ST. LOUIS, MO (Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008)  – St. Louis Soccer United, a group committed to bringing a Major League Soccer expansion franchise to the St. Louis metropolitan area in 2011, today announced that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols has joined the proposed St. Louis ownership group.

Pujols, one of the most popular athletes in the history of St. Louis sports, was named on Monday as the Most Valuable Player in the National League, marking the second time in four years that he has earned the league’s highest honor.  Earlier this year, Pujols was named the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which honors the Major League Baseball player who combines outstanding play on the field with devoted work in the community.

“I am very proud and excited to join the effort to bring Major League Soccer to the St. Louis area,” Pujols said.  “This means a lot to me and my family, as we all love soccer and we believe in MLS.

“Plus, this is something that will be great for our community, especially our youth.  I strongly encourage St. Louis business leaders and sports fans to join me in this effort.  St. Louis is an unbelievable sports town and we’ll be a great city for Major League Soccer.”

St. Louis Soccer United submitted a formal bid for an MLS expansion team to the league on Oct. 15.  SLSU chairman Jeff Cooper, who will be at MLS Cup this weekend in Carson, Calif., said other investors with Pujols in the still-growing ownership group will be announced in the weeks ahead.

“It is frankly impossible to imagine a better partner in our effort than Albert Pujols,” Cooper said.  “Albert’s commitment is a testament to the strength of the league, the interest and promise of Major League Soccer in St. Louis, and the overall quality of our team, stadium and youth complex plan.  In Albert Pujols, we have someone who will be terrific not only for St. Louis, but for all of MLS and the global soccer community.”

An MLS team in St. Louis would play in a new soccer-specific stadium in suburban Collinsville, Ill., located just 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis.  The overall development would include:

•  A state-of-the-art soccer complex featuring an 18,500-seat stadium with the St. Louis downtown skyline and Gateway Arch in view to the west

• Twelve fully lit FIFA-approved synthetic turf fields and a professional grass training pitch designed to host regional, national and international youth soccer events

• Approximately 400 acres of mixed-use, new urbanism development including 300,000 square feet of retail opportunities, more than 200,000 square feet of office space, two 120-room hotels, approximately 1,000 residential units, and internal bike and walking paths linked to more than 85 miles of scenic trails

Renderings of the stadium and surrounding development are available for viewing on St. Louis Soccer United’s website, www.stlouissoccerunited.com.  The site also includes sections on news, history and media coverage, as well as testimonials in support of the St. Louis area’s bid for an MLS expansion team from current MLS stars, news media, soccer legends and many more.

The entire development, including the stadium, is made possible through a tax increment financing (TIF) public/private partnership that was approved by the City of Collinsville in January.  Groundbreaking at the site will take place once a professional franchise has been awarded to St. Louis.

Cooper’s vision for professional soccer in St. Louis was driven by the desire to acquire an MLS team, but also includes a layering of other soccer opportunities.  In 2007, Cooper was awarded a franchise in the new Women’s Soccer League, which begins play in April.  The St. Louis WPS team will play on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville campus until the new stadium in Collinsville is complete.

The new stadium will also aim to play host to a variety of major soccer activities, such as international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers, high school tournaments, the renewal of the Bronze Boot match between Saint Louis University and SIU-Edwardsville, and many other blue chip soccer attractions.

The St. Louis metropolitan area has always been a region keenly interested in soccer and ranks among the top major metropolitan areas in the United States with respect to soccer participation.  Approximately 10.2 percent of St. Louis area residents participate in soccer, compared to a national average of approximately 7.1 percent. This participation rate places St. Louis as the fourth highest metropolitan area in terms of soccer participation and would rank as the highest participation rank among current MLS markets.

To further enhance the interest in soccer, St. Louis Soccer United has formed the only true vertical integration youth development model in North America.  Based on developmental leagues that are prevalent in European soccer, three of the leading amateur soccer organizations in the St. Louis region – Metro United, Scott Gallagher, and St. Louis Soccer Club – joined forces this year to create a single club within the St. Louis youth soccer community designed to enhance the development of players at every level.  More than 8,000 kids on both sides of the river are now affiliated with the newly merged club.