Ag cooperative CHS is official partner of new St. Paul ballpark; CHS Field is new home for St. Paul Saints

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Without agriculture there is no baseball. One beef hide provides enough material for 144 baseballs. The scrumptious food at the concession stands starts with crops on farms. Even the grass on the field is directly linked to agriculture.

The relationship between agriculture and the St. Paul Saints intersected this morning as the new ballpark in downtown St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood officially became CHS Field with Twin Cities-based CHS Inc., the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, revealed as the naming rights partner.

At an event held on the site's future second base, CHS President and CEO Carl Casale, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, St. Paul Saints Chairman and Principal Owner Marv Goldklang, Saints President and Owner Mike Veeck and Saints Owner and Vice President Jeff Goldklang unveiled the new name.

"The opportunity to team up with Saints is a home run for both of us," Casale said. "This has been our hometown for more than 80 years and the Saints are our hometown team. It's also an opportunity to connect to our deeply held values of supporting families with opportunities to have fun together while we tell agriculture's story and help the Twin Cities get to know CHS better."

"It's a rare and wonderful thing when core values align so closely as the Saints and CHS," Veeck said. "Both companies have left their footprint in the Twin Cities for a long time and now we can make a meaningful impact together."

In true St. Paul Saints fashion, the ceremony featured unique twists, with Veeck rolling up to the announcement site in a tractor pulling a hay wagon bearing the CHS Field sign, a tip of the baseball cap to the rich agricultural roots of CHS. The event also included Saints' mascot Mudonna and an area farm family – pork producers Pat and Gretchen Thome and their children, Brandon and Hannah, from Adams, Minn. – representing the many families who will enjoy the Saints at CHS Field in the years ahead.

"Our partnership with CHS and its members opens the next chapter in the storied history of the St. Paul Saints and demonstrates our joint commitment to the community, and to the future of both professional and amateur sports in the region," said Marv Goldklang.  "We look forward to a long and wonderful relationship."

In addition to the Saints, CHS Field will be home to amateur baseball. With construction moving forward on schedule, the new ballpark will be ready for the 2015 season.

About CHS Inc.
CHS is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, grains and foods, CHS is committed to helping its customers, farmer-owners and other stakeholders grow their businesses through its domestic and global operations. CHS, a Fortune 100 company, supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain marketing services, animal feed, food and food ingredients, along with business solutions including insurance, financial and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries/pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex^® brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products.

About the St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are an Independent Minor League organization which has been promoting fun for 22 seasons. Known for their promotional wizardry, they have garnered national attention on CNN, MSNBC, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, The Today Show and newspapers across the country. The Saints have a live four-legged pig deliver baseballs to umpires and a nun who gives massages to fans, Saints baseball is about affordable family entertainment, all wrapped around a great baseball experience. 

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140908/144013

SOURCE CHS Inc.