ST. LOUIS — Major League Soccer expansion franchise St. Louis City SC said Friday its new Downtown West stadium campus will include a permanent art exhibit that recognizes the history of the historic Black neighborhood formerly located at the site.
The art exhibit is the result of a partnership between City SC and regional parks and trails district Great Rivers Greenway, which is plotting a 1-mile trail between the professional soccer team's stadium and Harris-Stowe State University. Officials said the trial is currently in design and will be completed in phases during the next two years.
“Sports and art have this incredible ability to empower and connect people from all diverse backgrounds and provide a platform like this important story,” said Khalia Collier, City SC’s vice president of community relations.
Designed by local artist Damon Davis, the art exhibit displayed at City SC’s stadium will “honor and recognize” the history and former residents of Mill Creek Valley, a neighborhood in which the city of St. Louis had torn down as part of an urban renewal project. Home to nearly 20,000 Black residents, Mill Creek Valley was cleared starting in 1959, according to a history of the neighborhood.
Part of Davis’ artwork will be displayed permanently at the southwest plaza, located on Market Street, of City SC’s stadium. The MLS club said the southern portion of its stadium will mark the plot lines where Mill Creek Valley homes were once located. The art exhibit is expected to be completed in 2023, the same year of City SC's inaugural season.
In addition to the City SC stadium artwork, Great Rivers Greenway CEO Susan Trautman said the trail linking Harris-Stowe and City SC’s stadium will have other components that commemorate the residents of Mill Creek Valley. The trail is part of Great River Greenway’s Brickline Greenway project, which hopes to add 20 miles of trails in St. Louis and connect 17 neighborhoods.
Collier said the art exhibit will provide educational opportunities to let City SC fans and stadium visitors learn the “hard truths” about the history of Mill Creek Valley.
Read the full story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.
