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St. Louis readies for thousands of All-Star tourists
(by Kara Krekeler - July 08, 2009)
If there was ever any doubt that St. Louis is a baseball town, the impending arrival of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game has stomped it out.
Streetlight banners, building-sized posters and even miniature versions of the Gateway Arch, all touting the July 14 showdown between the National and American leagues, are scattered throughout Downtown. Local art galleries and museums are displaying baseball-centric exhibits. Even local advertising for insurance companies and other non-sports-related businesses are now baseball-themed.
“It’s not just one entity — the whole destination area is preparing for the visitors coming in,” said Donna Andrews of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.
Andrews said that the CVC is expecting around 230,000 people to attend All-Star events, including the game, the home run derby July 13, the five-day All-Star FanFest at the America’s Center and a host of activities that will be held on the Arch grounds July 11. About half of that number live within an hour or two of St. Louis, while the other half will fly or drive to the city.
Seventh Ward Alderman Phyllis Young, whose ward includes much of Downtown, noted that while St. Louis certainly wants to be a good host to the masses that are pouring into the city for the event and make sure everything runs smoothly, the city recognizes how important this week is to its future tourism and development. By showcasing the vitality of the city — and particularly a vibrant downtown — there’s a chance to fill some of the empty spaces in buildings around town, Young said.
“This could be very important for our future. The more publicity we have that’s positive,” the better it is for the city, she said, noting that the New York Times ran an article about the newly opened Citygarden in the Gateway Mall. The public sculpture garden was designed and completed in just two years in order to be open in time for the All-Star Game.
To aid in that positive national coverage, Andrews said that the CVC is working on reaching out to the media that will be in town to cover the All-Star Game, partnering with the Regional Chamber and Growth Association to provide B-roll footage, local trivia and other “well-rounded, good information” to media outlets.
Andrews noted that hotels, restaurants and businesses across the board have stepped up their efforts to prepare for massive crowds, which are expected to boost the region’s economy by $60 million. The CVC is reaching out to All-Star tourists by expanding the hours of its visitor centers, placing greeters at the airport and promoting an “All-Star for Everyone” hotel and entertainment package on its website.
“People are coming in for everything, not just the game, and that’s the message we want to send out: it’s open to everyone, even if you don’t have a ticket to the game or the home run derby,” Andrews said. “You don’t need a ticket to come downtown and participate in the excitement.”
Andrews said that much of the appeal is simply being where the action is, even if one can’t be inside the stadium. When she visited New York during last year’s All-Star Game (which was held at the old Yankee Stadium), people were excited just to be near the stadium, even if it meant watching the game at a nearby bar or restaurant, she said.
And local attractions are making sure that those without tickets have plenty to do. On July 11, the Arch will host a full day of events that highlight St. Louis’ strong baseball history, beginning with an 1860-rules game between the St. Louis Perfectos and Cyclone Base Ball Club at 11 a.m., followed by a big-screen viewing of the Cardinals-Cubs game in Chicago at 3:10 p.m. Rounding out the day is a charity concert featuring Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello at 8 p.m.
Also that day, the Arch’s Museum of Westward Expansion will open an exhibit tracing St. Louis’ role in the westward expansion of baseball, which includes everything from soldiers at Jefferson Barracks helping create a standardized set of rules to Cardinals Manager Branch Rickey introducing the farm team system in the 1920s to the invention of the Cardinals Radio Network. The exhibit will remain on display through the end of the year.
“Knowing that so many people are coming to St. Louis for the All-Star Game, we have a good opportunity at the Arch to give them a good experience and add to their weekend,” said Caitlin McQuade, curator of exhibits at the Museum of Westward Expansion.
During the festivities, access to the Arch grounds will be similar to what it is during Fair St. Louis, with safety checkpoints to make sure that no alcohol, pets, glass bottles or bikes make their way onto the grounds, McQuade said. She also noted that the Arch staff is working on promoting public transportation during All-Star week.
“We get about 2 million visitors a year, so we’re no stranger to crowds,” she said. “I think we’ll be pretty geared up for it.”
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