Anheuser-Busch to Anchor Ballpark Village

The St. Louis Cardinals and Cordish Cos., the developer working on Ballpark Village, today announced a licensing and sponsorship agreement with Anheuser-Busch to participate in the $100 million first phase of Ballpark Village. Financial terms of the deal with A−B weren't disclosed.

The Anheuser-Busch restaurant and beer garden will join Cardinals Nation and the St. Louis Live! Entertainment Plaza as one of the first three anchors of Ballpark Village’s first phase.

"Our investment in Ballpark Village is the next chapter in a long and storied history between Anheuser-Busch, the Cardinals, and the city of St. Louis," said Luiz Edmond, North American president of Anheuser-Busch InBev in a statement. "Not only will Ballpark Village enhance the way St. Louisans enjoy their city, but it will be the first impression many visitors get of downtown. We’re proud to help bring this vision to life. "

The A−B venue will include a restaurant featuring authentic German−inspired cuisine, more than 100 national and international beers on tap and live music on a nightly basis, an outdoor beer garden, and a rooftop deck with prime views into Busch Stadium.

"We are excited to have Anheuser-Busch join the Cardinals and the Cordish Companies as an anchor partner in the first phase of Ballpark Village, " said Bill DeWitt III, president of the Cardinals, in a statement. "Anheuser-Busch has always been a great partner of the Cardinals and their commitment to this project will strengthen an already great corporate relationship.

The construction of the approximately $100 million first phase of Ballpark Village is expected to get under way later this year following a public approval process and will include the development of more than 100,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space on two plus blocks along Clark Street just north of Busch Stadium.

The first phase will also include improvements to the streets, sidewalks, utilities and infrastructure on the entire 10−acre site to support the future phases of the project and will create more than 1,000 construction jobs and more than 500 permanent jobs, according to the development team.

The first phase of Ballpark Village will be anchored by a first−of−its−kind Cardinals venue called Cardinals Nation, which will total more than 30,000 square feet on three levels. Cardinals Nation will include a two-story restaurant, a Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, and a 300−plus seat rooftop deck with views of the game across Clark Street.

A central gathering place and plaza in Ballpark Village will be known as the St. Louis Live! Entertainment Plaza. St. Louis Live! will feature a 40−foot diagonal LED screen above a stage, through which the developers promise one of the best sports viewing experiences in the country.

"Anheuser-Busch and the Cardinals are not only two of the most recognizable brands in the world, they are also both St. Louis institutions, " said David Cordish, chairman of the Cordish Cos. "Their involvement makes Ballpark Village one of the most exciting projects in the country, while also ensuring that it is built on a successful foundation that is uniquely St. Louis."