Centene inks stadium naming rights; is trolley restart in the loop?
Centene claims rights to Major League Soccer stadium name — www.stlcitysc.com
The Major League Soccer stadium under construction at Market and 20th streets in St. Louis City now has a name: Centene Stadium. St. Louis City SC and Centene Corp., based out of Clayton, made a fifteen-year deal for the stadium’s naming rights. The team is set to begin playing in the space in 2023.
Centene will have its name on the outside of the stadium, the scoreboard, and other signs throughout the 22,500-seat facility. The deal’s terms were not disclosed. Construction on the stadium is set to wrap up this summer.
For St. Louisans, this deal shows Centene’s continued interest in the city. The healthcare company backed out of plans to build a campus at Ballpark Village in 2008 and instead expanded its footprint in Clayton. Additionally, the company said in 2020 that it plans to build a $1 billion eastern headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mama 2’s Biscuits and Black Sheep Whiskey & Wine makes its debut — blacksheepstl.com | mama2sbiscuits.com
Two new concepts now share the former Three Monkey’s space in the Tower Grove South neighborhood. Mama 2’s Biscuits offers brunch and Black Sheep Whiskey & Wine offers a wine and whiskey-focused cocktail menu in addition to entrees and shareable plates.
Husband and wife team, Mary and Zach Rice, are responsible for both concepts. The couple took ownership of Three Monkeys in 2018. They sold frozen pizzas and to-go food from the restaurant’s kitchen during the pandemic before closing to bring these two new eateries to life.
The couple also has plans to launch a third eatery down the street later this year: 3 Little Monkeys. This third concept will offer pizzas and wings.
Local officials to approve Loop Trolley restart plan by March 1 — www.looptrolley.com
Federal authorities extended the deadline for local officials to develop a plan to restart Loop Trolley service. Officials had until March 1 to approve a plan. Initially, Loop Trolley leaders had until February 1 to approve a plan to start trolley service by this summer. (Watch this space for updates.)
In December, the Federal Transportation Authority stated in a letter to local officials that if a plan to restart trolley service is not approved by the deadline, millions of dollars in federal funding could be owed back.
The trolley has not been in regular service since it paused in December 2019. The initial, temporary pause was extended indefinitely due to the pandemic. The trolley’s route is a little more than two miles long and connects Forest Park to the Delmar Loop.
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