History
Opened in September 1929, the St. Louis Arena stood on Oakland Avenue on the city's west side. For decades it hosted minor-league hockey, the NHL's short-lived Eagles, the BAA Bombers and countless shows.
Its major-league peak began in 1967 with the expansion Blues. From 1977 to 1983 the building carried the Checkerdome name.
The Blues moved downtown to the Kiel Center in 1994, and the old arena closed. It was brought down on February 27, 1999, and the land now holds The Highlands, an office, hotel and apartment district with a grass oval marking the arena's place.
Why it matters: St. Louis's main indoor arena for 65 years and the original home of the Blues.
Timeline
- September 23, 1929
The arena opened on Oakland Avenue.
- October 11, 1967Blues' first game[1]
The expansion Blues tied Minnesota 2-2 in their first game.
- 1977
The arena carried the Checkerdome name until 1983.
- 1994
The Blues moved to the new Kiel Center; because of the lockout they first played there in January 1995.
- April 24, 1994Final Blues game[1]
Dallas eliminated the Blues 2-1 in the last game played at the arena.
- February 27, 1999
The arena was brought down by controlled demolition.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Current use | The Highlands business and residential development, including an oval grass plaza at the arena's former location[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| St. Louis Flyers | AHA/AHL · 1929–1953 |
|---|---|
| St. Louis Eagles | NHL · 1934–1935 |
| St. Louis Bombers | BAA/NBA · 1946–1950 |
| St. Louis Blues | NHL · 1967–1994 |
| Spirits of St. Louis | ABA · 1974–1976 |
| St. Louis Steamers | MISL · 1979–1988 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Checkerdome (1977–1983); The Arena |
|---|---|
| Location | 5700 Oakland Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Hockey, Basketball, Soccer |
| Level | NHL, NBA, ABA, NCAA, Minor League |
| Opened | September 23, 1929[1,3] |
| Last used for sports | 1994[1,4] |
| Demolished | February 27, 1999[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 14,200[1] |
| Final capacity | 17,188[1] |
| Capacity notes | Hockey 14,200 (1929-1968), about 18,000 in the 1970s, 17,188 (1988-1994). |
| Architect | Gustel R. Kiewitt and Herman M. Sohrmann[1] |
| Construction cost | $1.5 million (infobox); text cites a projected $2 million[1] |
| Owner / operator | City of St. Louis[1] |
| Closure | The Blues moved to the new downtown Kiel Center (now Enterprise Center). |
Documented details
- KSDK's studios and newsroom are now in an office building on the former arena property.[1]
Connected venues
Sources
- St. Louis Arena (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, teams
- 20 years since the Arena came down, KSDK. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished
- First Alert Flashback: The Arena implosion in 1999, KMOV First Alert 4. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened
- From Municipal Auditorium to Enterprise Center, UrbanReviewSTL. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (3)
- Closure: Wikipedia infobox gives May 23, 1994, but the final Blues game was April 24, 1994 and the final event (a Carman concert) is undated. Recorded at year precision.
- Architect: infobox lists Kiewitt and Sohrmann; body text names only Kiewitt.
- Wikipedia does not describe the 1999 demolition as an implosion; KMOV calls it an implosion.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.