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BUSCH STADIUM
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ST. LOUIS, MO
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A new chapter
in Cardinals history began in April 2006 when the team christened
Busch Stadium. For more than five decades fans have been attending
games at different Busch Stadiums as the Cardinals have moved into
new ballparks. Throughout the late 1990s the Cardinals began
lobbying for a new ballpark to replace old Busch Stadium.
Like nearly every team in baseball the
owners of the team wanted a new ballpark to bring in additional
revenues from luxury and club seats. Although many fans were sad to
see old Busch Stadium demolished, a new chapter in Cardinals history
is now open at the new Busch Stadium containing many new memories.
By 1995 the old Busch
Stadium was nearly 30 years old and the Cardinals began to lobby for
a new ballpark. The most logical location sought to construct a new
stadium for the team was in downtown St. Louis. For several years
the Cardinals struggled to obtain financial assistance from the city
for construction. By 2000 the team began exploring options to build
a ballpark East of the Mississippi River in Illinois including a
location in Madison, IL near the Gateway International Raceway. Many
fans preferred that a ballpark be built downtown and in June 2001
they got there wish as the Cardinals and the State of Missouri
signed a contract to build a new ballpark in downtown St. Louis,
adjacent to their old ballpark. Construction of
Busch Stadium began in December 2003 with official groundbreaking
ceremonies occurring on January 17, 2004. In August 2004, the Cardinals and
Anheuser-Busch
agreed on a 20 year contract to keep the Busch Stadium name alive.
Busch Stadium is owned by the Cardinals and was privately financed
using a combination of private bonds that the Cardinals are required
to repay, bank loans, cash from the owners of the Cardinals and a
long-term loan from St. Louis County.
On
April 10, 2006 the St. Louis Cardinals made their debut at Busch
Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers. As fans approach the ballpark
many walk by the old site of Busch Stadium and enter on the field
level. The facade of the ballpark consists of brick and steel, with
arched openings at the main entrances, with the arches reminisce of
nearby warehouses. For the first half of the season, a small section
of Busch Stadium in left field was not complete. Construction of
this section was not able to begin until the old Busch Stadium was
demolished. By July 2006, Busch Stadium was complete and has a
seating capacity of 46,700. As fans roam the large open co ncourses and take their seat to watch
the Cardinals, they have one of the best views found in any
ballpark. Beyond the outfield area, is the skyline of downtown St.
Louis and the Gateway Arch. Busch Stadium consists of three main
seating decks with the main concourse, loge concourse, and terrace
concourse levels. Bleachers
are
found in the both left and right field providing fans a different
view of the action on the field. All the concourses are open
including the upper level to allow fans views of the field while
getting concessions. The main scoreboard is located above the
seating area in right-centerfield with an out of town scoreboard to
the right of the main scoreboard. The bullpens are found in left and
right centerfield. From nearly anywhere in the ballpark fans have
magnificent views of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch. Busch
Stadium has many gathering and party areas including the US
Cellular Family Pavilion where fans can enjoy interactive games and
activities, the Coca-Cola Rooftop Deck and the Backstop Bar.
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The Cardinals plan to build a Ballpark Village beyond
centerfield of the new ballpark, on the site of the old Busch
Stadium. This area may contain a Cardinals Hall of Fame, an
aquarium, restaurants, shops, offices, residential units and
parking areas. Some of the buildings in this area of the
ballpark may have rooftop viewing, like Wrigley Field in
Chicago. As of 2012 the Ballpark Village has yet to be
constructed due to financing issues. The site remains an open
grassy and parking area next to Busch Stadium. Fans will come to
love Busch Stadium as it a traditional ballpark that fits into
the St. Louis landscape. The Cardinals became the first team
since the New York Yankees in 1923 to open a new stadium and win
the World Series in 2006. In 2011 the Cardinals celebrated their
11th World Series Championship as they beat the Texas Rangers.
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FACTS & FIGURES
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-Tenant: St. Louis
Cardinals
-Capacity:
46,700
-Surface:
Grass
-Cost:
$344 Million
-Opened:
April 10, 2006
-Dimensions: 336-L, 390-LC, 400-C, 390-RC, 335-R
-Architect:
HOK Sport
-Owner: St. Louis Cardinals
-Former Name(s): None
-Naming Rights: Anheuser-Busch, 20 years contract through 2025 |
--Public Financing: 12%: Loan from St. Louis County
-Private Financing: 88%: $90.1 from Cardinals, $200.5 million
bonds, naming rights agreement
-Busch Stadium Seating Chart
-Home Dugout: First Base
-Busch Stadium Ground Rules
-Directions & Parking
-Fan Experiences |
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CURRENT WEATHER AT BUSCH
STADIUM
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MAP & DIRECTIONS TO
BUSCH STADIUM
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Address:
700 Clark
Street, St. Louis, MO 63102
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HOTELS NEAR BUSCH
STADIUM
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MEMORABLE MOMENTS
AT BUSCH STADIUM
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World Series: 2006, 2011
All Star Game: 2009
Starting pitcher Mark Mulder earned a win and hit a homerun in the first
major league game at Busch Stadium.
2008 & 2009 MVP Albert Pujols.
Gold Glove winners Albert
Pujols (2006, '10), Yadier Molina (2008, '09, '10), Adam Wainwright
(2009).
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