St. Paul Logistics - Lodging, Eating, etc. | Golden Skate

St. Paul Logistics - Lodging, Eating, etc.

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
We have just cancelled a 3 room reservation at the Doubletree in St Paul. The reservation was made through the USFSA. If anyone is interested.

The Doubletree is on the skyway and is about a 15 minute walk to the arena.
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
Today we cancelled a reservation at the Holiday Inn in St Paul - 3 dbl/dbl rooms. The Holiday Inn is directly across the street from the arena. Just in case someone is interested.
 

MFarone

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Country
United-States
I've found a few places that are open for breakfast, just in case a free continental breakfast isn't satisfactory.

At the Intercontinental (previously Crowne Plaza) is the Citizens Supper Club which is open for breakfast.

On 7th street north of Xcel is Mickey's Diner which is a local landmark and greasy spoon which is open 24/7.

On 7th street south of the Xcel is The Liffey Irish Bar/Grill in the Holiday Inn which is open for breakfast.

Also on 7th street south of the Holiday Inn and about .3miles from the Xcel is the Downtowner Woodfire Grill open for breakfast.

There are also 2 Subway's (one of the St. Paul skyway) open for breakfast.

Last, but not least expensive, is the MSt. Café in the St. Paul Hotel. Reservations are recommended: https://www.mstcafe.com/_asset/2qzmlq/MST_Breakfast_062015.pdf
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Looking for the little places around the Hotel 340 and the arena that make life easier.....a Walgreens is close so I can stock up on sundries when I arrive, and....wait for it....the best burger in St Paul!
http://burgermoes.com/
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
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MFarone

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Country
United-States
I briefly had access to a tentative schedule dated in November and it showed the same schedule for Tuesday as the one dated 12/7. My guess is that practices on Tuesday will all be at Pleasant Arena and not available to fans (even all event ticket holders). This is what the LOC said about transportation in their recent email: Spectator shuttle will not be provided from Bloomington hotels to Bloomington Ice Garden for Juvenile and Intermediate competitions. No spectator shuttle will be provided from Saint Paul/Xcel Energy Center to Bloomington Ice Garden regardless of number of passes purchased.

Taxi to Bloomington Ice Garden from downtown St. Paul is about $50 plus tip each way. I think I saw an estimate for Uber that was about $35 each way. There is no public transportation available. I suppose a person could take a public bus from Xcel Energy to Mall of America and then a taxi from the Mall to Ice Garden, but it would probably be way over an hour each way. Only other option would be to rent a car.

The detailed schedule has not yet been released by USFS. Practice group info has not been released as far as I know.

Pitiful situation. Canadian Nationals will be occurring at the same time as U. S. Nationals and their schedule has been out for several weeks and the start order for each event is available.

Anything about transportation between arenas? The second arena, Bloomington Ice Center, is 19 miles away from the main arena. Does anyone have a plan?

Here is what I have for a practice schedule - http://www.2016uschampionships.com/files/1114/4975/6418/2016_U.S._Figure_Skating_Championships_Color_Matrix_Schedule_Draft_5.0.pdf It is still subject to change and it looks like something is missing on Tuesday.

Anyone with any information on practice groups?
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Anything about transportation between arenas? The second arena, Bloomington Ice Center, is 19 miles away from the main arena. Does anyone have a plan?

Here is what I have for a practice schedule - http://www.2016uschampionships.com/files/1114/4975/6418/2016_U.S._Figure_Skating_Championships_Color_Matrix_Schedule_Draft_5.0.pdf It is still subject to change and it looks like something is missing on Tuesday.

Anyone with any information on practice groups?

Is there a way to access that detailed color coded schedule from the 2016uschampionships site? I am sure they will come up with revisions/updates at some time, but I can't link that schedule (or any updates) from the main site.
 

MFarone

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Country
United-States
USFS/LOC has not officially released the detailed color coded practice/competition schedule. Both A. H. Black and I are posting a copy of the same draft schedule. I posted the draft from a link that was given to a fan who posted it. I don't know how to access anything newer from the 12/7 draft.

Is there a way to access that detailed color coded schedule from the 2016uschampionships site? I am sure they will come up with revisions/updates at some time, but I can't link that schedule (or any updates) from the main site.
 

Liz1201

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 16, 2015
Anything about transportation between arenas? The second arena, Bloomington Ice Center, is 19 miles away from the main arena. Does anyone have a plan?

