Ahead of this year’s home opener on Friday, Ballpark Village has prepared multiple viewing spaces for fans to still enjoy the game, even if COVID-19 prevention efforts mean they can't sit in Busch Stadium. The venue's recent upgrades allow for a different type of gameday experience at hot spots including the Budweiser Brew House Bud Deck Rooftop, Together Credit Union Plaza, and Sports & Social St. Louis.
Cardinals Nation, which opens back up on July 20, has one of the only seated spots to view games on its third-floor Budweiser Brew House Bud Deck Rooftop. (Tickets that include a food and beverage package can be bought here.)
“One of the great parts of this reopening timeline is that it's allowing us to debut features that are new to fans as part of the completion of Ballpark Village,” says Mike LaMartina, chief revenue officer at Ballpark Village.
One of those new features is the Together Credit Union Plaza, which sits in the middle of the neighborhood and offers a viewing experience for both home and away games. The 40,000-square-foot outdoor gathering space has more than 350 seats and a large LED screen. Food and beverage service will be available as well as grab-and-go food from the Sports & Social Meatball Stand, which opens on July 23. “This new centerpiece of Ballpark Village will be an important gathering place for the community for events and activities throughout the year,” says LaMartina.
Sports & Social St. Louis is a new sports bar, restaurant, and gaming venue that has more than 20 TVs and LED screens. The venue includes an outdoor patio space and overlooks the Plaza. Fans can also enjoy game days at The Bullock at Live! By Loews, which also overlooks the Plaza. It's an upscale environment with outdoor dining and a 15-foot LED viewing display. Guests can make a reservation or book a room here. The newly reopened FOX Sports Midwest Live! is another expansive venue with a wall of viewing screens and food and beverage services.
Ballpark Village is implementing a series of safety procedures for all spaces with guidance from the City of St. Louis Health Department and in compliance with the CDC’s recommendations for sanitation and social distancing. Daily health screenings and temperature checks are required for employees and vendors, and all locations must operate at under 75 percent capacity. Contactless ordering and paying systems have been installed as well as plexiglass partitions on tables that can’t be spaced six feet apart. More information on safety guidelines can be found here.
Back at Cardinals Nation, the Hall of Fame Museum will unveil a new special exhibit gallery called Bringing Home the Hardware which will be the ultimate baseball trophy room. “It’s celebrating the historic winning moments in Cardinals baseball, whether it be the team or the individual,” says Nate Green, director of operations at Cardinals Nation. “We’ve also turned one of the cases in the exit hallway into a bobblehead display with bobbleheads that date back to the 1960s.” Cardinals Nation will open its ground-floor restaurant for in-venue accommodations as well as exterior patio space and extended sidewalk seating on Clark Street. The Cardinals Authentics Shop, also located on the ground floor, is now open as well.
For superfans who want to live right by the actions, One Cardinal Way will open on August 1 at the corner of Clark and Broadway. The luxury residential tower has more than 200 units with direct views into Busch Stadium, and a stadium-facing amenity deck that features an infinity-edge pool, indoor/outdoor bar, outdoor LED viewing screen, and entertainment room. Baseballism St. Louis, Ballpark Village’s newest retailer, is also now open.
Another adjustment this year is the Cardinals Care 50/50 raffle tickets, which will be sold on the day of home and away games on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Cardinals Care is the foundation of the charitable arm of the Cardinals that works on St. Louis ballfields, youth sports programs, and a grant program. "It's a way for fans to help in giving back to the community," says Meghan Essman, director of community relations for the Cardinals. "We allocate the funds from the raffle to do good in our city."
Even though the 2020 baseball season won't be the same, Ballpark Village will still give fans a memorable experience. “We’ve been known for six years now as a destination for game days,” says LaMartina. “We’re not taking away the gameday experience; if anything we’re amplifying it for those who are here.”
