He's really into sports.
Billy Corgan is bringing wrestling back to the Chase Park Plaza. Yes, that Billy Corgan.
The Smashing Pumpkins singer has found ways to occupy his time since the crash-and-burn ending of the grunge era. In addition to continuing to work on music and spending time performing long-ass gigs in his Chicago-area tea shop, the frontman has also invested in wrestling. Big time.
He bought the National Wrestling Alliance in 2017, but he’s been a part of the wrestling business for a decade now. Corgan founded Resistance Pro Wrestling in 2011 and later became the president of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling but left the company just a few years later.
And now he’s bringing the National Wrestling Alliance to St. Louis for a four-night engagement at the Chase Park Plaza (212 North Kingshighway Boulevard, 314-633-3000) in the Central West End.
The Chase (which is now actually, technically named The Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta St. Louis) famously held wrestling events that aired on television station KPLR 11 from 1959 until 1983. The “Wrestling at the Chase” show was extremely popular and was hosted by various famous St. Louisans like Cardinal Joe Garagiola Sr.
The location of these new matches is sure to give St. Louisans a bit of déjà vu, too, because the events will be held in the Chase’s Khorassan Ballroom, just like they were back in the day.
“To be here, to celebrate this community, and to have this community celebrate our return after 37 years is truly special to us,” Corgan said during a recent a press conference at the Chase.
This series isn’t all a nostalgia trip, though. The events will include the first-ever all-women’s wrestling pay-per-view event and a celebration of the National Wrestling Alliance’s 73rd anniversary called “NWA 73.”
Also of interest to locals: One of our own is a top contender for the NWA World Championship. So keep an eye out for Trevor Murdoch and make sure to cheer extra hard for our hometown guy, who the Riverfront Times has kept an eye on since 2012.
The events at the Chase run from Saturday, August 28, through Tuesday, August 31. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 5 p.m. through Ticketmaster.
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