Venues · Rigging and LED
America’s Center: rigging, floors and services in St. Louis
America’s Center includes the convention center and The Dome. Its June 2026 Event Guide distinguishes spaces, providers and technical reviews. This guide organizes questions for a specific event; it does not approve a setup.
1. Space, contract and plan
The June 2026 Event Guide covers both the convention center and The Dome at America’s Center. Do not apply Dome rules to exhibit halls or America’s Ballroom rules to Ferrara Theatre. The website and guide disagree on the number of halls; confirm the current room, area and CAD with the venue before design.
2. Rigging by area
The guide requests rigging plans to the AV Production Manager two months before the show. In exhibit halls, a general service or AV contractor may provide qualified riggers familiar with limits and appoint a lead. Allowable loads depend on steel and the specific point; larger loads require prior Operations approval. Encore has the stated exclusive roles in Ferrara Theatre and America’s Ballroom. The Dome has its own structural review.
3. Providers and AV scope
Smart City Networks exclusively provides data, internet and telecom. Edlen exclusively provides power, plumbing, compressed air, water, booth cleaning and specified services. Encore is the complex’s preferred AV vendor, with the limited AV and overhead rigging exclusivities in Ferrara Theatre and America’s Ballroom. Confirm each provider’s scope with the Event Manager.
| Service | Published role | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Data and internet | Smart City Networks exclusive. | Specify production connection. |
| Power and plumbing | Edlen exclusive. | Order distribution and services. |
| General AV | Encore preferred. | Coordinate contractor and roles. |
| Water-based haze | Notify Event Manager with schedules. | Review alarms and area. |
4. Floors and circulation
The guide lists 750 lb/ft² for exhibit hall floors and 400 lb/ft² over utility tunnels and in lobbies. Locate tunnels in CAD and calculate supports, wheels, travel path and floor protection; a distributed-load figure is not point-load clearance. Heavy equipment should not use tunnel areas as a travel lane.
| Area | Published information | Event check |
|---|---|---|
| Exhibit halls | 750 lb/ft² distributed floor load. | Locate tunnels and supports in CAD. |
| Utility tunnels and lobbies | 400 lb/ft² distributed floor load. | Review path and point loads. |
| Ferrara Theatre | Encore exclusive for AV. | Confirm scope and room plan. |
| America’s Ballroom | Encore exclusive for overhead rigging. | Request points and review. |
5. Docks and freight
The complex has separate docks; the venue controls their use and the general service contractor coordinates event operations. Halls 2 and 3 lack direct docks when used individually. Confirm route, window, unloading and storage for the contracted space using the event assignment and plan.
6. House sound and connectivity
Meeting-room house sound suits presentations; hall and Dome house sound is for paging, not presentation reinforcement. An AV contractor may feed the house system, but the venue controls levels. Order appropriate Smart City connectivity for video, streaming and show control; do not infer production capacity from public Wi-Fi.
7. Haze and safety
The guide allows water-based haze only under conditions. Notify the Event Manager and provide rehearsal and show schedules to coordinate alarms; keep egress unobstructed. Use in The Dome has an additional on-site Fire Marshal requirement. Other effects need their own review.
8. Review package
Prepare the contract, current room/CAD, steel drawing and rigging plan with points and loads, floor calculation and route, provider assignments, ordered network, sound diagram, dock logistics and haze proposal. Record venue, organizer and authority responses separately, and resubmit material changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Encore exclusive for all AV throughout the complex?
No. The guide calls Encore the preferred AV vendor for the complex. Its AV exclusivity applies to Ferrara Theatre, and its overhead rigging exclusivity to America’s Ballroom in the 220 Complex.
Does the published floor load clear any screen or vehicle?
No. The guide distinguishes 750 lb/ft² in exhibit halls from 400 lb/ft² over utility tunnels and in lobbies. These figures do not clear specific supports, wheels or routes; obtain CAD and venue review.
Official documentation
Reviewed October 18, 2026. America’s Center Event Guide, June 2026, 37-page PDF: PDF pp. 3–5, 14–15, 20, 24, 28–29; official exhibitor page. Directed review. Current website and PDF differ on the hall count, so no count is stated. No CAD, point calculation or event approval obtained.