ST. LOUIS — Restaurants are hiring extra bartenders. Police are ramping up patrols. And parking spot reservations are going fast as downtown prepares to host three major sporting events — plus a concert — expected to draw 100,000 people into the city’s core Saturday.
The Cardinals will play the Miami Marlins at 1:15 p.m. in its home opener series. The United Football League’s Battlehawks will take the field during its home opener game against the Arlington Renegades at 7 p.m. And, City SC will play FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m.
At 8 p.m., former Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright will perform as the opening act for the Zac Brown Band at Chaifetz Arena to a sold-out crowd.
“It’s not business as usual,†said Catherine Neville, vice president of communications for the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Convention and Visitors Commission. “It’s going to be crazy and so fun.â€
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Business owners are looking forward to the influx of customers. Jack Patrick’s Bar and Grill owner Kevin Liese said he expects to see double the sales of a non-game Saturday. He plans to open earlier than usual and staff extra bartenders and cooks. “This is going to be giant,†Liese said. “It’s our favorite time of the year.â€
It’s been a hard few years for downtown businesses, he said. Too many ºüÀêÊÓƵ County residents are hesitant to come downtown, wary of dangerous drivers, car break-ins and high-profile incidents like the recent crash that killed two concertgoers crossing a street.
“We’ve seen our fair share of hits. We’ve had a tough time bouncing back from COVID. We’re holding on because we have no competition,†Liese said. “ºüÀêÊÓƵ is no different than any other city. All downtowns have their downsides. You’re never going to convince the haters.â€
But busy days, like Saturday, are a chance to make a good first impression. Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III said he sees the concurrent events not as competition, but an opportunity to introduce downtown to newcomers.
Sometimes “the fans haven’t been downtown so you want to put on a good show and a fresh coat of paint comes out and it becomes something that we’re proud to showcase,†DeWitt said.
Getting there
The games and concert will attract local residents and out-of-town visitors to travel into ºüÀêÊÓƵ, and officials expect traffic congestion and competition for parking spots. But there should be enough spaces for everyone, if you’re able to walk a bit, Neville said.
She recommended fans carpool, use rideshares or public transit like the MetroLink, which has stops near the venues. Neville said there are roughly 30,000 spots close to The Dome at America’s Center, plus private lots that open for game day parking.
ParkLouie, ºüÀêÊÓƵ’ parking program, uses dynamic pricing on event days — but instead of charging a premium, metered street parking rates fall from $2.50 per hour to $1 per hour beginning two hours before an event, and for three hours afterward.
Felice McClendon, communications director for the treasurer’s office, said the most a driver can expect to pay for parking is $20 for any of the city garages and lots.
Though it’ll be a busy day, McClendon said there will be more than enough parking for each event because they’re staggered.
McClendon recommended event-goers reserve a parking spot if they have availability concerns and to leave valuables at home to prevent potential car break-ins. She also said there will be on-site staff on duty at all city parking locations during events.
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Metropolitan Police Department will have an increased presence downtown, said Capt. Thomas Zipf, with extra officers on patrol. All of the venues employ off-duty police officers, he said.
Department spokesperson Sgt. Charles Wall said police have been in contact with the owners and operators of lots and garages.
“The main importance is ensuring that the lots have staff throughout the entire event that is being held to ensure people are getting to their cars and there is still some type of security,†Wall said.
Bringing business downtown
Despite the perception that people are afraid to go downtown, about 80% of people in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region will, in fact, venture downtown at some point — and 80% of eventgoers will stay to go on a stroll or have a drink afterward, said Jerome Katz, a professor at ºüÀêÊÓƵ University’s Chaifetz School of Business.
For out-of-towners, ºüÀêÊÓƵ has enormous draws as a city. The Gateway Arch National Park is a constant magnet and the Cardinals sell more than 3 million tickets a season, Katz said.
“American cities are known by their downtowns. People are coming to ºüÀêÊÓƵ for things they know are downtown,†he said. “People will want to come back downtown. There’s a symbiosis of daily tourism and the event tourism.â€
Even before the baseball, football or soccer begins, fans’ pre-game festivities, tailgating — and then the afterparties — are sure to bring in money for the city, said Neville, of the tourism office. The city is also looking forward to revenue from people booking hotel rooms, buying gas and eating out at restaurants, she said.
Tracy Stamper, marketing director of Syberg’s Family of Restaurants, said while the local eatery is excited for the crowds, they’re more excited for ºüÀêÊÓƵ, in general.
“It’s a good show for the city, bringing all these people together,†Stamper said. “That’s what it’s all about. Obviously, we’re excited to be right there in the mix of it all.â€
On Ninth Street, sports fans and convention visitors keep Pharaoh’s Donuts busy.
“We’re a lot more busy during baseball and Battlehawk game days,†manager Jasmine Ivy said. “It’s going to pick up this weekend.â€
On days like Saturday, Ivy said the business sells out of doughnuts by noon, even though they make bigger batches of batter.
“People come by all day,†she said. “They walk by and smell doughnuts. We’re used to the crowds.â€
David Etling, Hi-Pointe Drive-In general manager, said the downtown location has definitely seen an increase in traffic from sporting events and conventions. Etling said that the restaurant sees about 60% more business during event days.
If anything, this Saturday only exemplifies the company’s belief that the neighborhood is full of potential.
“We have always been optimistic about downtown,†he said. “We think downtown is thriving just with everything going on.â€