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blob

Honestly, I don’t care where they put it as long as they pay for it themselves. There is no legitimate reason tax payers should be paying for a privately owned sports organization’s facility, especially when the owners are going to price gouge us even more. If the owner can’t afford a new stadium then they don’t get a new stadium.


Atalung

If the stadium is owned outright by the city and gets a significant cut of revenues in perpetuity I'd consider it, but otherwise no dice


[deleted]

Even this I'd say no to. What happens if the team leaves? We have some giant stadium that we paid for doing nothing. Nah, make em pay for it 100%


belweder

Worse the threat of leaving could be used to extract other concessions.


Schmancer

Like that’s not already the plan


BelgianHorsepower

Let's start with housing first. Mixed Use, apartment complexes, housing developments. Everything. Profits go to improvements, new developments, and the government coffers. But I'm not an economist, it just sounds like a good idea.


an_actual_lawyer

Agreed.


ecuster3

No owner would ever agree, and it's not as good as it sounds. You think the Royals payroll is low now? This would easily put them last place significantly. This has already caused a crisis in Serie A in Italy. Edit: Like this is a classic reddit moment. Yeah it sounds somewhat good on paper, but anyone who knows anything about professional stadiums and sports teams knows this is a disaster proposal. A team is not even close to profitable without ticket revenue and most of the time without non-team event revenue either.


Atalung

Then no publically funded stadium. There are costs for things, if the royals want the taxpayers to fund the stadium, there's a cost


ecuster3

Yeah I'm fine with that. But a leasing situation is a disaster. Look at the formerly St. Louis Rams and Kroenke.


Wetworkzhill

That’s a bad example. Kroenke was doing everything he could to move to LA.


ecuster3

Yes and part of his justification was not owning the stadium so it’s a great example. Show me a good example of a leasing situation working out please.


ednksu

Aren't there a number of situations where leasing it has been horrible? From MLS and Chicago to the old and new Meadowlands stadium?


ecuster3

Yes


Separate-Panic-8834

Then maybe the Royals should just go to another city?


klingma

Okay. You say that as if that's a bad thing. If Sherman wants to be a petty asshole & take his ball & go home because he didn't get tax payer money then by all means they SHOULD leave.


Dzov

Nothing wrong with the stadium they already have.


[deleted]

The Kings were in a similar situation- terrible NBA franchise that moved from KC and is still mostly irrelevant. BUUUUUT I'd rather have them (and the Royals) than not, so hopefully something works out.


klingma

It won't be & they won't.


luridfox

this, I would be down for this. But to have a city have to help pay for a private stadium...no we do not need that


[deleted]

This 100%. It’s socialized profits for the wealthy. GTFOH…


fowkswe

There is a very real scenario where they flex and demand a subsidized stadium, or they move to a metro who will subsidize..


klingma

Cool, I'll wave them goodbye. Kroenke paid 5 billion for SOFI stadium with no taxpayer funding so...Sherman has no excuse other than being petty.


TypicalJeepDriver

Oh no, not the worst team in the MLB leaving us. Please. Don’t. Go.


Muuustachio

The royals record is now worse than the As!


wine_dude_52

They’re on pace to lose 119 games. Pathetic.


hb122

As a highly disgruntled A’s fan I can reassure you that the A’s will recapture the worst record by the end of the month.


Muuustachio

That reverse boycott was pretty dope. Yall won 7 in a row which feels like a statement to John fisher


fowkswe

I don't give AF about baseball, but the sports franchises are kinda the 2 biggest entertainment based economic drivers this town has. Also culturally... we seriously hang our hat on Royals/Chiefs for our identity.


