Steel Doors Handle The Crowds In Trans World Dome At America's Center In St. Louis

ST. LOUIS--September 17, 1999

Heavy usage by crowds attending major sports events, concerts, trade shows and other events have proved the durability of hundreds of steel doors installed at the Trans World Dome at America's Center.

The 70,000-seat domed stadium is a part of the versatile, state-of-the-art convention center in St. Louis. The complex combines 502,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space with a variety of special meeting rooms, suites, a lecture hall and a ballroom to attract a wide variety of conventions, exhibits, concerts, sports and special events.

Moving the large volumes of people that attend events ranging from St. Louis RAMS football games to concerts and major trade shows requires a large number of doors. To meet the need, Steelcraft provided three semitrailer loads, totaling almost 1,000 hollow metal doors. Now, almost three years later, the doors continue to prove their mettle in a continuing schedule of major events that draw capacity crowds.

Stadium/Exhibit Hall is Latest Expansion

Part of a 1.6 million sq. ft. complex that covers four city blocks in downtown St. Louis, the 162,000 sq. ft. domed stadium/exhibit hall includes Club and Suite levels and service areas. It completes a major expansion and upgrading of the America's Center facility that began with an existing structure that was built in the 1970s and expanded in 1993. The complex now is operated by the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

Although the original completion date was set for May, 1996, there was pressure at the time to secure a NFL franchise and team, and the schedule tightened considerably. When the St. Louis RAMS became a reality, the target for finishing the job was moved up so the team could use the facility for the end of the Fall, 1995 season.

While the new football team provided much of the original drive for the project, the stadium accommodates many other functions as well. Assistant Director of Operations Todd Niemeyer says some of the other noteworthy events held there include concerts by groups such as the Rolling Stones and U2, basketball games, an all-day festival of country music stars, and many trade shows. Ten football games and three dirt shows annually help fill the Dome's schedule to about 125 actual event days, in addition to move-ins and move-outs, Niemeyer explains.

To accommodate the large outflow of people when a game or concert is over, there are banks of five pair of doors at each of the corners. These are eight-foot high steel fire doors from Steelcraft, equipped with Von Duprin exit devices and LCN closers. Other doors are used at stairwell exits and on equipment rooms, In all cases, Niemeyer reports that the doors have withstood the uses and abuses that crowds can inflict, and their strength and durability has helped maintain their function and appearance.

The doors were furnished through LaForce Hardware, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Architects and engineers for the project were Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc., St. Louis, and HOK Sports, Kansas City, Missouri. M.A. Mortenson Co., Minneapolis, was the construction manager.