Contemporary Cuisine and Exclusive Merchandise Offer Made-to-Order Options
ST. LOUIS (March 26, 2008) – The third season at Cardinals Busch Stadium promises to get personal with more made-to-order cuisine and custom-designed merchandise than ever before on the first level of the ballpark.
Palate Pleasers
Some of the most noticeable and exciting additions to the ballpark this year will be just inside Gate 1, according to Dan Fetcho, general manager of Sportservice at Busch Stadium. Here, Sportservice has added an Asian action portables station, where hungry fans can custom-order hearty Chinese food.
These portables (so-named for the chow mein containers in which they will be served, complete with chop sticks or forks, for the chop stick-challenged) are a stir-fry dish that can be customized with guests’ choice of vegetables, meat and sauce, and served with rice or noodles.
“This is some of the best Chinese food in St. Louis,” said Jeramie Mitchell. “Plus, guests can make it a healthier option through their choice of meat, veggies and sauce.” Also, the pricing is similar to Chinese food prices outside of the stadium.
Next to the Asian action portables station, fans will be greeted by aromas wafting from Sportservice’s recent investment in a baseball tradition. Sportservice has purchased an old-fashioned peanut roaster to toast fresh peanuts for guests streaming into the stadium – bringing back memories of baseball’s yesteryear.
An American favorite, the French fry, also received a makeover in the off-season. A new fry action station inside Gate 1 will offer guests a personalized treat with three choices of seasonings and toppings, including Cajun, garlic-Parmesan or chili-cheese.
Other cuisine highlights include:
- Kid’s meals, featuring Famous Amos Cookies, include a hot dog, bag of chips and choice of milk or juice. These perfectly portioned portables are offered at Family Pavilion locations. Kids will also enjoy Frog Spit, a green ice cream dessert named for its color, which is also available at Family Pavilion.
- Pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are back by popular demand at Broadway BBQ. These tantalizing treats are slow-cooked on site with Sportservice’s own smokers and are complimented with baked beans, hot roasted corn, barbecue wings, homemade coleslaw and potato salad.
- Health-conscious offerings such as grilled chicken, veggie burgers, veggie burritos and salads are available at several location, in addition to the BLT wrap and patty melts on rye. Vegetarians should note that in 2007, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) ranked Busch Stadium as being in the top five vegetarian-friendly facilities.
- Hot Links, a spicy sausage with a red casing that is similar to the well-known Chicago red hot sausage, satisfies fans at Diamond Box near in-seat service sections 141-145.
- Super Burritos, made with beef and rice and wrapped in a flour tortilla and grilled, pleases guests at Gate 148.
- New offerings at the Red Bird Club include a cupcake bar with eight flavors of made-in-house cupcakes, as well as the Hot Salsiccia and Hot Link action station (for which, the sausage is made locally and served with caramelized onions and peppers). The live-action cooking at this club enhances the experience, and guests can also enjoy numerous gelato flavors as a dessert.
- The stadium’s luxury suites continue to enchant baseball fans with the wide array of gourmet offerings. From hand-rolled spicy tuna and California crab sushi rolls, to fried artichokes stuffed with feta, and shrimp scampi ravioli, even the most discriminating palate will be amazed. Other offerings include antipasto spidini skewers, bacon-wrapped scallops, turkey-BLT “sliders” (a comfort food with a twist) and spinach and artichoke pizza. And if guests have room, a vast array of desserts is available from the ever-popular traveling dessert cart.
Something Special
For fans looking for a premiere game-day experience, there are several new and improved areas available (see below). Live-action cooking, unique food items and fresh buffets compliment these all-inclusive experiences for guests celebrating a special day or entertaining a large group.
The Champions Club is a new, all-inclusive area of the park where guests can experience live cooking at the Pasta action station. Additionally, the club offers a buffet featuring a carving station and quality baseball fare, including hot dogs, bratwursts and nachos. (Tickets are sold out for 2008.) Amenities include:
- Full-service bar
- Reserved outdoor seating
- Several flat-screen TVs
- Private entrances and restrooms
- Exclusive access to the Club lounge
The MVP Deck is a new, covered outdoor party deck overlooking the left, center field bleachers. Guests enjoy a two-hour buffet featuring hot dogs, barbecue beef, boneless chicken breast and other baseball fare. Beverage service is also available, and tickets are sold individually or in groups of 18 or 36.
The Left Field Landing is a new, all-inclusive area nestled in the left field corner next to the scoreboard patio, offering a great view from the field box level. It also includes a two-hour buffet and beverage service. The area can accommodate a group of up to 28, with tickets available in increments of two.
Shop Until You Drop
The devil may wear Prada, but Cardinals’ fans and Fredbird love to sport their red, so many of the enhancements at the stadium this year are on the shopping side of the game. Most notable is the newly renamed “The Official Cardinals Team Store.”
Guests will notice new signage and easier navigation to The Official Cardinals Team Store, located at 8th and Clark, and its three “Fans’ Nest” satellite locations, named for their proximity to local streets for fans’ convenience (stadium maps have also been updated):
- The Fans’ Nest at Home Plate
- The Fans’ Nest at Riverview
- The Fans’ Nest at Broadway
Fans can now personalize their shopping experience more than ever, as Sportservice has added the new “Your Name Here” jersey personalization option. Jerseys can be purchased at the Fans’ Nest at Broadway near Gate 1 or brought from home. Sportservice will embroider fans’ names while they watch the game. In-seat delivery is the finishing touch to this one-of-a-kind service.
For little league-sized fans, a new Fredbird case at The Official Cardinals Team Store houses huggable, loveable Fredbirds ranging from 11 inches to 36 inches.
Other retail additions in 2008 include:
- Plus-size T-shirts for men and women – sizes range from XS to XXXL in certain styles
- Cardinals Mrs. Potato Head (following the popularity of Mr. Potato Head in 2007)
- New home goods, including Cardinals-branded glassware and wine sets
- Photographic artwork, featuring the stadium and famous players on canvas
- “Bling,” including a Swarovski Crystal-encrusted baseball cap
- Signed memorabilia