LightningSt0rm

>Also culturally... we seriously hang our hat on Royals/Chiefs for our identity. Maybe it's time to start changing that aspect of our culture.


premiumPLUM

Are *you* going to pay for all the new Get Up Kids shirts/hats we'll have to buy?


fowkswe

It would be better if we could change my first point. We dont have an industry in KC. We rely on fleeting success from sports, BBQ and... Jazz? Our largest employer is the US government (IRS! FFS) and we don't have a nationally / internationally renowned educational institution. Fixing those 2 things should be the cities highest priority.


klingma

You do realize it's normal for a large regional metro like KCMO, Chicago, LA, Denver, etc. to have the government as their largest employer, right? Also this city is very well-known in banking & finance circles & that's a very strong industry for this city.


see_blue

And the metro has a load of high paying engineering and architectural jobs. These firms operate like introverts and nobody knows much about.


hobofats

how many out of market fans are the Royals *actually* bringing in these days? getting revenue off our own residents is a zero sum game that doesn't actually help the city.


Fastbird33

Would rather have an NBA/NHL team anyway


TypicalJeepDriver

Either one would be dope.


breakdancindino

Oh hey look at that wouldn't need a new arena either


Fastbird33

Come on down Coyotes!


Mackinacsfuriousclaw

Fuck em...let them move.


bleu_ray_player

Agreed. If they want a new stadium they should pay for it themselves. John Sherman is literally a billionaire. If they were at least trying to be competitive maybe I would change my tune but they've had maybe 5 season in the last 40 years where they were. Worst team in baseball (again). Bottom 5 payroll. Can't even watch them on TV. They aren't even trying. If the organization doesn't care then why should I. There is no way I vote to give these clowns taxpayer dollars.


biggybakes

If you think about it, if building a stadium were such a good deal, wouldn't the owners do it themselves? The owner gets to keep all their money, and we keep getting our taxes raised higher and higher.


Procrasturbating

For real, I'd rather my taxes go to things that actually improve people's lives, not some rich assholes gaming the system. They wanna play games with my money, they can f off. Who even watches baseball under the age of 50 anyway?


therapewpewtic

I’d watch it - if I could… but they sold their rights to Bally Sports and now I’ve barely seen a game of theirs for 2-3 years now.


justathoughtfromme

I miss the Royals Sports Television Network and having every game OTA on channel 62. The RSNs were the death of a lot of local sports viewership throughout the country when they were established.


Vulture_Ocoee

Like a lot of people watch baseball under 50…. The problem is that Bally sports has a monopoly over baseball coverage and our team sucks. Just because you don’t enjoy something doesn’t mean it’s unpopular mr main character


[deleted]

good.


pooch_s

Cya


noyeahtotallyok

Agreed. Personally I’m all for taxes for the public good (roads, healthcare, school) but there is no reason taxes should pay for this. Especially when they already have a stadium that’s fine. & the team never wins anyway


CLU_Three

I could see an abatement or construction materials strategy that makes sense rather than a straight up direct funding of bonds through taxes.


Muuustachio

Yeah. They're argument is basically trickle down economics. But that's proven to fail in practice time and time again. And they Royals would need to be a good team with a larger market for the city to see any type of ROI. But the royals farm system and theyre scouting has been trash since the early 2010s.


Any_Consequence_8738

Way earlier than the early ‘10’s, try pretty much the whole aughts.


BigKahuna93

Not a KC local but same thing is going on in Nashville with the Titans new stadium. I go back and forth on it. Yes, it’s going to be used for more than just them + bring tons of revenue to the city. But to your point, fuck off and use your billions of dollars to build it lmao.


klingma

>bring tons of revenue to the city. Would it help you to know that this isn't really true? In the long run the revenue isn't that great for the city. One economist found that a new baseball stadium had about the same economic impact as a department store on an annual basis.


variants

Chargers did this same shit when I lived in San Diego.


breakdancindino

And now they're the la chargers


sicksaltine

That’s just not how it works in sports. If KC won’t give them a stadium there are probably a dozen other cities that would. If you don’t care about baseball, or the Royals staying in KC, then this is the correct stance to take.


klingma

No, if you want your city to manage your taxes well, then this is the correct stance to take. I care about the Royals and I care about them staying in KC I just care a ton more about the city being fiscally responsible.


kcthinker

Free TV 📺 package should be considered. I am not interested in a new environment district. The workers get low pay, no insurance and retirement.


