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Centene lands naming rights to St. Louis City SC stadium

Major League Soccer expansion franchise St. Louis City SC has today (Tuesday) unveiled healthcare company Centene as the naming-rights sponsor of its 22,500-seat stadium, which is due to open in the summer.

The 15-year agreement officially names the venue as Centene Stadium. Centene will also become a founding partner and the official managed healthcare provider of St. Louis City SC, which will debut in MLS in 2023.

Centene is a Fortune 25 company and is headquartered in St. Louis. The company will work with St. Louis City SC to develop community-driven programming that will reinforce efforts to improve the health and wellness of locals.

Centene Stadium is currently being built in downtown St. Louis. The soccer-specific stadium has been designed to integrate into the surrounding urban environment.

Centene Stadium will feature a large public plaza for community events, an open architectural design and amenities to connect people together in “healthy ways” such as public art installations, pet-friendly spaces, bike and pedestrian pathways, green space and pop-up shops and restaurants.

Carolyn Kindle Betz, president and chief executive of St. Louis City SC, said: “We wanted a naming-rights partner that was willing to invest in the continued growth of our region, and we certainly have that with Centene.

“In addition to employing more than 6,000 people in St. Louis, Centene has more than 75,000 employees globally providing high-quality healthcare solutions to government-sponsored healthcare programmes around the world.”

Marcela Manjarrez, executive vice-president and chief communications officer of Centene, added: “Centene is pleased to invest in Centene Stadium as part of our long-standing commitment to the St. Louis region. We are committed to this community and the people who live here. St. Louis is our home, and we are so proud for Centene Stadium to be the home of St. Louis City SC.”

Image: St. Louis City SC