[wp_youtube]4rUNKMsGhAw[/wp_youtube]
Like Clint Eastwood appearing in the doorway of a spaghetti western, Anheuser-Busch has officially entered the MLS bid process, joining with Jeff Cooper in a suddenly very strong bid for a St. Louis club. A-B InBev is also giving the 32 acre Anheuser-Busch Center (Soccer Park) to St. Louis United for potential construction of a stadium.
“In my opinion, when you have the backing of the best company in the world, it helps your bid significantly” said potential investor, Jeff Cooper.
“Anheuser-Busch InBev is giving the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton to Jeff Cooper and St. Louis Soccer United, opening the possibility a Major League Soccer team could play on the Missouri side of the river.
Such a move would significantly alter the nature of Cooper’s bid as MLS’ self-set deadline for adding two expansion teams fast approaches, but it may not be enough to overcome strong bids in Portland and Vancouver. Vancouver looks to be a done deal and if the Portland City Council approves a stadium financing plan today, they look good for the other spot.
But it overcomes one of the main concerns the league has had about the St. Louis bid, that its proposed stadium in Collinsville is too far away from the team’s potential fan base and will strengthen the future prospects.
In addition to giving SLSU the land, A-B is throwing its muscle behind soccer, both professional and amateur.
The company, which expects to receive some tax benefits from the donation of the 32-acre soccer park, said it wants to be sure that the park remains the hub of youth soccer in the St. Louis area. The company has signed a non-binding letter of intent to transfer the property, to be followed within two months by a binding contract.
A-B expects that contract to include language ensuring that youth clubs throughout the St. Louis area “have a shot at using the facility,” said Dan McHugh, vice president of media, sponsorship and activation at Anheuser-Busch Inc.
“Really, the idea here is to preserve youth soccer,” said McHugh. “Our gentlemen’s agreement is really making sure the park is operated in much the same way as it’s operated today.”
The deal speaks to Anheuser-Busch’s “commitment to our project, to youth soccer and to the St. Louis community at large,” Cooper said by phone from England. “In my opinion, when you have the backing of the best company in the world, it helps your bid significantly.
“Second, it gives us a stadium opportunity on the Missouri side potentially. We to have work out issues, explore them and figure whether we can put a stadium there, but it gives us options in that regard. It also shows the credibility of our bid that Anheuser-Busch is throwing its lot in with us. They believe in the project enough to go this far. I think it’s a three-fold improvement in the bid.”
Some issues would have to be dealt with at the Soccer Park site. Highway access is extremely limited, as is parking. Also, the site is occasionally flooded out by the adjacent Meramec River and that would have to be addressed.
If MLS passes on St. Louis in this round, Cooper sounds resolute to keep going.
“Our goal is to make our bid as strong as possible,” he said. “We’ll get a team. We may not get it this month, but over the next year or so, we will get a team. And when we get a team, we want it to be 100 percent sustainable for generations. That’s what will make the franchise great. It’s incumbent on us to do it right when we do it. If our announcement throws off the process, it’s OK with me. I’d rather do it right than do it now.”
Also, Anheuser-Busch, the league’s only remaining original corporate sponsor, has begun to lobby on behalf of Cooper’s group.
“We’ve had a dialog and discussion with the league,” said Dan McHugh, vice president of Media, Sponsorship and Activation, Anheuser-Busch Inc. “We’re letting them know our efforts, emphasizing its such a thriving soccer community and that it makes so much sense that a franchise ends up in the North American soccer capital. We’ll do anything Anheuser-Busch can do to not only get that effort, but support that and preserve youth soccer programs within the St. Louis community.”
