PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc.

As seen in Construction Digest May 9, 2005

St. Louis Ballpark Update

PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc. lauds construction teamwork advancing $340 million project

The six-level stadium is emerging immediately
south of Busch Stadium.

With the St. Louis Cardinals beginning their final season in Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis, the region’s union construction labor-management group is lauding the teamwork that is advancing the team’s new $340 million ballpark. The six-level stadium emerging immediately south of Busch Stadium is on schedule to open at the start of the 2006 major league baseball season.

“The ballpark has been a model project for the St. Louis union construction industry,” says Jerry Feldhaus, PRIDE labor co-chairman, representing the St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO. “PRIDE has been monitoring the project closely to ensure it proceeds with the highest productivity and teamwork. Despite an extremely tight schedule that tests the skills of our union workforce daily, they have performed in exemplary fashion to make sure the Cardinals’ new home will be ready for the first pitch of the 2006 season.”

Founded in 1972, PRIDE stands for Productivity and Responsibility Increase Development and Employment and is the nation’s first and oldest voluntary labor-management organization. In an industry that relies on teamwork of diverse interests, PRIDE engages construction stakeholders in finding ways to work together for greater productivity, cost-efficiency and employment stability. PRIDE members include the AFL-CIO building trades, contractors, customers, architects, engineers and suppliers.

Local Workforce Sets the Pace

The new ballpark employs workers from virtually every St. Louis union construction trade. At its peak, it will employ 1,200 construction workers.

While Hunt Construction Group is managing the project, approximately 85 percent of the work is being performed by more than 50 local construction firms.

“The challenges will intensify at the end of the 2005 season when it becomes a 24/7 operation to demolish old Busch Stadium and rapidly ready the new ballpark for opening day 2006,” says John Loyd, who is managing the building process for team ownership. “We have supreme confidence in the ability of our workforce to pull it off. We have been delighted with their production to date.”

Designed by HOK Sport + Venue + Event, the new ballpark will present a classic brick façade enclosing 1.3 million square feet. The stadium will hold 46,000 people and offer exquisite sightlines and a panoramic view of the Gateway Arch and St. Louis skyline. The park will be adorned with 73 St. Louis Cardinals motif medallions.

“This being a baseball town, it is clearly the most anticipated project the city has seen since the Gateway Arch,” said Scott Wilson, PRIDE management co-chair. “The workmanship will define us for years to come. Given the national attention soon to focus on the project, PRIDE wants it to be a showcase of building teamwork to lure additional development to St. Louis.”

“Already, an unprecedented number of loft/condominium projects are under way downtown,” notes Rick Schaefer, PRIDE owner co-chair. “The stadium and plans for Ballpark Village are providing tremendous impetus to the revitalization movement.”