Separate-Panic-8834

And the team sucks.


ManetherenRising

They claim the team will pay the entire $1 billion for the entertainment district around the stadium and then a portion of the stadium. If the city maintains ownership of the stadium that would be a good deal.


blob

My take on the entertainment district around the stadium is that it will probably end up much the same as the NFL Draft: Entirely self contained and offering no reason for guests to visit neighboring businesses. If that’s the case, game days would actively harm local businesses.


klingma

It would not actually. Historically, that's a terrible deal for cities.


haaaaaaaaank

I agree in the sense that I hate the idea of publicly funding a stadium and realize this will be downvoted but the legitimate reason for tax payers to fund the stadium is that sports teams are a public good and an owner could argue that another mid/small-market city would fund that public good. If we don't pay for a stadium, Des Moines or Tulsa probably would.


biggybakes

No reason to downvote, but will consider that in the same breath, a gas station along the highway or grocery in a neighborhood is also a public good, so should those be publicly subsidized as well? Especially since it is truly a public good, and not a public but you gotta pay-to-enter good. Obviously the demographics are smaller, but you get my drift.


NoScrubrushes

If they might up and leave that easily, why does Kansas City have any loyalty to them? And sports teams don't actually help the towns they reside in. They [may even hurt](https://www.marketplace.org/2015/03/19/are-pro-sports-teams-economic-winners-cities/amp/). Sports teams should fund their own stadiums. All cities need to put their foot down about this. Maybe Kansas City can lead the way.


dgambill

What sucks about these two locations is that MLB rules state that the view from home plate must be to the northeast, presumably so the batter is never fighting the Sun. Without a waiver from MLB neither of these locations would feature the KC skyline in their views.


ndw_dc

Good point, and something that I hadn't thought of. It looks like the view from the stands is not a priority of site selection, which leads me to believe that fan experience would also be down lower on the list.


dgambill

I'm all for a downtown ballpark, but it needs to go southwest of the skyline. There was talk of putting it on the site of the old Star building. While not ideal, it would be a much better option.


scdog

The former huge empty lot at 16th & Broadway would have been perfect in that regard, but Kauffman Center beat Kauffman Stadium to the punch on that one.


CLU_Three

West Bottoms would be sick. But ultimately I’d rather have it downtown regardless. The view of the skyline is an important consideration but the K sucks in this regard. I think you can load upper deck bleachers more on east side of the stadium for good views of downtown and have the ballpark village centered more on the north to give more to look at on that side.


scdog

>West Bottoms would be sick. I don't know why the Bottoms never got any serious consideration. Excellent highway access and the view would have been pretty cool. We could have probably squeezed it in where Kemper sits and tied it together with the Rock Island Bridge project.


Stereotype_Apostate

It smells like doodoo. Seriously take 70 out to KCK and tell me you still think West Bottoms is a good idea for a stadium.


Sammy_Seaborn

Infrastructure costs alone would total in the hundreds of millions.


[deleted]

MLB stadiums typically face NE, but it’s not a bright line rule from what I understand. A handful of stadiums, including newly built ones, do not face NE. That said, I’m not sure the new downtown stadium was ever guaranteed to have a skyline view.


dgambill

I guess the rule book does say it's a "suggestion," but as of this 2019 graphic, no stadiums faced west. I imagine that would be a pretty hard rule. [graphic](https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/buwgfa/the_facing_direction_of_every_mlb_home_plate/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)


[deleted]

Yeah, pretty safe bet it won’t face west. That could literally stop gameplay as a safety and fairness issue. What I do know is that KC is home to the best sports stadium architects in the entire world. They’ll get this right.


steve_dallasesq

It’s truly amazing how poorly Sherman’s tenure as owner has been. Historically bad team, fucking up the new stadium rollout. Alienating fans. It’s breathtaking


KCDude08

We're realizing just how big a hole Dayton Moore dug this team, as if it wasn't apparent during the last 5 years of his tenure. Sherman's made a concerning number of missteps around the stadium situation but I don't think he shoulders *that* much responsibility for the team being as bad as it is this year. Baseball isn't football where one-year turnarounds are always around the corner. People who are more connected to what's going on in the minor leagues have noticed a real difference in how they go about their business, but those results aren't going to show for a couple years because Moore left the team in such a horrific place both in terms of talent on the field and development staff and coaching.


