I remember there being a shuttle for spectators when Nationals was in Greensboro the time before last. (I can’t remember which year that was.) It ran once an hour, and if it filled up at 11 p.m., then the rest of us had to wait until midnight for the next one. That’s why I “hijacked” the 11:45 p.m. skaters’ shuttle one evening when there were no skaters and 11 or 12 very angry, miserably cold spectators who had been waiting for 45 minutes.
2026 U.S. Nationals - St. Louis!
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I think that was San Jose in 2018 that had the hourly shuttle? Although on the days of the Senior events, multiple buses would be there when the events ended in the evening. I'm pretty sure the shuttle in Greensboro in 2020 was every 30 or 40 minutes.
If they ever have Nats in Greensboro again, I would just buy a parking pass.
Count me among the annoyed that all Junior events are at the far arena.
skipaway
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And is it a general admission, seat up for grabs situation?
Yes, although I doubt there will be big crowds there, given the location, which is unfortunate for the skaters.
peibeck
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I don't know how many people will do the commute, but the (maybe) 300-500 people that would be there in a 19,000 seat arena isn't exactly a "big crowd."
Depending on which arena is used for competition in St. Charles, the maximum seating is 750 or 400. (I'm assuming they will be using the bigger seating venue).
I don't remember about the shuttle in San Jose. I just remember that the Nationals in Greensboro before 2020 had an hourly shuttle. (At the 2020 Nationals Aimless drove her car all the way from Vermont and kindly drove me wherever I needed to go.) I wasn't kidding when I wrote that I "hijacked" the skaters' bus one rainy night at 11:45 p.m. because 11 or 12 of us had been waiting for 45 minutes and all the skaters had taken earlier buses. We had to show the bus driver how to reach our hotel because she only knew how to drive to the skaters' hotel.
40yr*sk8fan
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does anyone know the host hotel?
I was considering not volunteering this year but without a car, the ability to ride the shuttle with credentials may mean doing it anyway. It's fun to see everyone backstage as well.
Every time I check hotels, they seem to be further away.
Bought my all-event ticket - club seat (allegedly wider & more comfy) in the end section by k&c.
I was considering not volunteering this year but without a car, the ability to ride the shuttle with credentials may mean doing it anyway. It's fun to see everyone backstage as well.
Every time I check hotels, they seem to be further away.
Bought my all-event ticket - club seat (allegedly wider & more comfy) in the end section by k&c.
Richard
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The closest hotel within walking distance is the Union Station Hotel. It's a really cool place to stay and very historic. Also many cool attractions nearby. They're currently not offering rooms for sale for the event dates, so I am positive this will be the host hotel or one of the main hotels associated with the event. Other options nearby (also walking distance) are Drury Inn St. Louis Union Station and 21c Museum Hotel (super, super cool place to stay with a badass hotel bar and restaurant). Just a tad but further, but still walkable are Home2Suites and the Westin.
There are several more options downtown and near Forest Park within walking distance of the MetroLink. The Metrolink stops at the Enterprise Center. Something else to consider.
At some point soon I will post my recommendations for best local restaurants and things to see and do for those who are adventurous. In the meantime, feel free to shoot me any questions you may have. I am super excited! Looking forward to seeing the new FSU friends I met in Boston.
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TanithandBenFan
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Looking forward to your recommendations! Have you seen any local news on the renovation of the hotel next to the Enterprise Center that’s supposedly going to be a Sheraton? The LOC said it might be opening in December.
jkl
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I was told that the Live by Loews Hotel would be the host hotel. It’s rather small and the LOC told me that only competitors would be able to book there. It also is not available to book now.
carriecmu0503
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Unless the LOC literally rents out the entire hotel, there’s nothing they can do to prohibit others from booking there.
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Well there's only 216 rooms and they're already unavailable for booking Jan 9-12, 2026.
I assume you mean LOC, since the IOC has nothing to do with U.S. Nats hotel room blocks.
And as AnnM noted above, if the entire hotel is blocked for officials/credentials, then no, spectators can't book there.
216 rooms isn't enough for Nats, probably not even enough for the skaters and their families, much less officials, coaches, USFS staff, media.... They will likely have an overflow hotel somewhere.
Karen-W
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Well, sure, they can. All they have to do is contract for a block of hotel rooms that matches the # of rooms available at the hotel. The general public is then unable to book any rooms for the dates in question and a customized, private reservation link is sent to a select group of recipients. No reservation link, no ability to book a room at that hotel.
Richard
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I actually had no knowledge of this until you mentioned it! It does indeed look as if it will be renovated. This article is the most recent bit of news I could find, but it is from early last year and nothing has been published since:
Board of Aldermen approve bill to renovate downtown hotel
New steps were taken Friday to redevelop a massive building in St. Louis that you likely drive by all the time.
It's a really cool, quirky building with a neat history. For those who are interested in this sort of thing, here is a little more info on the building's history:
Jarrett
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Volunteer information email went out today. I was able to sign up and get approved. Hopefully I can get a shift during the shift selection window. It would be very cool to help with the event.
