Work has officially begun on the second phase of the Ballpark Village development next to Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, after a groundbreaking on a $65-million Live! by Loews hotel, developed by The Cordish Companies and the Cardinals.
The second phase of Ballpark Village has been budgeted for $260 million. Groundbreaking for the project was held Tuesday. It’s the second Live! by Loews project tied to MLB baseball; the first will open in Arlington and the new Texas Rangers ballpark as part of the Texas Live! development.
“We are thrilled to partner with Loews Hotels & Co on their first St. Louis hotel,” said Bill DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals. “Live! by Loews – St. Louis, MO will be an incredible anchor for Ballpark Village and a tremendous step forward in fulfilling our vision of creating a world-class, mixed-use destination next to Busch Stadium.”
Loews Hotels & Co has made a commitment to expand its Midwest presence over the course of the last several years, with the additions of Loews Chicago, Loews Chicago O’Hare and Loews Minneapolis. Earlier this year Loews announced the 800-room, Loews Kansas City Convention Center Hotel, which will open in 2020.
“We continue to make deliberate investments in growing Loews Hotels & Co, in key markets around the U.S., with nearly $2 billion in hotel development projects underway. Today marks a first as we expand into the St. Louis market,” says Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels & Co. “Partnering with The Cordish Companies and the St. Louis Cardinals allows us to focus on bringing the Loews hotel experience to market with absolute confidence.”
“Loews Hotels & Co is one of the most respected hoteliers in North America and their involvement is a tremendous coup for Ballpark Village and the City of St. Louis,” said Blake Cordish, Vice President of The Cordish Companies. “Live! by Loews – St. Louis, MO represents a partnership between three great companies, brands and families. Today’s celebration is a major step forward in transforming Ballpark Village into a vibrant 24/7 neighborhood for downtown St. Louis.”
Live! by Loews – St. Louis, MO will become the second hotel to carry the Live! by Loews name. The first announced location, Live! by Loews – Arlington, TX, is currently under construction and will open in the heart of the Arlington Entertainment District between the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park and the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Live! by Loews – Arlington, TX will anchor the $250 million world-class Texas Live! dining, entertainment and hospitality destination, opening August 9, 2018 in partnership between The Cordish Companies, the Texas Rangers and the City of Arlington.
Designed by HKS Architects Hospitality Studio, the hotel’s exterior architecture and interior design will be influenced by local St. Louis character and the rich history of the St. Louis Cardinals, including inspiration used for Busch Stadium. On the exterior of the building, a 6-story mural will artistically show the footprints of Busch Memorial Stadium (Busch II) and the current Busch Stadium, a celebration of old and new. Throughout the interior of the hotel, designed elements will be carried through by locally-inspired artwork, fabrics and textures.
Rendering courtesy Loews Hotels & Co.
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