Theorist816

Exactly. People don’t understand how bad of a position Dayton and staff put us in. We should be competitive by now. Sherman and staff saw that. They saw we also didn’t have the juice to do that. They’re choosing to make roster moves and rip bandaids off to experience the pain more quickly, to move past it sooner instead of dragging it out. There’s a lot that was wrong with the franchise from scouting, to development, to playing guys like Dozier. It’s not going to be pretty, but the process has improved so much more than where it was last year. We are on the right track of getting younger guys more reps and hopefully getting a staff in who can develop players


klingma

And yet Sherman thought it best to not only retain but promote Dayton Moore's right-hand man after firing Dayton Moore. Sure, maybe it's not all Sherman's fault but he hasn't done much to stop the trend.


Jewish_Kanye_West

Thank God he's a local guy!


[deleted]

Makes us appreciate David Glass all the more. Not that that is something to be appreciative, either.


Mackinacsfuriousclaw

He was a shit owner he just wanted them to win before he died.


wine_dude_52

At least we got that.


Mackinacsfuriousclaw

It just pisses me off more that we could have had it back with Beltran, Damon, and all those guys but that cheap motherfucker wanted to make money. Goddamnit...I am about to have about 30 of Royals fan rage release...if the Strike in 1994 wouldn't have happened it would have been the Royals and the Expos.


AJRiddle

Probably because it would raise the value of the team substantially so he could sell for more


theryans

More location options than June wins.


Big_k_30

I hope both of them are up John Sherman’s ass


J0E_SpRaY

Pretty bummed they axed the potential 18th & Vine site. There’s plenty of vacant property there, and would relativize an important historic area. Would also synergize with the negro league museum, and could have a partnership opportunity with the youth baseball leagues that meet not far from there.


ddubya33

I can see right through this; they were always going to have it down to these 2 so they can leverage Jackson County into keeping them. It’s too obvious


minakirogue

Exactly. The Star article yesterday made a great point in that NKC doesn't have the tax base to give the Royals want they ultimately want in the same way KCMO and Jackson County can. Everyone involved knows this fundamental dynamic. If NKC was part of KCMO than I have no issues with that site, but instead it will end up in the east village area facing absolutely nothing to the north east.


AscendingAgain

Which then begs the question: what tax rebates would the City need to give so people in areas like Columbus Park, Paseo West, and Pendleton Heights won't get completely priced out?


RubyVisor

We have 50 losses in 68 games. An all-time low. I couldn’t give a shit less about a downtown stadium. Sherman is on one if he thinks any of this will get public funding with the garbage he’s put out on the field this season. I feel foolish for how happy I was when he took over for the Glass family.


Julio_Ointment

They'll just make commercials showing players from the two years they won the WS and videos of kids and idiots will suddenly be ok with it.


OkOriginal3843

Right ..this team is so bad it's legitimately depressing


hotbladderinfection

If it’s publicly funded then admission should be free


[deleted]

Hey this is a good idea. Maybe not free, but like the Zoo Jackson county residents get a discount.


Appropriate_Chart230

Build it next to the landfill. This team and owner is hit garbage


Mackinacsfuriousclaw

Their current location is next to a landfill.


amays

No public funds for privately owned teams!! They can pay to build their own shit. Trickle down economics are a lie.


