ST. LOUIS — Construction on The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern, the latest venture by St. Louis-based hotel and hospitality firm Lodging Hospitality Management, is well underway.
The sports and soccer bar, located in the former Senior Julio's space in Union Station at 1820 Market St., kitty-corner across from CityPark Stadium. It's set to kick off operations in mid-February, well before Major League Soccer expansion team St. Louis City SC's first match, according to Blaise Pastoret, director of restaurants at LHM.
Plans for the space started coming together as soon as LHM Chairman Bob O’Loughlin got wind that the soccer stadium was coming, Pastoret said. But work on the project, which is being constructed by St. Louis-based architecture and planning firm The Lawrence Group, has picked up substantially as of late.
The build-out, which is estimated to cost around $5 million, will transform the 9,000-square-foot space into what feels like a lived-in European pub, complete with leather seating, weathered wood and Old World accents, Pastoret said.
LHM is self financing the project, he said.
The Pitch’s interior will seat about 200 guests, while an outdoor patio will boost the venue’s total occupancy to about 220. The patio, which will include gas-powered heaters and misters, and a wrought iron railing lined with lights to add to the venue’s European feel, he said.
Numerous TVs are slated to flank the tavern’s walls, allowing guests to watch any soccer or sporting event they want, and a full-service bar will serve a wide variety of beer and mixed drinks. The bar will also have a private room that guests can rent for watch parties and events.
Pastoret said the company plans to hire more than 60 staff members in order to run the venue during the hours it plans to operate. The Pitch will open at 6:30 a.m. on weekends, in time for guests to catch their favorite soccer matches.
The Pitch’s interior will pay homage to the sport history of St. Louis as well, featuring memorabilia and vintage athletic jerseys from past and present, major and minor league teams.
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