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Stadium design tops to-do list for newest MLS club

Carolyn Kindle Betz is part of a history-making ownership group.Dilip Vishwanat/St. Louis Business Journal

St. Louis is having quite a year. In June, the Blues won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Cardinals are in position to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. And last week the city was awarded the 28th franchise in MLS history, to an ownership group led by Enterprise Holdings Foundation President Carolyn Kindle Betz, who heads the league’s  first female majority-owned club.

 

The team still has a long way to go before its expected debut in 2022, but its plans for a new stadium — the town’s Board of Aldermen approved a stadium financing plan last year — already are moving forward. Sports Business Journal spoke with Kindle Betz two days after the announcement about what the immediate plans for the franchise will be. 

What is at the top of your to-do list?

KINDLE BETZ: Really it’s been around stadium design. We’ve got sort of a short window to get that worked on. We had two meetings yesterday with the architects. We’re getting closer to being able to unveil the concept in the next few weeks.

What sort of feedback have you gotten from the community about what they want to see in the new stadium?

KINDLE BETZ: We held a fan focus group back in June and a lot of the common themes was make sure you have local stuff, like restaurants, and that accessibility was very important.

What else will you be focused on in the short term?

KINDLE BETZ: We want to start working with our corporate sponsorships to get those deals signed and done, and we have things to offer them [now that we have a team], whereas before we didn’t. We’ve had letters of intent and handshakes, but we’re a couple months away from announcements, and the key piece is working on fan engagement as well. Then we get to start concentrating on the team name, the shield — the fun stuff.

This is the first female majority-owned club in MLS. What does that mean to you?

KINDLE BETZ: It’s exciting. Seven of the nine owners are family members, and having the opportunity to work with your sister, your mom, your aunt is a very rewarding exerience. Hopefully we can serve as a role model to any female at any age.

What has the reaction around town been like?

KINDLE BETZ: St. Louis has been fabulous as far as showing support. Sometimes I’ll be in line at Target and someone will give me a wink and a high five and say, “You can do this.” Everyone is very happy, one, that we got a win. Being awarded a pro sports franchise is a win.


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