The news of the proposed arena at Saint Louis University is exciting for reasons outside of the sporting world. Sure, we”ll be able to cheer on our Billikens much closer to campus, but think of the implications for the entertainment in the area: Large-scale concerts, touring productions and indoor festivals could now be held in the heart of Midtown, adding an oversized jewel to an already dazzling crown.
In terms of live concerts, the biggest problem facing SLU is the lack of a real venue. Word is that the new Busch Memorial Center will have a club-like atmosphere, but at best it could only hold a few hundred students. The Student Activities Board is currently scrambling to find a location for the annual Spring Fever celebration; both the Trova Sculpture Park and the Astro-turf fiasco on Laclede Mall are, as of now, off-limits for outdoor concerts. SAB cannot properly do its job and our campus cannot prosper without a concert venue. A venue like the SLU arena would be the perfect place for large bands and festival-type events.
Think back to past campus concerts: In the fall of 2001, SLU hosted Nelly and the St. Lunatics in Simon Recreational Center, a building far from ideal for such a big act. Crowd size was limited due to the structural limitations of the building, and the massive sound system could not make up for the poor acoustics of the center. The proposed arena would be a perfect fit for such a show, and the 13,000 seats would allow the university to open more seats to the public, providing yet another valuable service to the city of St. Louis.
Beyond University events, this arena could bring national acts to our neighborhood. Recently, Savvis Center began their Concert Club series, in which the cavernous, acoustically challenged hall is transformed into a slightly more intimate venue with limited seating for a less arena-rock feeling. Both Missouri native Sheryl Crow and international superpower Coldplay, have performed at Savvis in this capacity, but our venue could serve as a more viable alternative.
If the arena is built in its proposed location (north of the Olive Garage, off Compton Avenue), it will add a vital venue to the Grand Center area. With the Fox Theatre and The Bistro at Grand Center, mostly theater buffs and jazzbos congregate in the area. If rock concerts and family events were held at the SLU arena, a wider population could enjoy the revitalization of Midtown.
Though this arena plan has many advantages, University officials will need to be careful with how they rent out the space. The worst possible scenario would be to partner with someone like Clear Channel Entertainment, the company that controls the booking of venues like the Pageant, the Savvis Center and the UMB Bank Pavilion. Clear Channel Communications, the parent company, has swallowed up numerous radio stations across the country, including several local stations. Touring bands skip our town because of Clear Channel”s control of the venues, and clubs like the now-defunct Firehouse (formerly located where Dante”s now stands, just north of the Olive Garage) suffered because of this. The company already has a tight grip on the St. Louis music scene, and to allow them any more access would be sacrificing our credibility and would eliminate SLU”s discretion in bringing talent to the area.
But as long as we steer clear of media conglomerates and corporate sponsorships (heck, we know it”ll probably be called the Lawrence J. Biondi, S.J., Arena anyway), SLU has a tremendous opportunity to host big-name acts and events and lend another hand in the revitalization of Midtown.
