2009 Women's Basketball Finals in St. Louis
Women's Division 1 Final Four Face-Off at Scottrade Center
Mar 20, 2009
This year's NCAA Women's Basketball Finals will be held at the Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis. The tournament will begin with the Semi-Finals taking place on Sunday, April 5, and the National Championship on Tuesday evening.
2009 NCAA Women's Final's Events
Along with basketball competitions, organizers of March Madness have created various other activities for fans and guests to the St. Louis area. Fans will be allowed to attend an open practice earlier in the day on Saturday, April 4. Following the practice, fans will be given the opportunity to acquire signatures from their favorite players.
In another area of downtown St. Louis, one can visit NCAA's Hoop City. Inside the America Center, Hoop City will be open from Saturday, April 4 through Monday, April 6. At Hoop City, one can attend a basketball clinic and a battle of the bands, participate in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and get signatures from coaches and former women's NCAA basketball champions.
Visiting Scottrade Center and Downtown St. Louis
Fans visiting the Scottrade Center during March Madness can park within the center or in one of the many local parking garages. There is also parking around Busch Stadium (a short walk from the Scottrade Center). Public transportation is available via Metro Link (St. Louis' rail system).
There are various food vendors and other retailers housed in the Scottrade Center. Food items available include usual treats such as donuts, ice cream, cotton candy, sno cones, etc., along with more substantive foods such as burgers, chicken wings, hot dogs, steak sandwiches and pizza.
If time allows, one might prefer to eat prior to entering the stadium. Restaurants in the immediate area include Oasis Café, Pepino’s Pizza and Deli and Hard Rock Cafe (about a 1/2 mile away).
Places to Visit in St. Louis
When not attending games or at Hoop City, there are many other places to go and see in the St. Louis area. Some popular spots in the St. Louis area include the Gateway Arch/Riverfront, Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis Zoo, Busch Stadium and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Lodging in Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis offers a wide variety of hotels. There are more upscale hotels such as the Sheraton St. Louis and the Westin, and more family oriented facilities like that of the Hampton and the Courtyard by Marriott. Although there are numerous hotels in the downtown area, one may have to stay on the outskirts of the city. Some areas to consider are Lambert (near the St. Louis Airport), or the Westport/Maryland Heights area.
Other related activities taking place around St. Louis during the three day tournament include March to the Arch sponsored by Powerade, and a 4Kay run (honoring the late Kay Yow, former coach of the North Carolina State's Women's basketball team) sponsored by the Hartford.
