Sustainability second nature of City

Article posted by Coliseum, February 9^th, 2023

Image: HOK

The CITYPARK in St. Louis, Missouri (US), the home of the Major League Soccer (MLS) team St. Louis City SC, will open its inaugural season as a zero-waste stadium.

‘NEXT PRO’ stated that all waste generated will either be reduced, reused, recycled or composted. City’s commitment to sustainability includes eliminating single-use consumer plastics, recycling and composting, comprehensive energy efficiency and water conservation initiatives, and partnering with food donation programs.

The St. Louis City SC is an American professional men’s soccer club based in St. Louis, Missouri (US). They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference and will join in 2023 as an expansion team.

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The 2023 season will be the inaugural season for the St. Louis City SC. It will be the club’s first season of existence, their first in the top-tier of American soccer, and their first season in Major League Soccer.

Kicking off its historic 34-match inaugural MLS season against its peer team Austin FC at the 20,73-capacity Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (US) on February 25^th, St. Louis CITY SC will begin play as the League’s 29^th team and the 14^th team in the Western Conference.

The CITYPARK is a 22,500-seat soccer-specific stadium in St. Louis, Missouri (US). It is the home of St. Louis City SC, the City’s Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise. The stadium has been built next to the Union Station in the City’s Downtown West neighborhood, and was completed ahead of the 2023 MLS season which is scheduled to begin on February 25^th and will end on October 21^st.

‘NEXT PRO’ further stated that for the past three years, the City has been building the ‘Our CITY’ sustainability program which calls upon City’s suppliers, partners, fans, and staff to reduce landfill waste, conserve resources and to measure and report key sustainability operating metrics.

Said Carolyn Kindle, President and head honcho of St. Louis City SC, “We want the CITYPARK to be an inspiration to our community, of how it is possible to embrace waste reduction and conservation practices in our work and homes. St. Louis is a region of rivers and agricultural innovation. We have a great opportunity to remind our partners, fans and neighbors that our future is our responsibility.”

The City has recruited commercial and nonprofit partners who share the team’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Stadium concessionaire and operations partners Levy Restaurants and the world’s leading venue management company ASM Global are working with vendors and CITYPARK’s 100 percent local restaurant partners to reduce single-use consumer plastic waste wherever feasible by switching to compostable service ware and reusable aluminum cups. Beverage partner PepsiCo, Inc. and official beer partner Anheuser-Busch also embraced CITY’s vision to reduce plastic waste by serving beer and non-alcoholic beverages in highly recyclable CITY signature aluminum cans and cups.

Stated Amy Keister, Global Director of Sustainability, Compass Group, a global leader in food service sustainability who has consulted with CITYPARK through the evolution of ‘Our CITY’, “What has really inspired us is how St. Louis City has been committed to consumer waste reduction and food rescue from the start and the efforts to weave it into every aspect of stadium operations are set to make a significant impact. Taking this approach isn’t always easy, but it’s a way to lead by example and rally the community to make a difference.”

The CITYPARK also hosts a compost sorting and collection center on its pitch level to help capture food and biodegradable waste onsite. Operation Food Search, a local non-profit organization, will work with Levy to recover prepared but uneaten food from restaurant partners after matches and events for food bank distribution centers serving the St. Louis region.

Added Kristen Wild, Operation Food Search President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), “We are thrilled to work with the St. Louis City SC to reduce food waste and further address food insecurity in the region. We estimate that this partnership will allow us to divert 3000 pounds per year of food from landfills to families’ tables, thanks to the commitment of STL CITY, their restaurant partners and their fans.”

Other features within the ‘Our CITY’ program include reducing water resources wherever feasible, relying on renewable energy sources, operating energy-efficient mechanical and electrical equipment in CITYPARK, identifying more sustainable janitorial and landscape practices, and encouraging environmentally preferable transportation options. CITY’s ownership group invested in the second segment of the pedestrian and bike greenway – Brickline Greenway – built along the stadium’s Southern side. The CITYPARK’s campus includes over 100 bike parking spots and 27 electric car charging stations in its adjacent parking garage. The CITYPARK also is accessible by light rail and bus through Metro Transit. The City is a proud member of the Green Sports Alliance.

Additionally, the City is encouraging fans to take the ‘Our CITY’ pledge, designed to encourage fans to practice waste reduction and recycling at its matches and in their everyday lives. Fans can take the pledge by going to stlcitysc.com/OurCITY.

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