St. Louis Shows Up as a 'Hugely Passionate Sports City’ | Trajectory of Growth: Downtown St. Louis Sees Progress | More Metro News
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St. Louis Shows Up as a 'Hugely Passionate Sports City’
This past weekend, St. Louis streets teemed with sports fans. While big league teams dominate the region’s sports scene, smaller events and tournaments — like the Frozen Four, the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship — are bringing in new fans as well, thanks to the partnership of organizations like Explore St. Louis and the St. Louis Sports Commission.
“A big part of our role is to amplify and expand upon the brand of St. Louis, which is anchored in sports, and make it a great sports market that offers so much more entertainment,” said Explore’s new President and CEO Brad Dean.
The Bottom Line: Anchor sports teams St. Louis Cardinals, Blues, CITY SC, and the Battlehawks bring big crowds and dollars to the region while other teams and tournaments offer additional opportunity to grow the local economy — and St. Louis’ profile as a thriving, supportive sports town.
Trajectory of Growth: Downtown St. Louis Sees Progress
One of five actionable strategies within the STL 2030 Jobs Plan is the restoration of Downtown St. Louis, the core of our region. While this goal is vast, progress is evident. From major redevelopment projects to improved public safety, results are positive that St. Louis really can “get its groove back.”
GSL has played a role in this progress, working with the City of St. Louis to “take bold action” and address the Millennium Hotel and Railway Exchange, secure local control, and use public-private partnership to drive change.
The Bottom Line: The STL 2030 Jobs Plan reminds us of how critical Downtown St. Louis is to the region: “If the metro is to prosper, the core of the St. Louis metro must become a magnet for innovation, employment density and population growth.” The work continues, but progress is palpable.
GSL Launches National Search for New CEO, Announces New Leadership Roles
GSL has launched the national search process for its next Chief Executive Officer, spearheaded by nationally recognized executive search firm Jorgenson Pace. Kathleen M. Mazzarella, Chairman, President, and CEO of Graybar, and a GSL board member, is chairing the GSL committee overseeing the CEO search process.
GSL is also adding two new members to its staff leadership team, it announced this week: Jeff Mazur as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer and Allison Roberts as Senior Vice President for Administration.
“The mission of Greater St. Louis, Inc. is to get St. Louis growing, and we are excited to add these two talented leaders to our team,” said Interim CEO Dustin Allison.
The Bottom Line: The CEO and leadership team at GSL will position the organization and the 15-county St. Louis region for success. Said Mazzarella: “As GSL transitions into our next phase, our new CEO will have a unique opportunity to not only strengthen our organization for the future, but to build on our initial success to elevate St. Louis as a national model for business and civic leadership.”
“We were founded on Olive Street 103 years ago. The Midwest ethos of our company is different than being on either of the two coasts…We are here decidedly in St. Louis, for St. Louis.”
This week, Cara Spencer was sworn in as St. Louis’ 48th mayor, invoking a “new era of collaboration.” Said Spencer: "We can no longer afford to operate in silos. We must bring creativity, innovation and collaboration to our work." Read more from St. Louis Public Radio.
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Kimberly Franks' sustainably focused boutique & lifestyle brand, Liberated Roots, Co., is a celebration of Black culture.
