out of 32) which includes four non-premium tickets, two beers, two sodas, four hot dogs and two souvenir hats.
Extras 3
The team was named after the W.C. Handy song “St. Louis Blues” from 1914 and the song is played by organist Jeremy Boyer before every game.
The arena hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
In April 2025, the arena will host the College Hockey Championships better known as the Frozen Four.
Final Thoughts
The Enterprise Center is a solid venue to take in an NHL hockey game. The arena features good food and drink choices and favorable sight lines. The fans are warm, inviting and enthusiastic about their team which is now a St. Louis tradition for over 55 years.
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