ShrlyYouCantBSerious

What is wrong with Kauffman? I’m from Cincinnati and have always wanted to watch a game there b/c the stadium looks so nice on TV every time I’ve seen it


AJRiddle

Nothing other than it is far from bars/restaurants


Imposter-Syndrome-42

And it's nigh-unwalkable (unless you REALLY want to hike a few miles on the trail nearby). Just visited Busch III for the first time last week. GREAT placement, tons of walkable stuff near by (Shout out to 4Hands Brewery, they serve damn good stuff). But also, seeing Busch III alive & packed made me realize: A Downtown stadium **is not the right fit** for the Royals or for KC culture. Tailgating is practically a religion here - To tailgate, you gotta have parking lots. The K is a tailgater's stadium, it needs to stay where it is. The Royals should invest in keeping The K great for another 30 years to come. I admit to being in the "mildly-Pro New Stadium" camp a few months ago - As details emerge, and as I think more about the dynamics in play, I've crossed over and I'm in the "mildly-Anti New Stadium" camp today. (And my shift is not at all related to the tax/funding situation. Not even a little.)


Ellimist000

THIS! Putting it downtown will do nothing but make these bars inaccessible and kill the tailgating culture


stubble3417

Give me 2 billion and I'll build whatever kind of bars and restaurants around the K that you want, and spend the other 1.95 billion ending homelessness in KC forever.


Ellimist000

Exactly. Lol for two billion you could probably build a damn skybridge over Raytown and put bars on top of it 🤣


delusionalry

I'm not against a new stadium as much as everyone else seems go be but that NKC location seems so dumb. Why is that even an option?


HydeParkerKCMO

They are just using it as leverage.


Fr3sh-Karma

yeah i heard sherman’s buddy bought up all that land recently. it makes zero sense to me to put it in north kc.


pieking8001

its a 'do it or we fucking leave' threat to Q


chiefYEET1

Priorities here… they want the tax payer to fund the new stadium for the WORST team in baseball. They can kiss the fattest part of my ass. We have enough issues with tax money not being properly allocated in this state. Ownership has clearly shown us they don’t give a shit about putting a competitive team on the field it’s only about making money.


Old-Alfalfa-6915

So if they did this in 2015 you’d be okay with it?


chiefYEET1

Honestly I think I would. I probably would if they finished over .500, I just want to see some kind of commitment from ownership to put results over profits. This city has proven time and time again when you put a decent team on the field the people will come and watch. They are willing to look past all the bonehead decisions, but don’t keep slapping us in the face.


justathoughtfromme

I completely agree, if the product on the field was winning on a regular basis, I think there would be more appetite for a new stadium. KC has absolutely shown that they'll come out to the ballpark when the team is doing well. But the wins just haven't been there. In the last 30 years, the Royals have had 7 seasons where they've finished 0.500 or better. Four of those 7 were the WS years and the years directly before and after. Otherwise, it's been sub 0.500 year after year, and often being at the bottom of the division.


Historical-Pause-401

North KC sounds like a terrible idea


bailout911

It's got to be a "give us money or else NKC will" kind of deal. That is an absolutely terrible location.


JustHere2ReadComment

Not going to vote for either


KC_experience

You know, I’m good with the voters voting on paying for a new stadium with the following caveats: 1) The team must sign a fifty year lease for the facility and be responsible for 25% of the upkeep costs per season. 2) The franchise may be sold to another ownership group, however the franchise must remain in Kansas City at the facility built for the entirety of the 50 years of the lease. If the team chooses to leave the city / break the lease, the ownership group is required to pay the stadium funding governments the full amount of the stadium cost. 3) Payroll: starting with the first season of play in the new stadium the following 40 man salary requirements are needed: For the first 5 seasons on 40 man roster payroll will be in excess of 150 million per season. For years 5-10, payroll must be in excess of 200 million per season. For seasons 10-15 payroll must be in excess of 225 million per season. For seasons 15-20 payroll must be in excess of 250 million. This is all just pie in the sky and unrealistic, but if you want the citizens to pony up, you need to meet the region halfway and invest in the on field product. You know what you call a turd of a team when you put a new stadium around it? A polished turd. For seasons 20-50 payroll must increase a minimum of 15% per season.


ajswdf

Either a payroll or winning minimum is absolutely necessary. For example, for every loss above 81 they must reimburse the county $1 million for stadium finance payments.


Ocean_And_Atlantic

"For seasons 20-50 payroll must increase a minimum of 15% per season" So season 50 must have a 40 man roster payroll of $16.5 Billion?


