There was a time when Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre was one of the best places to see a show in St. Louis. The music was always top-notch, and the energy was electric… but, after my recent experience, it’s clear this venue has gone completely downhill.
From the moment we arrived last night, something felt off. Parking—already overpriced—was a nightmare. I arrived as an “employee” to review the show, yet the parking lot attendants were not only unhelpful, but openly rude. One even said, “I don’t know who you are, park wherever you want, I don’t care.” The lot itself is rough on cars, with the tons of potholes and flooding during rains, making you wonder where all that parking money is really going. It’s baffling, that after 30 years, nothing has really changed in regards to parking and traffic flow, other than it gets worse… and now you have to pay for it.
whore on X (formerly Twitter): “i wouldn’t wish the hollywood casino amphitheater parking lot on my worst enemy / X”
i wouldn’t wish the hollywood casino amphitheater parking lot on my worst enemy
The chaos escalated at the box office. When we went to pick up our review tickets, staff claimed that our editor/photographer had already taken them—which wasn’t true. He was already inside photographing the opening act and unreachable at the moment. Instead of helping us sort it out, staff flatly refused to check further. At one point, the ticket window was slammed shut in our faces as they waved us off for the next guest. The hostility from employees was staggering—almost as if they truly hated being there.
It wasn’t just us… An elderly man, who had driven four hours to see TOTO, was denied a physical ticket because he had a flip phone and couldn’t download their app. Instead of accommodating him, they humiliated him. At one point, a staff member even grabbed his phone trying to “prove” he could just download the app—completely ignoring that it wasn’t possible. To make matters worse, they charged him $99.50 for an aisle seat because ADA seating was “sold out.” This was just one of many frustrating situations I witnessed as the line of people waiting for “help” stretched long.
This wasn’t a one-off mistake—it’s a glaring sign that the venue has completely lost its sense of customer service. While Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre profits heavily from ticket and parking fees, the infrastructure and staff training don’t reflect that success. For a place that hosts some of the biggest names in music, fans deserve far better than rude employees, botched ticketing, and a complete lack of accessibility for those who need it most.
Music should bring people together, but nights like this remind you how poor management can sour the entire experience. Until Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre addresses its staffing and ticketing failures, think twice before buying your next ticket.
To the TOTO tour and fans:
I sincerely apologize for not being able to review the recent show as planned. Due to major issues with parking, ticket handling, and box office staff at the venue, I was unable to even enter. I know TOTO delivers incredible performances, and it’s frustrating that poor venue management prevented me from sharing that experience with your fans.
I hope to catch and properly review a future show under better circumstances. Your music—and your fans—deserve so much better treatment than what this venue provided.
nick funke 🐯 on X (formerly Twitter): “hey @HollywoodAmpSTL @LiveNation has ruined everything. tickets are outrageous, drinks are OUTRAGEOUS, and paid parking now!? when there’s NO OTHER CHOICE? Fuck off for real. / X”
hey @HollywoodAmpSTL @LiveNation has ruined everything. tickets are outrageous, drinks are OUTRAGEOUS, and paid parking now!? when there’s NO OTHER CHOICE? Fuck off for real.
Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
1 comment
The venue went downhill when they stopped letting people bring their own chairs, which was the last time I bought a ticket (Rush – Moving Pictures). It is now a money grab whereas you see, the owners and staff simply don’t care anymore.
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