It might have always been there but the info to volunteer is on the website. https://www.usfigureskating.org/26Champs#Volunteer
It might have always been there but the info to volunteer is on the website. https://www.usfigureskating.org/26Champs#Volunteer
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peibeck
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I signed up, but how do you know if you are "approved?" I am assuming it might be quite awhile until we hear anything. Since I'm (close to) local, it would be pretty easy for me to volunteer.
I was a bit
about the language in the waivers they have everyone sign. Thankfully I have no family that would be out for money if somehow this event kills me. 
Jarrett
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I got an email from the usfigureskating saying I was approved. It was maybe an hour after I submitted. I did in in the morning on Thursday.I signed up, but how do you know if you are "approved?" I am assuming it might be quite awhile until we hear anything. Since I'm (close to) local, it would be pretty easy for me to volunteer.
I was a bit
peibeck
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Thanks, I did mine last night after the weekend started, so maybe I'll hear Monday.
I've been on an email chain with people who bought all-event tickets and are angry about the junior events being moved from the main arena. Someone mentioned that they e-mailed USFS to complain about this change. That prompted me to look for an email address to send an email to USFS as well. For anyone who wants to do the same, their email address is [email protected]. Their phone number is 719-635-5200 if anyone wants to try that route. I think this change after all-event tickets went on sale is false advertising and theft. I've said the same in my email to them and asked for any solutions they can provide. I asked them to either provide transportation for ticketholders OR give us a refund for the tickets.
TanithandBenFan
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Don't want to be that person but I would guess the USFS policy states somewhere that all things are subject to change at any time. They still have the event finishing on Saturday and it may very well switch to afternoon Sunday as it has been for broadcast TV for many years, which would then screw up schedules for some people trying to go to Europeans that day.
How long after the all-event release did they switch it? I’ve been looking at the tickets (not selling) for what seems like months now and it’s been switched since I first looked.
Jarrett
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The Jr. events weren't in the main arena for 2006 either and had shuttles... right? I think I only went over there once and never again. I don't remember the event well at all besides afterward that MK was named to the team and of course Stephanie Rosenthal's short program. It would have been a trip to see Davis and White as juniors.
TanithandBenFan
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The junior free dance was at the big arena. I think the other junior free skates were too but not certain.
mattiecat13
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When is the schedule going to be finalized? I’ve read various places senior events are starting on Wednesday or maybe on Thursday and the competition will end on either Saturday or Sunday. Kind of difficult to make plane reservations without a schedule. 
The gentleman who was coordinating tickets for a group (that I'm part of) received an email from someone at USFS about the junior tickets. They essentially said that the junior tickets included in the all-event package were "comped" because they didn't bother to figure out pricing for the junior tickets, and they didn't know where the junior events would be held so they didn't want to let the public know that info before tickets went on sale and apologized for that. The email said that if the public bought separate tickets for each senior event, the price would be more than the all-event ticket. Clearly USFS doesn't care about its fans.
To answer questions about the schedule, I received an email about the senior events (no info about the junior events because they don't seem to care about them, but I think they start on the 4th):
Official practices for seniors start Tuesday, January 6
Sessions 1 and 2 (pairs and women's short), January 7
Sessions 3 and 4 (rhythm dance and men's short), January 8
Session 5 (pairs and women's free group 1) and Session 6 (pairs and women's free groups 2-3), January 9
Session 7 (free dance and men's group 1) and Session 8 (free dance and men's groups 2-3), January 10
Session 9 (Olympic team announcement), January 11.
MAJOR dislike for splitting up competition for ALL free programs!
To answer questions about the schedule, I received an email about the senior events (no info about the junior events because they don't seem to care about them, but I think they start on the 4th):
Official practices for seniors start Tuesday, January 6
Sessions 1 and 2 (pairs and women's short), January 7
Sessions 3 and 4 (rhythm dance and men's short), January 8
Session 5 (pairs and women's free group 1) and Session 6 (pairs and women's free groups 2-3), January 9
Session 7 (free dance and men's group 1) and Session 8 (free dance and men's groups 2-3), January 10
Session 9 (Olympic team announcement), January 11.
MAJOR dislike for splitting up competition for ALL free programs!
Did they indicate start times for the comp sessions?
RE the Junior tickets being "comped", I think that's probably the way they've always priced the all-event package....whatever all senior tickets added together cost, they set the all-event price a little lower, assuming most fans are only/mostly interested in the Senior events. When single-session tix go on sale, they price the Junior events low b/c they figure most people buying them individually are families and friends of the skaters competing and they're not going to sell large numbers of individual tix to those events anyway.
RE the Junior tickets being "comped", I think that's probably the way they've always priced the all-event package....whatever all senior tickets added together cost, they set the all-event price a little lower, assuming most fans are only/mostly interested in the Senior events. When single-session tix go on sale, they price the Junior events low b/c they figure most people buying them individually are families and friends of the skaters competing and they're not going to sell large numbers of individual tix to those events anyway.
No start times in the email I received. It also says "schedule subject to change."
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