Cards announce Ballpark Village plan

With next year's All-Star game fast approaching, the Cardinals on Wednesday announced a revised plan for Ballpark Village, a complex that will eventually replace the muddy eyesore left when the old Busch Stadium was torn down.

The project is expected to cost up to $600 million. Phase 1 will include a mix of office, entertainment and retail space on the eight-acre site. Phase 2 would add more, plus up to 250 residential units.The project was announced years ago but has hit several snags, most notably earlier this year when Centene Corp. dropped plans to relocate to Ballpark Village from suburban St. Louis, a move that would have brought 1,200 jobs to the city. The sluggish housing economy has also stalled the residential aspect of the project.

Still, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III said he is thrilled with the current plan.

"To be able to pull this off in this economic environment is quite a feat,' DeWitt said in a telephone interview.

Critics have dubbed the area "Lake DeWitt' as the project has lingered. Clearly visible over the left-centerfield stands of the new Busch Stadium, the huge hole left by the old ballpark fills with deep, brown water. Some civic leaders have expressed concern about the image that would project during baseball's midseason showcase.

DeWitt said preliminary site work will begin within weeks. By the All-Star game next July, he expects several buildings to be under construction. Other parts of the property will be used to house interactive displays and other events for the game, he said.

The project will include some tax incentives, but Mayor Francis Slay noted the city's share comes only from future tax revenue generated by the project itself. He said he will recommend immediate approval from aldermen.

Baltimore-based Cordish Co. remains the developer.

DeWitt said completion of Phase 1, at a cost of about $320 million, will depend on how quickly it gets the go-ahead from city and state leaders. How much development occurs in Phase 2 will depend upon several factors, Dewitt said, including how the economy is at that time.

The project is expected to result in 3,000 construction jobs and more than 2,000 permanent jobs, the Cardinals said.