Signs of West Coast influences on St. Louis’ entertainment scene have been cropping up the past several years. The ultralounge, the gourmet cupcake shop … and now casinos emulating Vegas’ model for gambling, dining and club success.

Visibly, Home St. Louis - a new nightclub inside the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa - heavily touts its opening week with “big” names from the LALA-land club/celebrity world: Danny Masterson, Wilmer Valderrama, DJ AM, Kim Kardashian (who some believe may be the new Paris Hilton) and finally a New Years Eve bash with Miss USA Tara Conner, formerly of rehab and MTV reality-show fame. 

A press release continues: ”The space, designed by Thomas Shoner who also designed ICE Las Vegas, blends comfort and style with enchanting decadence. The 17,500 square foot club features two distinct rooms, a high-energy nightclub and an inviting lounge, each complete with their own separate top-of-the-line sound system. As guests enter through the candle-lit stone façade foyer, they are welcomed into a luxurious, intimate lounge highlighted by caramel colored couches, recessed banquettes, and a signature six-foot fireplace.  Ambient lighting, a DJ booth, and three 42-inch plasma televisions behind the bar complete the smart and sophisticated design.  

The main nightclub has two 30-foot bars on each end of the venue with three five-foot red chandeliers centered overhead.  Five red-leathered recessed banquettes (complete with Xbox) rise above each side of the club and surround a 30 by 60 foot Brazilian walnut wood dance floor framed by 20 bottle service tables.”

This sister space to a NYC club of the same name, Home “plans on reshaping the nightlife industry in the Midwest.” 

Does our nightlife need reshaping? I am all for the revitalization of St. Louis and new forms of nightlife. I just wonder what will become of Home. The folks behind it seem to have credibility, but is it a quick fix to counter the emerging complex of Lumiere Place and the Washington and Locust scene. Will they find enough support to keep Home open and viable? Will urban city dwellers trek out to St. Charles? Would you go Home?

With me, the jury is still out. It is great to see any investment in our region, but I am more apt to be at home the last week of December than at Home. Add some great shopping into this new St. Louis casino attempts and just maybe I’ll swing by …