Art gallery → Modern building art design; the Busch Stadium
Where as the old stadium was a fully enclosed “cookie-cutter” facility similar to Riverfront, Veterans, Three Rivers and Atlanta-Fulton County stadiums, the new stadium is similar to the many other HOK designed “retro-classic” fields. Like all those, it offers a panoramic view of the downtown skyline.
The Gate 3 entrance on the west side of the stadium is most iconic, with a large “bridge” resembling the Eads Bridge arching over the entrance. Outside this entrance also stands a bronze statue of Cardinals legend Stan “The Man” Musial. Other Cardinals statues that previously surrounded Busch Memorial Stadium are now displayed at the corner of Clark and Eighth streets, outside the Cardinals’ team store. The exterior contains historical plaques of Cardinals logos, the STL insignia and a Busch Stadium logo behind home plate.
After St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Rick Hummel was honored with the J. G. Taylor Spink Award and induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, the Cardinals renamed the stadium’s press box the “Bob Broeg-Rick Hummel Press Box”, honoring the two local writers enshrined in Cooperstown.
The planned Ballpark Village residential and entertainment complex was to be built on the site of the former Busch Memorial Stadium across the street from the new ballpark. Plans have not materialized and the Cardinals in March 2009 decided to temporarily use the land for parking and a softball field.
During a weather incident during a July 2006 game vs the Atlanta Braves, portable concession stands were knocked over, the infield rain tarp was damaged, and plastic sheets used to protect the press box were dislodged. As a result of the storm at least thirty spectators were injured, of whom five were taken to the hospital. As a result of the storm, the stadium now has designated shelter areas for such disasters which are located throughout the ballpark.
Following Juan Encarnación’s face injury on August 31, 2007, workers extended the screen from dugout to dugout during the 07-08 off season.
Fans at the stadium have access to a large amount of food and drink options, ranging from standard ballpark fare like bratwurst, nachos and peanuts to St Louis-area favorites such as pork steak sandwiches and toasted ravioli. Budweiser holds the beer contract for the stadium as one would expect, but most recently the smaller Saint Louis Brewery has been making inroads, selling Schlafly beer in bottles at a growing number of concession stands. Tickets for five all-inclusive areas are sold on a single game basis, with amenities running the gamut from the ritzy Champions Club (offering a multiple-course buffet, plasma televisions, a chance to get on television or radio as a broadcast booth is located inside the club, and a full bar) to the more family-oriented Scoreboard Patio (with table seating for four in center field and a more traditional selection of food). Cardinal management also allows outside food and drink (including soft-sided drink coolers); as a result, it is not uncommon to see vendors selling discounted bags of peanuts and bottles of soda and water, or even scalpers including a box of Cracker Jack with BUSCH STADIUM TICKETS. Get Comcast Center Tickets and Caesars Palace Tickets to compare the art designs.















