The St. Louis Cardinals are making another run at a Ballpark Village development next to Busch Stadium, calling for a a 100,000-square-foot retail and entertainment complex.
It’s a yearly occurrence, it seems: a Ballpark Village was in the original plans for Busch Stadium, but the Cards and Cordish Co. could never quite pull the trigger on a development deal that made economic sense. Since then the team has made a yearly run at a development on the site of the old Busch Stadium site.
Under the new plan, the Cardinals would actually be the major tenant in the complex with a Cardinals Hall of Fame, retail store, restaurant and outdoor event space. This space would be centered around a plaza featuring a retractable roof; Cards officials estimate the space could hold 150 events a year.
Cards officials say the development is already 80 percent leased. If approved by the city, it could be ready for the 2014 season.
One big difference with this version: the Cards and Cordish are largely financing the $100-million development on their own, seeking only $18 million in tax-increment financing. In addition, existing surface lots once envisioned as part of the complex will remain devoted to parking for now; they’re pegged for future development.
Image courtesy of the St. Louis Cardinals.
RELATED STORIES: Cards unveil latest plans for Ballpark Village; Development and ballparks: today’s good and bad news
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