Bratzel everygame!
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I find Busch Stadium middle of the road when it comes to beers. Yes, there are places that are better: there will always be. But saying its an embarrassment is too strong a term. I've been to stadiums/arenas in other cities that are still limited. AT&T Stadium in Arlington had to be the worse with Miller, Miller Lite and Coors as the only thing I could find in the whole non luxury areas. Or go to Dodger Stadium. They added a few craft beer stands last year but my jaw dropped when I say they charged $13 and $15 for 16oz cups.eee123 wrote:It's easy enough for me to avoid the overpriced Busch food. And with the advent of Stubhub, ticket face values are increasingly irrelevant.
But the fact that they don't sell 4 Hands beer, made within walking distance of Busch, is unfathomable. You can buy that at Kansas City's Stadium, but not here.
For St. Louis being one of the better beer cities in the country, Busch Stadium is an embarrassment in terms of beer. A-B could even put in some type of 'test kitchen' microbrewery of their own like Coors does at Coors Field in Denver.
Though I am jealous of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville which had a stand on their lower concourse that must have had 30 taps: primarily the local Yazoo stuff.
Given St. Louis' stature as one of the better beer cities in the country, Busch's selection most definitely is an embarrassment. DFW is a poor craft beer metro area, so I would expect their stadiums to also have poor beer selections.dweebe wrote:I find Busch Stadium middle of the road when it comes to beers. Yes, there are places that are better: there will always be. But saying its an embarrassment is too strong a term. I've been to stadiums/arenas in other cities that are still limited. AT&T Stadium in Arlington had to be the worse with Miller, Miller Lite and Coors as the only thing I could find in the whole non luxury areas. Or go to Dodger Stadium. They added a few craft beer stands last year but my jaw dropped when I say they charged $13 and $15 for 16oz cups.
Though I am jealous of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville which had a stand on their lower concourse that must have had 30 taps: primarily the local Yazoo stuff.
http://www.eater.com/2015/4/16/8340045/ ... beer-guideeee123 wrote:Given St. Louis' stature as one of the better beer cities in the country, Busch's selection most definitely is an embarrassment. DFW is a poor craft beer metro area, so I would expect their stadiums to also have poor beer selections.dweebe wrote:I find Busch Stadium middle of the road when it comes to beers. Yes, there are places that are better: there will always be. But saying its an embarrassment is too strong a term. I've been to stadiums/arenas in other cities that are still limited. AT&T Stadium in Arlington had to be the worse with Miller, Miller Lite and Coors as the only thing I could find in the whole non luxury areas. Or go to Dodger Stadium. They added a few craft beer stands last year but my jaw dropped when I say they charged $13 and $15 for 16oz cups.
Though I am jealous of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville which had a stand on their lower concourse that must have had 30 taps: primarily the local Yazoo stuff.
I swear when Busch 3 opened in 2006 Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select were the only options in the entire place. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Plus the still limited choices is partly an effect of the "Best Fans in Baseball". Other teams need to have different food selections and tons of craft beers in an attempt to get people to the game. The Cardinals know they can roll out nachos, chicken fingers and mostly Bud product knowing people will still come to the game.
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Given the amount A-B has been investing in craft and craft-like beers, you'd think they could easily swing some variety without disrupting their branding efforts.
They could easily bring in a bunch of the Goose Island beers since a number of them are even now made at the Soulard brewery.MarkHaversham wrote:Given the amount A-B has been investing in craft and craft-like beers, you'd think they could easily swing some variety without disrupting their branding efforts.
Here's what the Cardinals site says are the concession options. Menus are at the link:
Food & Beverages at Busch Stadium
The food options there are not bad. But they're pretty generic. There's an opportunity to sell St. Louis to baseball fans. But I don't see any impetus for the Cardinals owners to change that; they're doing just fine as-is.
