2026 U.S. Nationals - St. Louis!

[Carolla5501]

Still no prigrams at Centene. We now understand they are to be delivered by FedEx to the Enterprise Center and then brought to Centene. I believe they are not yet at the Enterprise Center. In fact, I'm not sure the printer has shipped them yet.

Edited edited to add: @Sylvia's posted bios have been very helpful.

Wow that seems very late for the programs!

 

[Karen-W]

I'm a little surprised they didn't source a local printer for the programs which would have saved them the cost of shipping.

 

[Iceblink]

If you're staying in the arena/Union Station area, The Pitch sports bar has Peacock and said they'll put the junior men's final on this evening.

 

[tlk]

I'm watching the practice session at Enterprise, thanks to Peacock. Is that Henry, Chock & Bates' dog, on the Nulo sign on the boards? If so, smart move, Nulo!

ETA, Jean-Luc says he believes that is Henry!

 

[mattiecat13]

Five of us took the Clydesdale tour at Anheiser Busch on Sunday and enjoyed our upclose and personal time with Bandit, one of the smaller horses (only 1,800 pounds).

Several of us are going tomorrow. How was it?

 

[tony]

I’ll watch practice all day. Temp is reasonable. Definitely chilly but not Allen TX ice box. Seats are super comfortable.

 

[jkl]

I can tell you why rooms at the Hilton Union Station opened up so close to Nationals. USFS had reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton for judges and officials. I don’t know why but they are now at 21-C Hotel.

 

[skipaway]

I’ll watch practice all day. Temp is reasonable. Definitely chilly but not Allen TX ice box. Seats are super comfortable.

Are you in your assigned seats or are they blocking off an area for fans?

 

[peibeck]

I can tell you why rooms at the Hilton Union Station opened up so close to Nationals. USFS had reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton for judges and officials. I don’t know why but they are now at 21-C Hotel.

That's where @AnnM is staying. So besides being a at Boitano's Lounge, she can now get the scoop about the officials.

Considering how cheap USFS, maybe they moved them into those bunkbed rooms at 21?

 

[tony]

Are you in your assigned seats or are they blocking off an area for fans?

No one ever gonna sit in their assigned seats for practices. You can sit wherever, within a small section of the rink but people are moving to the opposite side anyways.

 

[AnnM]

That's where @AnnM is staying. So besides being a at Boitano's Lounge, she can now get the scoop about the officials.

Considering how cheap USFS, maybe the moved them into those bunkbed rooms at 21?

Omg the pressure! I'm going to need someone to prepare me a dossier of who everyone is, like Andie did for Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada.

They better not bump me into one of the bunk bed rooms for these folks; I booked nearly a year ago!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Looks like the senior kiss and cry has got a mature upgrade. Thank God. Now we have a regular white sofa and a digital screen behind them like we had at the Las Vegas skate America one time. I’m not mad at it.

 

[Firedancer]

Finally made it to St Louis. American moved my first flight up and moved my second flight back so I ended up in Chicago for 5 hours. Excited to finally be here!

 

[acraven]

Relieved to report the programs have now reached the Enterprise Center. Not happy to report they did not bother to send any over to Centene despite telling us yesterday they'd get them over here once they were at Enterprise.

In other words, Centene is a perfectly OK location for the novice and junior events despite advertising that all events would be at Enterprise Center (costing early-arriving fans time and money), but it's too inconvenient for delivery of a few boxes of programs.

 

[AnnM]

YAY - I didn't get bumped down into a bunk bed room.

BOO - I was seated for dinner in the bar/lounge and "the big shots" as the wait staff is referring to them is behind a latticed wall in the proper dining room.

Eta: This is a  very funky, artsy hotel and not the place I'd think of to place stuffy skating judges and officials.

 

[YukiNieve]

We got the program at Enterprise today.

 

[Karen-W]

Sections 310-315 and 325 have been opened for the evening pairs and ladies free skate. Among the previously available sections, the event is practically sold out.

I'll be shocked if they don't open up the other end of the upper bowl tomorrow for the Friday evening pairs & women's FS session. Right now there aren't more than 2 dozen tickets available in the sections they opened up on Monday morning.

Plenty of tickets still available in the upper bowl for the Saturday evening dance FD & men's FS session.

 

[livetoskate]

Hi, all! I'm getting there Thursday around 5:30pm. Is the Metrolink safe to ride to the Union Station/Civic Center area then? Thank you.

 

[RAReinecke]

Hi, all! I'm getting there Thursday around 5:30pm. Is the Metrolink safe to ride to the Union Station/Civic Center area then? Thank you.

I rode it today at about 4 and found it safe, easy, convenient. The hardest thing was getting my suitcase in a place that wouldn’t roll away.

 

[LKR]

I'll be shocked if they don't open up the other end of the upper bowl tomorrow for the Friday evening pairs & women's FS session. Right now there aren't more than 2 dozen tickets available in the sections they opened up on Monday morning.

Plenty of tickets still available in the upper bowl for the Saturday evening dance FD & men's FS session.

Yes, but some of this is scalpers getting hold of more resale tickets and charging astronomical prices. $1000+ for balcony!

https://www.ticketmaster.com/us-figure-skating-championships-session-6-saint-louis-missouri-01-09-2026/event/0600636BAD0DBE4B

 

[livetoskate]

I rode it today at about 4 and found it safe, easy, convenient. The hardest thing was getting my suitcase in a place that wouldn’t roll away.