Here is what I have for a practice schedule - http://www.2016uschampionships.com/files/1114/4975/6418/2016_U.S._Figure_Skating_Championships_Color_Matrix_Schedule_Draft_5.0.pdf It is still subject to change and it looks like something is missing on Tuesday.

Anyone with any information on practice groups?

There are a few zip car places in St. Paul. Not that close to the arena, but it could be an option. I haven't used it before so I'm not sure how it works.
http://www.zipcar.com/minneapolis/find-cars
 

Impromptu

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 14, 2015
Lunds/Byerly's is an upscale grocery chain. It has great produce, meats, a good salad & hot food bar, a good organic and healthy (gluten-free, etc) product aisle, a good bakery, a medium sized selection of whatever else you're looking for, but the prices are on the high end (it's not as expensive as Whole Foods, but it's up there). Most of the Lunds also have a Starbucks or a Caribou in there too.

It's a great grocery store (I haven't been to the St. Paul location, but I've been to the ones in Minneapolis), just be aware that it's going to cost a little more than your average Kroger/Meier/Cub chain.
 

Liz1201

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 16, 2015
Thanks for the info impromptu! I'm thinking it still has to be cheaper than some of the arena prices and I've yet to find an actual salad at an arena outside of CA or maybe even CO (trying to remember if the world arena had one at the 4CC a couple years ago).
 

Impromptu

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 14, 2015
Oh yeah, you can certainly make a decent salad at Lunds. I've done the salad thing there before - iirc, it's 7.99/pound. Or you can buy one of their pre-made salads.
 

mganders

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
This is a link to a pdf of the St. Paul Skyway system: http://www.skywaydirectory.com/downloads/651.pdf

There are some fast food eating options in the skyways, but they close down in the afternoon.

According to the Xcel Center website: SKYWAYS

Many of Saint Paul’s city blocks are conveniently connected on the second floors by five miles of an award-winning skyway system. The skyway is an above ground, climate-controlled walkway that connects the buildings in downtown Saint Paul. Skyway maps are located throughout the system and each walkway is color-coded to make navigating easy.
 

MFarone

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Country
United-States
I realized recently that the Macy's on the skyway has now closed. Anyone know if there are any other stores or small shops where I might find small gifts for the folks at home? Since the weather may not be great (although I hope it won't be -20 this time), I probably won't be venturing out of the skyway often.
 

Impromptu

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 14, 2015
Downtown St. Paul with Skyway access? I don't think there's much right now.

Probably the closest place to buy interesting gifts would be the Gift Shop in the Science museum, which is just across the street from the X.

https://www.smm.org/visit/gift-shop

There's some great shopping along Grand Avenue, which is probably about a mile or two away. You could cab it, and stroll: https://www.grandave.com/shopping Also some amazing restaurants on Grand, so if the weather isn't too bad (last I checked, they're forecasting high teens, low 20s, but that could change), it's really worth a trip.

If your heart is set on Macy's, there's still one in the Mall of America, and in downtown Minneapolis, both of which would be accessible by train (take the Green line from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis would let you out about a block from Macy's, or transfer to the blue line just past the U of MN to go to the MoA). Also most of the other malls have a Macy's in them, but you'd need to cab to go to them.

If really desperate, I've noticed the shopping options in the airport have improved a lot (although overpriced, of course).
 

MFarone

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Country
United-States
I noticed this recently: http://www.townsquarestpaul.com/directory/. The Town Square is located on the skyway next to the Hilton Doubletree Hotel. The link gives a list of a couple sandwich shops, a deli which also serves breakfast, and a convenience store. Fans staying at the Doubletree and walking through the skyway to Xcel will be going through this area.

Some of the fans staying at Hotel 340 but looking for some less expensive options (over arena food) might want to check this out. If a person has no problem with the additional walking it might be a nice change for breakfast or lunch. I think most of the places close fairly early.
 

mganders

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
My guilty pleasure in St. Paul is Candyland. It has a wonderful selection of candy and popcorn, and holds the copyright to Chicago Mix. I waited in line for nearly half an hour at Christmas to get my fix of Chicago Mix and some sugar plums, but the lines aren't usually that long. My sister, who works nearby, says there's a grocery store next door that has a deli. They're on Wabasha roughly across the street from what was once Macy's.

http://candylandstore.com/about/locations/

http://www.mapquest.com/us/minnesota/business-saint-paul/rivertown-market-7105527

And if you're in the area, there's a nice gift shop next to Park Square Theatre. It's a little pricey, but carries some lovely things. (Someone else mentioned Grand Avenue, which is easily reached via the #63 bus, which stops just across the parking lot from the Xcel Center.)
 
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