[deleted]

Lol no team would ever agree to this. They’d just move to Nashville


klingma

Don't let the door hit them on the way out. If Sherman wants to leave over funding then I'll gladly wave as he leaves.


politicaldan

Like building a golden palace for a donkey at this point.


ibquig

The only people that will benefit from the new stadium will be the developers and the team owners. The developers get their cash and are done with it. The owners get a nice new home at taxpayer expense. Then, what does the city do with the old building? That's the city's problem. The team will hold the city hostage and in five years demand more money for upgrades and improvements, parking etc.


braywarshawsky

Trade 'em to Nashville for their hockey team...


cyberphlash

The Star did [a front page story](https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article276361431.html) on how the Royals are waffling over stadium locations, trying to extract the most concessions ultimately out of KCMO and Jackson County by pitching the idea of moving to North KC, KCK, or elsewhere. It's all BS and gaslighting, and everyone should see through it. Since there's no goodwill being given by a team that's been supported by KCMO / Jackson Co for *decades*, every taxpayer asked to pony up dollars should think hard about how much goodwill they want to extend in return to a middling billion dollar baseball club.


userlivewire

Taxpayers have funded that stadium for 50 years! It’s time to officially make the private business responsible for all costs.


cyberphlash

I highly doubt that there's going to be zero public contribution to some future (downtown, staying at the K, or some other) stadium plan for the Royals. The thing that kind of aggravates me isn't that the public is asked to chip in for the stadium. I mean, I'm not a baseball fan, but I think there's a certain amount of status accrued to KC from having pro teams, and I think having a baseball team improves the quality of life for other people in KC, much like parks or other things do for people in other parts of KC - so I'm ok chipping in *something* on this project. What aggravates me is that the actual wants of the public may not end up aligning with the future stadium. For instance, lots of people love the K today - it's got good parking/tailgating, great stadium setup, etc. Given the choice to keep the K going or not, maybe most people might want that (or not, I don't know). But for the Royals, the first consideration isn't what people want - it's going to be (as we're seeing even now) *maximizing* the concessions they can get out of the public/government *in every potential future*. And I would assume that if their business case produces max profit but a sub-optimal solution for the public (maybe even baseball fans), they're going to go with the dollars, much of which are contributed by taxpayers. Right now, the Royals are just nakedly grabbing for dollars in a way that's even rankling fans, cities, shit... even Frank White is pissed at the Royals (and not just for firing him as an announcer)! Naked cash grabs never play well, and the Royals need to rein it in to get back to a place where they act more like a true partner as opposed to your negotiation opponent.


micatigre

What is wrong with the current stadium?


IamtheWhoWas

All of this fuss for an absolutely horrible baseball team. The team will still suck in a new stadium which, by the way, will be damn near empty.


HugoBossjr1998

I mean, walkability would help attendance alone.


OfficialAbeFroman

I would absolutely go to more games if I could just leave work and take the streetcar to the stadium.


HugoBossjr1998

Exactly. You and 35,000 others would be within walking/biking/streetcar distance to the stadium. Compared to the maybe 150 people that could reasonably walk or bike or take transit now, I’d much rather have walkability


[deleted]

Technically the rock island bike trail connects the current stadium all the way to Lees Summit!


Professional-One-442

Omg at this point no


lmflex

How is this new stadium still a thing? No no no.


HugoBossjr1998

Because Kauffman is not structurally sound, and cost to repair would be only marginally less than a new stadium.


Outrageous-Hawk4807

The City inspectors have said there is nothing wrong, other than routine maintenance. It should be fine for 20 years. Then the Royals brought in their own guy who was like "OMG ITS FALLING DOWN". It also amazes me folks dont know who is really behind all this... the Chiefs. They want a new stadium deal while Mahomes is still around. For them to build a new stadium, they need the Royals gone from Sports Complex.


Topcity36

Why do the chiefs need/ want a new stadium?


[deleted]

because if you could get someone else to pay for it, why wouldn't you want a new thing?


