In addition
to being a vibrant part of our community, heritage and spirit,
sports also is one of the region's strongest economic development
engines. The St. Louis teams are well known internationally,
and so are their fans. In fact, according to a recent study
by Scarborough Sports Marketing, St. Louis has the second
highest concentration of Major League Baseball fans out of
64 markets. The study notes that 31 percent of adults in St.
Louis have a high level of interest in the national pastime,
more than double the national average. Our fans know
how to cheer our teams to victory.
This
month's cover story focuses on three of the region's sports
franchises--St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis
Rams--team owners and the business of sports and what they bring
to the region. St. Louis is fortunate to have three franchises
of such renown.
The
Blues just finished a season in which they won more games
in the regular season than ever before, winning the prized
NHL Presidents' Trophy. While their loss in the first round
of the playoffs makes the year bittersweet, the core of young
talented players that will be returning next year and seasons
to come offer great hope for the coveted Stanley Cup.
As
for the Cardinals, they have already gotten off to a terrific
start, with a percentage of .680 as of May 1. The Cards set
a record for home runs in April in the Major League and tied
the National League record for home runs in any month. What
is particularly noteworthy is that only seven of those swats
were Mark McGwire's. Everyone's hitting home runs! Even more
promising is that while
the power hitting continues, it is now backed with solid pitching.
We're
also blessed to have the Rams here, bringing St. Louis its first
NFL Championship. And we have not forgotten that were it not for
the willingness of the members of the Missouri Legislature to
invest in the building of the TWA Dome, there would have been
no return of the NFL to St. Louis, and no Super Bowl Championship
for our community.
To
express our thanks to the Legislature for their early support
of the team and the TWA dome, John Bachmann, managing partner,
Edward Jones and chairman of the RCGA, led a contingent of Rams
players--Mike Jones, and Grant Wistrom--Bob Wallace representing
the Rams ownership, and the Rams cheerleaders, to Jefferson
City last month for a special appearance at the General Assembly.
Above:
Mike Jones shares a few Super Bowl stories with the House
of Representatives. Left
to Right: Dick
Fleming, president and CEO of the RCGA; John Bachmann, chairman
of the RCGA; Grant Wistrom, Rams Defensive End; Mike Jones,
Rams Linebacker; Steve Gaw, House Speaker; Rams Cheerleader;
Bob Wallace, Rams senior vice president.
Given the well
documented economic impact that the TWA Dome, America's Center,
and the Rams have each had, the state's return on its investment
in the Dome has been immense in the form of a growing tourism
and sports economy and hundreds of millions of dollars of its
expanded fiscal base.
In
fact, together the three teams have a total annual economic impact
of $532 million in the region. This month's cover story delves
into these three successful franchises and their multiple benefits
to the region.
Richard C.D. Fleming
President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
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