Arena Roller Skating Rink (West or "B" building), 5700 Oakland Ave., St Louis, MO
• Operator: Arena Sports Club (Ben G. Brinkman, Pres.)[1] (1929), Arena Corporation (C.D.P. Hamilton Jr.)[2] (1938)
• Manager: George W. Philips[3] (1938), E. I. Schaffer[4] (1939), Meredith (Red) Shattuck[5] (1943), Harry Lewis[6] (1943), Angus Cramer[7] (1949), Al Shock[8] (1949)
• Pro/Coach: Roy & Oral Nichols[9] (1940), Shattuck & Dorothy Steitz[10] (1943), Al Shock[8] (1952)
• Organist: Audrey Ross[12] (1942)
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Original "B" building: (1938)
• Floor size: 240' x 70'[2]
• Floor type: Northern maple wood.[2]
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Updated "B" building: (1940)
• Floor size: 240' x 110' (26,400 sq ft.)[13]
• Floor type: Floating hard maple wood over an asphalt composition.[13]
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• Primary reason for closing: Tornado of 1959. Instead of rebuilding the skating rink, they just added 24 more bowling lanes to the rebuilt 48 lanes.[14]
• Opened for skating in Arena "B" building: 1938[2] - 1959[15]
In 1977, the Arena main building was purchased by Ralston Purina Co. for the St. Louis Blues National Hockey team and was renamed "Checkerdome."
• Today, nothing left except the memories.
Image at top of page courtesy the St Louis Arena Promotional Brochure.[16]
