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St. Louis Union Station is now a luxury hotel, a group of restaurants and a failing tourist mall. In its day it was one of the great railroad junctions of North America. As such, it had to have a place for travelers to stay. Here's the former entrance to the Terminal Hotel. Sure, railroad stations and airports have terminals but this sounds so much like terminal disease or "terminate with extreme prejudice" (remember that phrase in Apocalypse Now?). The Terminal Hotel sounds like the roach motel - you check in but you don't check out. It's the end of the line.
St. Louis Union Station is now a luxury hotel, a group of restaurants and a failing tourist mall. In its day it was one of the great railroad junctions of North America. As such, it had to have a place for travelers to stay. Here's the former entrance to the Terminal Hotel. Sure, railroad stations and airports have terminals but this sounds so much like terminal disease or "terminate with extreme prejudice" (remember that phrase in Apocalypse Now?). The Terminal Hotel sounds like the roach motel - you check in but you don't check out. It's the end of the line.TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series and a new Arch photo on GATEWAY.
6 comments:
I never noticed that it said "Terminal Hotel" above the door. Is it still a Hyatt? I had dinner there a few times while working there. That tourist mall part has been struggling for quite a long time.
Oh dear it does sound ominous. Maybe that's why it didn't "take off" !
V
Good eye, I'm pretty sure they don't advertise it that way these days!
Man, I had a memory recently of when this virtual reality video game place opened in the mall there, and how enthralled I was with it. Interesting how long ago that was, and how it never really took off. I still think it was pretty cool for its time.
Loved the Gary Larson Far Side about the roach motel. Terminal Hotel sounds like a hospice. No thanks -- too much livin' to do.
Good grief, yes I agree, my first thought was is this where people spend their last night away from tubes and monitors? Nice shot though.
I realize it's the terminal end of the rail line, but it's an unfortunate name. Interesting, though. Near here we also have a grand old train station that was rundown for years and now has been renovated as a luxury hotel. Down the street from it is the new and failing mall with the old trains behind it, for the curious to ride. I wonder if this kind of think is common.
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