The original stadium that was home to St. Louis’ various teams has finally been demolished, with the grandstands taken down and the fields taken on. At the moment there’s little more than a muddy patch and a pool full of tepid water that needs to be drained. Soon enough, though, the whole area will be replaced by offices, retailers and restaurants, the usual fillers on commercial ground these days. The entire project is expected to be completed well after 2010.

Alas, poor stadium. You stood for so long and you endured so much; a shame that your long lifetime finally had to come to an end. Rest in peace, Busch Stadium.

Sportsman’s Park, the original Busch Stadium, had a steadily rising capacity for spectators.It was originally built in 1881 with seating for 8,000 people. By 1902 renovations had bumped that number up 10,000 seats to 18,000. The stadium ended its expansion at 30,500 with further renovations; as it is no longer used for baseball, it probably seats quite a few less spectators than before.

Busch Stadium the second, now destroyed, varied in its spectators. Baseball required more room to play and consequently only allowed close to 50,000 people; football, on the other hand, allowed for 60,000.

The newest Busch Stadium is actually smaller than its older namesake, with close to 47,000 spots for spectators. That number will probably increase with time and renovations, however.

The original Busch Stadium has been around a lot longer than that, and was originally known as Sportsman’s Park. It was first opened in 1881 but didn’t become the official home for the Cardinals until 1923. It was also previously the home of the NFL’s version of the Cardinals.

In 1966, however, the original stadium was replaced by the new Busch Memorial Stadium. That stadium remained the official venue of the Cardinals until 2006, when they moved once again to yet another Busch Stadium (sometimes dubbed Busch Stadium III). They’ve been enjoying games there ever since.

Busch Stadium/Sportsman’s Park has since been renovated a bit - the grandstands are gone - and is a field for a variety of other sports. And Busch Memorial Stadium?

Well, it’s just plain gone. They tore it down.

Westin St. Loud

Millenium Hotel St. Louis

Omni Majestic Hotel

Hilton St. Louis Downtown

And, for those of you looking to experience an absolute minimum of travel to get to the ballpark:

Hilton St. Louis At the Ballpark

All of these hotels will cater to your every need and provide the kind of experience you’d expect on a vacation.

Do you need information on seating at Busch Stadium?  

Home of the St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium is one of the very few baseball stadiums which has seen its team win the World Series during its inaugrual year.  The stadium has several venues, which provide seating for everything from baseball games to rock concerts. 

Prices for seating depend on the seating level, section, and event.  Prices range from $140 for premium box seating, to $20 for bleacher seating.  Box seating ranges from $27 to $39.  Public tours of Busch Stadium are offered for the low price of $10.  Ticket information and seating prices are available by calling (314) 345-9500. 

The stadium has a seating capacity of 42,975.  More information is available at the official St. Louis Cardinals website.

Having trouble finding a parking spot for an upcoming game at Busch Stadium? 

There are several parking lots right around the stadium with plenty of available parking spaces.  There is a street lot and parking garage to the east of the stadium, on Broadway Street, which cost $20 and $15 respectively. 

Immediately south of Highway 40A, which runs directly above Busch Stadium, are 5 different parking lots, parking garages, and gated parking areas.  Prices for parking in these lots range from $10 to $15.  There is one main parking garage in Busch Stadium plaza, with entrances on 8th and 9th streets.  The cost for parking here is $15. 

As Busch Stadium is undergoing construction, some of these parking lots may not be available at all times.