Kiel Auditorium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Kiel Auditorium
nickname =


location = 1401 Clark Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63103
broke_ground =
opened = April 14, 1934
closed = 1991
demolished = 1992
owner =
operator =
construction_cost = $6 million
architect = Louis LaBeaume and Eugene S. Klein
former_names = Municipal Auditorium (1934-1943)
tenants = St. Louis University (NCAA) (1934-1991)
St. Louis Hawks (NBA) (1955-1968)
seating_capacity = 9,300

Kiel Auditorium was an indoor arena that stood in St. Louis, Missouri from 1934-1991. It was the home of the Saint Louis University basketball team and hosted the St. Louis Hawks from 1955-1968. It was the host of the NBA All-Star Game in 1958, 1962, and 1965.

The arena, completed in 1934 at a cost of $6 million, seated 9,300. It was originally named the Municipal Auditorium, but was renamed in honor of former St. Louis Mayor Henry Kiel in 1943. [http://basketball.ballparks.com/] A unique feature of the auditorium was that it was split into two; the front of the building was the Kiel Opera House. It was possible to use both sides at once as the stages were back to back. President Harry Truman gave a speech there in which both sides were opened to see his speech.

In 1955, the auditorium was also the venue for the second international conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, which established the service conference structure for the movement.

Kiel Auditorium played host to a variety of rock concerts and wrestling cards from 1950's until its closure in 1991, and in 1983, it was the host of the Miss Universe Pageant. From the 1950s until the 1970s, the Kiel Auditorium was behind only Madison Square Garden as North America's most famous wrestling arena, hosting three NWA World Heavyweight Championship title changes from 1959 until 1986. The building was demolished in 1992, but not before hosting the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament the preceding year.

After its demolition, its games and concerts temporarily went to the eventually ill-fated St. Louis Arena. The Scottrade Center (originally named "Kiel Center", then "Savvis Center" before the current naming rights were purchased) now stands on the site of the former Kiel Auditorium. The Opera House portion of the building on the northern part of the property facing Market Street, was not torn down but has remained closed for fifteen years, as members of Civic Progress, Inc. who promised to pay for the renovation of the Opera House have reneged on that promise, while opposing all outside efforts to achieve that renovation independently of themselves.

The Kiel Auditorium replaced the St. Louis Coliseum as the city's main indoor arena.

succession box
title = Home of the
St. Louis Hawks
years = 1955 – 1968
before = Milwaukee Arena
after = Alexander Memorial Coliseumsuccession box
title = Host of the
NBA All-Star Game
years = 1958

1962

1965
before =
Boston Garden
Onondaga County War Memorial Coliseum
Boston Garden
after =
Olympia Stadium
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Cincinnati Gardens succession box
title=Miss Universe Venue
before="Coliseo Amauta" "Peru"
after="Convention Center" "Miami"
years=1983