-RBB
Food & Beverages at Busch Stadium
- BALLPARK FAVORITES (Main Level in section 162 and 169, also on Terrace Level 4 in section 432)
BROADWAY BBQ (Main level in section 509 near the bleachers)
DIZZY'S DINER (Main Level in section 139 and 161, also on the Terrace Level in section 446)
EL BIRDOS CANTINA (Main Level in section 148)
EL BIRDOS GOURMET NACHOS (Main Level in section 141)
GASHOUSE GRILL (Main Level in sect. 132, 146, 150, 154, Loge Level in sect. 233, also Terrace Level sect. 450)
HARDEE'S (Main level section 135, also Terrace Level in section 358)
TRIPLE PLAY (Main Level in section 152)
LEFT FIELD PAVILION (Loge Level in section 264 - 266)
TRIPLE PLAY (Loge Level in section 270)
PLAZA GRILL (Main Level in section 501)
RIVERVIEW CORNER (Terrace Level in section 432)
- Party Porch Grill (Loge Level in section 271)
Prairie Farms Family Pavilion (Main Level in section 507)
Specialty Fries and Nacho Portable - (Main Level located in section 131 by Gate Nacho Portable - (Main Level Located in section 150 by the Backstop Bar)
Food Network Hot Dog Bar
Farmer's Market - (Main Level Located in section 136 across from Hardee's).
The food options there are not bad. But they're pretty generic. There's an opportunity to sell St. Louis to baseball fans. But I don't see any impetus for the Cardinals owners to change that; they're doing just fine as-is.
-RBB
Once again that's the "Best Fans in Baseball" effect where the Cardinals don't really need to try real hard. At least the Rams tried to step their game up last year by adding the local fare like Strange Donuts, Crown Candy, Sugarfire and Sub Zero.rbb wrote:Here's what the Cardinals site says are the concession options. Menus are at the link:
Food & Beverages at Busch StadiumSPECIALTY AREAS
- BALLPARK FAVORITES (Main Level in section 162 and 169, also on Terrace Level 4 in section 432)
BROADWAY BBQ (Main level in section 509 near the bleachers)
DIZZY'S DINER (Main Level in section 139 and 161, also on the Terrace Level in section 446)
EL BIRDOS CANTINA (Main Level in section 148)
EL BIRDOS GOURMET NACHOS (Main Level in section 141)
GASHOUSE GRILL (Main Level in sect. 132, 146, 150, 154, Loge Level in sect. 233, also Terrace Level sect. 450)
HARDEE'S (Main level section 135, also Terrace Level in section 358)
TRIPLE PLAY (Main Level in section 152)
LEFT FIELD PAVILION (Loge Level in section 264 - 266)
TRIPLE PLAY (Loge Level in section 270)
PLAZA GRILL (Main Level in section 501)
RIVERVIEW CORNER (Terrace Level in section 432)That's not really representative of anything St. Louis at all. Where are the toasted ravs, slingers, St. Paul sandwiches, St. Louis-style pizza, gooey butter cake, etc? Heck there's not even a ribs or pork steak option at the BBQ places! But at least we're represented by "St. Louis Seasoned fries", whatever that is. The only local restaurant represented is Hardees.
- Party Porch Grill (Loge Level in section 271)
Prairie Farms Family Pavilion (Main Level in section 507)
Specialty Fries and Nacho Portable - (Main Level located in section 131 by Gate Nacho Portable - (Main Level Located in section 150 by the Backstop Bar)
Food Network Hot Dog Bar
Farmer's Market - (Main Level Located in section 136 across from Hardee's).
The food options there are not bad. But they're pretty generic. There's an opportunity to sell St. Louis to baseball fans. But I don't see any impetus for the Cardinals owners to change that; they're doing just fine as-is.
-RBB
I'd say we do an ok job of selling STL to baseball fans by having BB's, Beale on Broadway, Broadway oyster bar down the street, and the Soulard shuttle programs. As a fan, I'm not that really interested in buying the local fare at the game for a premium. Whether here or in another city I'd rather see the actual institutions that make the traditional local grub in their indigenous atmosphere. I'd rather eat a hotdog, peanuts, popcorn, and drink a beer in the ballpark, but then again, I oppose the DH, advocate using the hit and run, and the sacrifice bunt, so my opinion is likely becoming more and more in the minority.
