A project is underway to create a new, permanent chess club in St. Louis, likely to be located near the Central West End. The club would be initially subsidized by Rex Sinquefield, whom you may have read about recently in the Post Dispatch. The project would be undertaken if there was a good prospect that the club would be self-supporting 2-3 years after creation. It would be a good-sized facility capable of hosting tournaments with as many as 75 - 80 or more entrants. Chess lectures, classes, simuls and other events are contemplated, plus a chess library. Tentatively, the club would be closed on Monday and open the rest of the week, with operating hours from 3 to 9 PM weekdays and noon to 10 PM weekends, with hours adjusted for tournaments. It's expected that the club would become the site of most local tournaments and many regional ones as well. Efforts would be made to integrate chess scholastic activities into the club's agenda. Annual dues would likely be between $ 75 & $ 125 with special provisions for students and/or under 21. There would be a reimbursed manager and 10 -15 volunteer assistants. Keys to the club would be restricted to these individuals one of whom would open & close the club each day.
Purpose of this EMail is to ascertain the reaction & level of interest of the St. Louis chess community to this plan. Please respond to the questionnaire below via EMail to Bob Jacobs at: [email protected].