|
A.K.A. Busch Stadium III
St. Louis, Missouri
Tenant: St. Louis Cardinals
Construction began: January 17, 2004
Opening: April 10, 2006
Capacity: 46,000+
Surface: Grass
Architect: HOK Sport
Construction: Hunt Construction Group
Owner: St. Louis Cardinals
Cost: $344.8 million
Public financing: $45 million long-term loan from St. Louis
County.
Private financing: $90.1 million from the Cardinals, $9.2 million
in interest earned on the construction fund, and $200.5 million in bonds
to be paid over a 22-year period ($15.9 million per year) by the team.
Anheuser-Busch agreed to a 20 year naming rights deal (through the 2025
season) which will help offset construction costs.
Location: Just south of the current Busch Stadium on the
existing south parking lot. Left field (N), Clark Street; third base
(W), Seventh Street; first base (S), Poplar Street; right field (E),
Broadway.
Dimensions: Left field: 336 feet; left-center: 390 feet;
center field: 400 feet; right-center: 390 feet; right field: 335 feet.
The St. Louis Cardinals became the first MLB team to finance
their own ballpark since the Giants began construction on SBC Park in
1997. Construction began in January 2004 and the ballpark is expected to
be ready for Opening Day 2006. The new Busch Stadium will share some of
the site of the stadium it is replacing. Similar how Great American Ball
Park in Cincinnati was built, part of the Cardinals' current ballpark
will be torn down, as needed, to make room for their new ballpark.
The project site, from the northern edge of current Busch
Stadium (Walnut Street) to the base of the elevated Interstate 40/64
highway (Poplar Street), gradually slopes down about 40 feet. This
seemingly ordinary topographical fact creates a fantastic site condition
for the New Ballpark that the architects have exploited in two ways.
First, by placing home plate in the southwest corner of the
site and lowering seating and scoreboard heights in center field, the
majority of spectators will have dramatic views of the Gateway Arch and
the downtown St. Louis skyline.
Second, when Clark Street is "rebuilt" through the
site after Busch Stadium comes down, fans and motorists traveling along
Clark Street will be able to enjoy unobstructed views into the ballpark,
including the playing field itself! These views will strengthen and
extend the connection between the New Ballpark and the emerging urban
neighborhood on the north side of Clark Street called Ballpark Village.
Perhaps the best outfield views of all will be from the balconies and
rooftops of the new buildings in the Ballpark Village.
The Cardinals intend to partner with developers to create a
mix of uses in the Ballpark Village, including retail, entertainment,
office, and residential facilities. A public plaza will provide a
perfect gathering spot for fans before and after games. In addition, the
Cardinals will locate their team museum -- one of the best in all of
baseball -- in the Ballpark Village.
The design of the New Ballpark takes into account the context
of downtown St. Louis, the colorful history of the Cardinals, and the
best attributes of the most successful ballparks built around baseball
in the last decade. With classic arched openings recalling the nearby
Cupples Station warehouses to the rich warm colors of the Wainright
building, this Ballpark is inspired by the classics. However, its
creative use of old and new materials, from brick and concrete to
exposed steel and glass, creates an architectural statement that stands
on its own, with a modern sensibility appropriate for the 21st century.
Of course, the premium spaces of the New Ballpark will bring
the comforts of conditioned space and gourmet food offerings to many of
our fans. But all fans will be able to experience service upgrades in
several key areas. Wider concourses all around, elevators and escalators
between levels, and perfect baseball sight lines for all seats in the
Ballpark will be obvious improvements over Busch Stadium.
Every fan who comes to the Ballpark will also enjoy improved
concessions, family entertainment options, and restroom conveniences
that were impossible to provide in Busch Stadium due to its age and
restricted configuration. There are also a number of unique standing
room and group gathering areas that will give fans limitless
opportunities to roam the Ballpark and take in spectacular views of the
action on the field.
Recent Articles on Busch Stadium:
More on Busch Stadium:
Recommended Reading:
|