Exactly. Even at Wrigley Field, which has a fairly poor selection (controlled by A-B, I think), there are tons of roving vendors with Goose Island Wheat, Pale and Sofie (saison).dweebe wrote:They could easily bring in a bunch of the Goose Island beers since a number of them are even now made at the Soulard brewery.MarkHaversham wrote:Given the amount A-B has been investing in craft and craft-like beers, you'd think they could easily swing some variety without disrupting their branding efforts.
Kansas City seems to have nearly every available Boulevard beer in their park.
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... ome-opener
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I've seen Shock Top constantly listed as "craft brew" in places like Busch Stadium and Fair St. Louis' "craft brew tent" (where all they had was Shock Top and Goose Island 312 wheat). I'm not sure why they do this - I don't think you're fooling anyone and you risk pissing off a lot of people like me that just want something decent from 4 Hands, UCBC, etc.eee123 wrote:dweebe wrote:
Given St. Louis' stature as one of the better beer cities in the country, Busch's selection most definitely is an embarrassment. DFW is a poor craft beer metro area, so I would expect their stadiums to also have poor beer selections.
sirshankalot,
Do you have any update you can share on the "company kicking the tires" downtown that you mentioned a few months back? Was always curious about this.
Do you have any update you can share on the "company kicking the tires" downtown that you mentioned a few months back? Was always curious about this.
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Went to BPV last night (more like forced to go) one of my friends won an happy hour special (odd to call it that when it was from 7 to 10). Bud/bud light were $3.50 as an happy hour special. So same price as a regular price at most places. I got a ShockTop (wasn't part of the deal) $6.50. SLMPD should swarm that place and arrest Dewitt for robbery and fraud.
I got roped in to one of these a month or so. Friend of our also "won" a happy hour. The more people she brought, the more towers of beer she would get for the group. She was supposed to get 5 or 6. Trouble was, they only had about half a dozen beer tower containers...they were always in use...so she got zero...And, as you say the reduced beer price thing only applied to a very limited selection of beers and then the happy hour price is about what you pay somewhere else.... Overall, I concluded "winning a happy hour" at BPV is just a clever marketing scheme used to get friends of the winner in the door so they can be fleeced.
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^You nailed it almost perfectly. Howl at the Moon actually will give ANYONE who 'enters to win' their happy hour one. It's a marketing scheme to get you to do their word of mouth outreach for them and draw people down. They make bank on these.
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Is Phase II ever going to happen?
It's amazing how quiet the club has been about this.
It's amazing how quiet the club has been about this.
That's what we've been wondering for years now. Actually, I'm still waiting for Phase I to happen; the glorified food court doesn't count, IMO. It's been very frustrating over here in STL.
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Yes. Cordish is just dragging their feet again. Look how long it took them to build One Light in KC. I'm starting to have my own doubts if the entire site gets developed, but I would bet my savings account on a Phase II and Phase III someday.KansasCitian wrote:Is Phase II ever going to happen?
It's amazing how quiet the club has been about this.
I applaud your optimism Chaifetz. The BPV track record makes me doubt the quality of a Phase II, the occurrence of any Phase III, and would make me hold those savings pretty tight. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority or all of a Phase II is just a large garage with ground floor retail on 2-3 sides.
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I personally would have rather had the site developed like the Banks in Cincy or the boulevard in Brentwood. This site is just depressing.
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Cordish is a scam.
Phase II should already be underway. I love St. Louis and I visit numerous times each year, but the suburban mall parking lot in the middle of the city is, quite frankly, embarrassing. Something needs to be done about this, and sooner rather than later.
The site is never going to be as grand as it was when it was first proposed, but I still believe apartment highrises would sell easily there.
Phase II should already be underway. I love St. Louis and I visit numerous times each year, but the suburban mall parking lot in the middle of the city is, quite frankly, embarrassing. Something needs to be done about this, and sooner rather than later.
The site is never going to be as grand as it was when it was first proposed, but I still believe apartment highrises would sell easily there.