ST. LOUIS – A proposal to create the Downtown Sports and Entertainment Community Improvement District is moving forward in St. Louis.
City leaders said the district would allow the city to use state funding for local upgrades without increasing taxes for residents.
The bill focuses on investing in existing entertainment infrastructure rather than new construction. Planned improvements include better lighting, sidewalk repairs and increased security measures throughout the downtown area.
Alderwoman Jami Cox Antwi, who represents the 8th Ward, said the legislation provides a way to improve current resources.
“It’s a bill that allows us to use state money and resources to invest and make better the entertainment that we already have,” Antwi said. “We’re not tearing things down, we’re not making things new, but we’re getting resources to build better infrastructure, lighting paper for security, things like that, and hopefully that makes us have more opportunities to get more resources in the future to do more things.”
Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, representative of the 14th Ward, described the use of state funding as a significant benefit for the city’s budget.
“I’ll look at this as almost as a benefit,” Aldridge said. “The city is saving money to tap into a fund from the state instead of using city money for new upgrades. We’re using money from the state to do upgrades.”
Downtown residents and business owners have expressed a need for immediate improvements to the area.
“I would definitely think that safety would be the number one. I think that there should be more programs for people who struggle with addiction,” said St. Louis resident Alicia Darby. “There’s got to be more programs. There’s got to be more things in place to help these people.”
Resident Darin Lewis said he hopes the district brings more safety and Black businesses to thrive downtown.
Kham Bettis, co-owner of NAPPS!, said the city needs to address social issues that impact the local business environment.
“It’s unfortunate, and we need to find a way to house these people,” Bettis said. “I don’t know, get them off the street because it sucks for the business owners, too, and everybody that lives in the area.”
Patrick McGlynn, the owner of Stadium Liquor and the Shamrock Pub, said certain areas like Broadway have been neglected for decades.
“First, we need to start with Broadway hero used to be the busiest thoroughfare in the state of Missouri,” McGlynn said. “We need to beautify it. It hasn’t been touched in probably 30 or 40 years. Get some lighting, new sidewalks, and other beautification. Get the empty buildings that have been vacant here for 34 years get small business brought in.”
The bill is scheduled to head to a committee and a public hearing where residents can provide feedback.
City leaders hope the district will be approved before the end of the legislative session in April. A final vote is expected later this spring.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.
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