Update

By Bob Lindsey

After two years of planning including meetings with top St. Louis City and County officials and business leaders, the St. Louis region will become the home to the Midwest’s premier sports “resort” —as they are calling it. Big Sports Properties are revitalizing the former St. Louis Outlet Mall (originally Mills Mall) into a $63 million campus called POWERplex, a 160-plus acre youth sports tourism destination located right here in Hazelwood!

The Hazelwood City Council has approved the final terms and settlement agreement between the property’s former owners and Big Sports Properties. “You have to applaud the resilience and dedication of all involved,” said Mayor Matt Robinson. “Our city officials, Big Sports Properties, the banks, the bondholders, the county and Explore St. Louis, the corporate supporters — everyone involved in this vision has overcome a lot of hurdles in order to get us to the finish line.”

Dan Buck, managing partner of Big Sports Properties, said all the contracts and financial agreements for the first phase of this project should be in place by Aug. 31. The “re-construction” of the mall itself will begin in September, he noted, with about 80 percent of

the storefronts inside the mall converted to the sports facility, amenities, restaurants, training areas and more.

“It’s been a long journey with many barriers that have been overcome,” said Buck at the press conference last week. “Thanks to incredible public and community support, corporate sponsorships and numerous visionary future partners, this remarkable campus is finally going to happen.”

POWERplex plans to host more than 180 major sports tournaments and special events per year. The public-private partnership will include six major sports venues. Planned are 13 restaurants plus more than a dozen sports-focused retail stores. The stores will be located near the food court, which will also reopen. Many of the venues will open early in 2020, with substantial completion of all the sports complexes ready by fall 2020. New hotels surrounding the facility, including one on campus, should be built shortly after the facilities are up and running.

Big Sports Properties has released a list of community and five corporate partners who have committed to becoming tenants, sports users, and sponsors of the venue. Major partners are Heartland Coca-Cola, Ameren Missouri, BJC/Christian Hospital, the St. Louis Cardinals, the City of Hazelwood, Explore St. Louis, and St. Louis County. All together, more than 20 partners have signed on to support the project, including Integrity Fitness, Rusty Wallace Racing, M4 Group/VIP Theaters, Old Town Gringo’s, Jimmy John’s, Culver’s, Wetzel’s Pretzels and A & W Root Beer. The theater, formally Regal Cinema, plans to reopen by next fall offering family friendly rates and concessions.

Ameren Missouri is an important partner on this sports and recreation campus with a 2,000-seat softball stadium. Michael Moehn, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri, said “When businesses expand, everyone benefits.” He said Ameren is exploring ideas from electric vehicles on the campus, to solar panels at the softball stadium, and providing expertise on making the Complex energy efficient.

BJC Christian Hospital will provide an urgent care location on the property.

The St. Louis Cardinals will provide $500,000 for the new ball fields.

The latest partner in the project was announced at the press briefing with the addition of Bradley Beal to the Big Sports Properties ownership team. Beal, a current NBA All-Star for the Washington Wizards and a St. Louis native said, “This is something that doesn’t just transform sports in our region. This place will change lives and impact kids for decades to come,” said Beal who will headquarter his nationally ranked Bradley Beal Elite Basketball Club and training program at the facility.

Among the highlights announced to be included at POWERplex:

• The Ice Zone, the long time practice rink for the St. Louis Blues, is still open and will remain open for hockey and growing youth ice sports. Lloyd Ney, co-owner and operator of the Ice Zone has been at the mall for over 15 years, and will continue there and “be a part of a thriving, new sports destination campus.”
• Hope Church, which has nearly 9 years remaining on its lease, anticipates to stay, providing a resource for Christian sports families looking for a Sunday service to attend between games.
• The largest anchor tenant, Cabela’s, has more than 3 years remaining on its current lease, but did express their excitement to partner with the POWERplex in a wide-range of ways.
• The Rusty Wallace Racing and laser bumper cars will be back. A rope course, ninja course and trampoline park will be sought next to the race track.

Hotel partners are sought to serve the expected demand created by the campus. Several speakers mentioned the growing tourism for families, who while spending days at youth sporting events, are looking for more activities. “We’ll have all that located right here,” said Buck. Explore St. Louis wants these family vacationers to discover all the other attractions in the metro St. Louis area…hopefully spending a week in the St. Louis rather than just a few days at their youth sports events.

“An independent expert in youth sports tourism, estimates this campus will generate up to 270,000 hotel room bookings per year,” said Duane Mueller, partner in Cissell Mueller. “We’re getting a lot of interest from hoteliers who understand this booming sports tourism industry. A key factor being (POWERplex) will be just eight minutes from Lambert International Airport and “ the flat, shovel-ready lots located on such a dynamic, fun, and entertainment driven campus,” Mueller added. The master plan also calls for an indoor/outdoor waterpark resort at the main entrance on 18.6 acres by 2022.

“We’re excited to convert this former retail site into a new and thrilling tourism destination for sports families where we will put the needs of our guests at the front of every decision,” said Dan Larson, one of the five Big Sports Properties investors in the project.

POWERplex is located along I-370 just west of St. Louis Lambert International Airport and just 2 miles from the St. Charles county line. Plans are in the works to rename St. Louis Mills Blvd. to a more appropriate sports-focused name and the current tenants on the property have already consented to such a street naming change.

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