ST. LOUIS 鈥 The Dome at America鈥檚 Center is a 鈥渦nique鈥 asset that will help downtown 50度灰视频 continue to attract conventions and events, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones says, providing a vote of confidence for a 26-year-old stadium some say may not be worth the cost of maintenance without an NFL team.
The mayor鈥檚 comments come as the board that owns The Dome at America鈥檚 Center is set to receive a windfall from the Rams relocation lawsuit settlement 鈥 a roughly $500 million check split between 50度灰视频, 50度灰视频 County and the 50度灰视频 Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority that owns the Dome.
Jones, in a Monday interview, said last week鈥檚 $790 million settlement with the NFL and Rams over the team鈥檚 2016 relocation to Los Angeles has not changed the city鈥檚 position on the convention center project. Prominent and politically connected businessman Bob Clark has suggested the convention center be redesigned and the attached Dome demolished.
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鈥淣o, that鈥檚 not a conversation I鈥檓 willing to have,鈥 Jones said when asked whether the Clayco founder and chairman鈥檚 recent campaign for a larger, redesigned convention center expansion might gain traction following the Rams settlement. 鈥淲e鈥檝e already started down the process for (construction) bids ... so that process should continue.鈥
Clark went public in September with his objections to the America鈥檚 Center Project 鈥 a project that has been moving through both city and county government for three years.
Now, depending on how $500 million after attorney fees is divided among 50度灰视频 County, the city and the entity that owns the Dome, the Dome鈥檚 owner will have a potentially huge new pool of resources to either improve the Rams鈥 old home 鈥 or demolish it.
Clark鈥檚 plan calls for demolishing the structure, which is attached to America鈥檚 Center, and reorienting the footprint of the convention center expansion. Jones, though, said keeping the Dome could help the region compete for events and conventions.
鈥淭he Dome that鈥檚 attached to our convention center puts us in a unique position,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e have a unique niche, and I expect our regional sports authority along with our Convention and Visitors Commission to leverage that niche and leverage it for our benefit for specific conventions that need that kind of space.鈥
The Dome authority receives $2 million annually from Missouri and $1 million each from the city and county for yearly maintenance and repair of the facility, but those payments are scheduled to stop in 2024. The
Jim Shrewsbury, chairman of the Dome authority, said the entity was still under a gag order from the court stemming from the lawsuit. Brian McMurtry, the Dome authority鈥檚 executive director, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Convention and Visitors Commission, known as Explore 50度灰视频, manages the Dome under a contract with the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority that runs through 2028. CVC Director Kitty Ratcliffe said the Dome and its connection to America鈥檚 Center offers the region a 鈥渃ompetitive advantage鈥 attracting conventions 鈥 particularly corporate, religious and direct sales groups that want stadium-seating.
鈥淚t has been an interesting asset for us to have since 1995,鈥 Ratcliffe said Tuesday. 鈥淭here were very few cities that had a configuration like ours with a convention center and a stadium attached. So it allowed us to punch above our weight if you will.鈥
Pre-pandemic, the Dome was used for 50 to 60 events per year, she said, helping draw an average of 400,000 to 500,000 attendees and booking 150,000 to 200,000 hotel room nights per year.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not local money that鈥檚 being spread around, that鈥檚 new money that鈥檚 being brought into our community,鈥 Ratcliffe said.
How the Dome authority chooses to spend its money rests with its board, Ratcliffe said. But her organization has worked closely with the Dome owners since the structure was built, and it has mentioned potential upgrades such as better connections between the Dome and America鈥檚 Center.
鈥淲e do have and have had over the years a variety of different analyses done on ways to make the Dome an even better asset than it already is,鈥 Ratcliffe said. 鈥淭here are some long term improvements that could be made and we鈥檇 be happy to discuss those with the (Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority) when the time is right.鈥
But first, Ratcliffe鈥檚 group needs to win support from the 50度灰视频 County Council.
County Council Chair Rita Heard Days, D-1st District, has held up final approval of the county鈥檚 half of $210 million in bonds to finance the expansion of America鈥檚 Center, stalling a project for which the city has already issued bonds and started demolition and design work.
Days wants some of the settlement money to pay for a recreation center in north 50度灰视频 County that officials at the CVC agreed to support more than two years ago. The initial funding source envisioned for the project, hotel-motel taxes, were hard hit by the pandemic and need several years to recover before they generate enough revenue to cover the cost of the rec center, according to county budget officials.
Days, whose majority-Black district would be the likely site for the rec center, wrote in a letter last month that a final vote on issuing county bonds would be delayed until she could secure a commitment on the proposed facility.
Days said Monday she had no reason to think the plan wouldn鈥檛 come to fruition.
鈥淭his was money that was not earmarked for anything, and I don鈥檛 know why it could not be used for that,鈥 she said.
The county could use a portion of its money for the project, as could the Dome authority, which is allowed under state law to construct and maintain recreation facilities.
Nassim Benchaabane and Ben Frederickson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.