Some people will remember a time back in 2006, when the Cardinals were in the World Series. The fans were in a feeding frenzy like sharks. Fans spilling into the streets after every playoff game. Souveniers, tickets & all kinds of memorabilia flying off the shelves at Busch Stadium. All around Busch Stadium Cha-Ching Cha-Ching could be heard from every available cash register. Then before a World Series Game - appeared the Cardinals Front Office (CFO) along with Mayor Francis Slay.

Amid the playoff hype, throngs of fans teaming to celebrate a championship & a city bursting at the seams for good news it is announced the Cardinals will build Ballpark Village on the site where Old Busch Stadium once stood.

I said this then & I will repeat it today, Ballpark Village will NEVER be built. The Cardinals pounced on a moment when they knew the fans & the city would give them anything they wanted in return for 1 thing... A World Championship.  The players delivered a Championship, the 10th for the team. The fans, city & players celebrated. Nothing wrong with celebrating.

Since then, the CFO has done more talking than building on the site which they claim someday will be Ballpark Village. To their credit they did pave a 1/4 of the site to provide the fans parking close to the stadium. They even named the parking lot Ballpark Village Parking Lot.  They charge a crazy price to park there, I think it is around $20 per car on gameday. How nice of the CFO to provide discount parking to the fans so close to the stadium. The FO also put a make shift fence up around the area to keep the crime out. A sad little fence, leaning in places, rusting in others. I think the fence is intented to keep ideas out of the area more than anything. The CFO even invested in tacky coverings for the fence. You know, pictures of the Cardinals celebrating a World Series Victory, the trophy, you know.. trying to stir memories of when the originally annouced the plan almost 3 years ago.

For most of 06, 07 & 08 the site was home to more mosquito's & trash than anything. A nice big hole or as I called it - A Money Pit. A pit the Cardinals plan on making money on. Whether the $$ is from the city in terms of tax breaks, or $$ from the fans for parking. The CFO will get blood out of the turnip before they actually admit they will not build on the site.

Now the CFO announce it will be a softball field. Correction, they sent out a press realease stating what will go there. I have yet to see a CFO rep speak to the media about the softball field. Hmmm.. wonder why... Ohh wee.. just what downtown needs, a softball field. I'm sure the homeless people in downtown will find a way to scrounge up some $$, get to Play It Again Sports, buy some used equipment & field a team.
Honestly, I'm sure there are a 100 better uses for the land than a softball field. Here are a couple ideas:

1) Make it a Green Space & Plant trees - there are never enought trees in the city
2) Build a Helipad & give tours of the city (for free)
3) Build a Mud Bog & have races on the weekend - everyone loves a good mud bog race
4) Build a Wal Mart on it - that would provide jobs
5) Have the city take the land via eminent domain & auction the property off - to developers!
6) Make it an outdoor skate rink/hockey rink - roller rink in the warm weather, ice skating in the winter!

I like the eminent domain idea myself. If some average working joe owned the land, all a developer would have to do is whisper sweet nothings to the city & -Poof- just like that the property would have a new owner.

It is obvious the Cardinals will drag their feet long & hard on this project. It is also obvious the Cardinals would rather spend the city's & taxpayers money than invest their own $$ on this project. Well who wouldn't. It is always easier to spend someone elses money than your own. Heck, the Jay Nixon even made a cameo at Busch Stadium yesterday announcing $1million dollars to the tourism fund for the All - Star Game.

Hey Jay, is there a reason why you held your press conference inside Busch Stadium & not on the site which will allegedly be Ballpark Village? I'm surprisex Jay Nixon didn't blame Matt Blunt for the failure of Ballpark Village to this point....

I think it is safe to say Ballpark Village will never be built.
I challenge the CFO, City & or other developer to PROVE ME WRONG!!!
You name the project, price & start/completion date.
I will be waiting to hear.....don't be shy!
I will even post the reply's on my blog for everyone to see....
I won't hold my breath.