The Departure of the Saint Louis Rams and the fallout that ensued.
The then Saint Louis Rams and now Los Angeles Rams departed Saint Louis in 2016. This at it’s core is sad for any football fan, but the problems arising from the abrupt exit just may be more far reaching than expected. The breakup led to a 760 billion dollar payout to the city of Saint Louis. Great news for the people, $760 Billion allows for a lot of rejuvenation and programs for the citizens. What if I told you that as of 2025, that money has not left the interest baring account it was placed in. That raises the question why has money just sat in an account for a decade when it was intended to be used for the city and its citizens? Crime has risen in the Metro East since the Rams departure, businesses have left or closed, and tourism has surely been affected with no NFL fans needing to travel to see the Rams play. More importantly I was robbed of a chance to see The Kansas City Chiefs play for a price I could afford and on a regular basis but we will circle back to that fact.
The official website for Saint Louis has been tracking this settlement issue since the beginning https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/rams-settlement.cfm. Explore Saint Louis talks about tourism, but the question remain. If the money had been used in a more timely fashion, what would the city look like now (https://explorestlouis.com/press-release/st-louis-tourism-reaches-new-heights-record-growth-in-visitors-hotel-industry-and-meetings-sector/)?
I plan to use the leaflet story map and an attempt at a take on “The New Colossus” to add information to my project. These items will include the use of charts and graphs to show the impact of losing the Rams and moreover the indecisiveness of appropriating the funds from the settlement.