Thanks! Glad you had a good, safe experience.

 

[LKR]

A few impressions:

This event is very nostalgic for me. 2006 was my first skating competition that hooked me on the sport for life. I wasn't living in St. Louis at the time, but now I am, and it is full circle for Nationals to come back.

Arena seats are comfortable, and sight lines are very good. Even toward the top of the lower bowl you feel close to the ice. The boards are also very low for those sitting in the first few rows. No programs I could find but they were around somewhere as others had them. Leg room is not great but a bit better than Boston.

Note there are three main entrances: the main front Clark Ave entrance, the entrance adjoining the Kiel Center garage (also Clark Ave), and the side entrance on 14th St. From my experience in 2006, I would NOT recommend parking in the Kiel Center garage for the more crowded weekend events (Wed, Thurs might be ok), as it is not a big garage and you could be stuck getting out for a while. I am actually planning on taking metrolink to the arena which has stops by Union Station, Civic Center, and the ballpark.

Also random, but I recommend everyone to check out the lobby at Union Station Hotel (entrance is Market Street at 18th). It is a short walk from the arena and a stunning architectural landmark of St. Louis. The building dates back to 1894.

 

[AnnM]

Did anyone happen to see water bottle refill stations at the Enterprise Center (if we can even bring in empty bottles)?

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Did anyone happen to see water bottle refill stations at the Enterprise Center (if we can even bring in empty bottles)?

Their site says empty bottles not exceeding 2 liters are permitted and filling stations are at Portals 8 and 21.

 

[peibeck]

YAY - I didn't get bumped down into a bunk bed room.

BOO - I was seated for dinner in the bar/lounge and "the big shots" as the wait staff is referring to them is behind a latticed wall in the proper dining room.

Eta: This is a  very funky, artsy hotel and not the place I'd think of to place stuffy skating judges and officials.

Are they skating bigwigs, or from the moving company having a convention downtown?

ETA: I've only been on the ground floor, but the pool and hot tub look very nice.

 

[AnnM]

Are they skating bigwigs, or from the moving company having a convention downtown?

Definitely skating. They all had emerged from the room just behind the USFS info desk just after it had closed for the evening.

Overall it's a nice hotel! I did a quick walkthrough of the art galleries, checked out the fitness center, and the decorated staircase is gorgeous. The employees all seem to skew young (or I'm just feeling extra old) but are friendly and eager to please.

 

[acraven]

** MetroLink tip for those going to the Union Station stop:

If you need an elevator, rather than stairs, to get from the platform up to street level, exit the train, walk down the line in the direction of the airport, go past the stairs and look for the elevator on your left. I didn't see a sign for it, but it exists.

After exiting the elevator, use the handicap button to get through the metal gate. Turn right to walk toward Union Station. I can't provide directions to Enterprise Center, because I haven't been over there yet.

The machines on the platform at the Lambert Airport Terminal 2 Station (Southwest Airlines) charge $4 for a ticket valid for 2 hours. There are a lot of references to $2.50 tickets on the web; I don't know whether that is stale info or there's a way to buy a valid ticket for $2.50 online or within the transit app.

The half-price deal for seniors requires a special card issued by the local transit authority.

** Pertinent only for people using the Lambert Airport Terminal 2 station:

You should exit the terminal through door 12, cross the street, and enter the parking structure. You will see a sign for the elevator, pointing forward. Ignore it; that elevator is broken. Instead, look for the elevator near where you enter the parking structure. Take it up to the top level, which I think is labeled "PR". That's the roof of the parking structure, where you'll find the MetroLink station. MetroLink is not at the elevator level labeled "ML".

Although the ticket-vending machines at the Terminal 2 station were working (though I found them a bit awkward) on Sunday, the machines for validating tickets were not working. Keep your receipt for payment along with your ticket in case you encounter an inspector. I was told the machines at the Terminal 1 station were operating properly on Sunday.

 

[Karen-W]

Yes, but some of this is scalpers getting hold of more resale tickets and charging astronomical prices. $1000+ for balcony!

https://www.ticketmaster.com/us-figure-skating-championships-session-6-saint-louis-missouri-01-09-2026/event/0600636BAD0DBE4B

Perhaps but the scalpers aren't going to hold onto the tickets if they can get more than they paid for them even if they discover they can't sell them for $1000, lol.

They did open up the other end for sale this morning, so the arena is certainly going to be packed Friday night.

 

[LKR]

Perhaps but the scalpers aren't going to hold onto the tickets if they can get more than they paid for them even if they discover they can't sell them for $1000, lol.

They did open up the other end for sale this morning, so the arena is certainly going to be packed Friday night.

Yes! Looks like Friday evening will be the biggest single session attendance at Nationals since Boston 2014.

 

[Oreo]

Hi, all! I'm getting there Thursday around 5:30pm. Is the Metrolink safe to ride to the Union Station/Civic Center area then? Thank you.

I arrived in St Louis around 5:30pm on Tuesday and rode the Metrolink to 8th and Pine. It was fine, although it stunk a bit from weed. Sit in the front car where the conductor is. I paid $4. To get the discounted fare you have to apply in advance with ID.