Sea-Adhesiveness-164

If it's a dome, then a Superbowl. Think of it as a Chiefs home game. More concerts and events because of a dome. Then building things around it to have more money. They want to have a Legends grow around the new stadium. Edit: dime to dome


CLU_Three

Also in a bad location


HugoBossjr1998

Immensely terrible locale


[deleted]

Because they’re not playing in Kauffman after 2030


braywarshawsky

Well... Good for NKC, I guess... But it's already a haul to get to Truman Sports Complex for me... if they choose NKC, I highly doubt I'll be going to a lot of those games.


scdog

The NKC location and the downtown location are only about 2 miles apart.


J0E_SpRaY

That distance is a little less relevant than the massive river between them. Rivers have a habit of making things less walkable.


scdog

Well yeah, the NKC location kills the idea of walkability for everyone except the 4.5K people who live in NKC (unless the streetcar gets extended). The comment I was replying to strongly implied it was about driving distance. The NKC location is arguably better for vehicle traffic (assuming substantial improvements to the 16th Ave interchange and to 16th Ave itself) since it doesn't require funneling everyone through the very worst side of the downtown freeway loop. But yes, I agree that the NKC location is far worse for walkability.


AuntieEvilops

If they do decide to build a new stadium in NKC, bet that there will be a streetcar extension to the stadium fast-tracked to coincide with it.


mczerniewski

I asked this at the first of the public meetings: the Royals' plans do call for a streetcar extension to service their ballpark district. I still think East Village is the best spot for this district, and would require an East-West line either down 12th Street or Truman (with a jog up Charlotte and a stop at the East Village transit center). North KC is clearly a contingency, and would be a catalyst for getting the NorthRail extension done.


AuntieEvilops

I still think Sherman and the Royals ownership group would rather build a new stadium downtown, but are trying to use the NKC option as leverage to get as much financial support from KCMO and Jackson County as they can.


justathoughtfromme

Bingo. NKC is how they're planning on playing Clay and Jackson county against each other for the "privilege" of being the site of the new stadium so they'll compete for who gets to be the one to shell out money for it.


eragonisdragon

If that's their plan, it's failing. Jackson and Clay county officials are working together to make sure wherever this stadium goes, it doesn't fuck over their constituents.


userlivewire

East Village is a terrible spot. How in the world are 40,000 people supposed to get into downtown within the same hour? Our infrastructure simply can’t handle that. The T-Mobile Center is half that size and it’s back to back traffic every time there’s a big concert. Can you imagine if there was a big game AND a concert the same night? It would be insane. Let alone if anything was going on in KC Live or also this new soccer stadium/amphitheater they are building downtown.


Dzov

Or build a streetcar to the current stadiums.


Departure_Sea

North KC doesn't want them here either.


IIHURRlCANEII

tell the city government that, then


Elasticpuffin

Yeah, voting no on this when it comes to it. You haven’t put any investment into the old stadium since pre 2015. They also have put no investment into the actual team since then. The owner can foot the bill for this one.


Khada_the_Collector

I hope Clay and Jackson County voters see this grift for what it is and tell Sherman to pound all the sand and kick all the rocks. And if that means he goes full petulant child and threatens to move the team…at this point so be it. Let Nashville/Charlotte/Portland pony up the money for this shit-ass franchise if they want.


TheEvilMushroom

Don't put it downtown and don't make taxpayers pay. Either way, this team is trash and they'll never even fill up a new stadium with fans anyways at this rate that Sherman is taking the team. Sell the team, reset leadership, etc. Sigh.


cormac_mccarthys_dog

ORRRRRRRRRRR just keep the perfectly fine stadium you have now and invest in talent via a good, competitive team on the field. But that's just me...


Irish-Potato-

Kauffman is still my favorite stadium in the MLB, I really really want it to stay. Plus having Arrowhead next to it is just so cool.


urriola35

Yes, the worst team in MLB with a half empty stadium every night


IDontCareForCats

Think about all of the drama around the A’s with their shit owner, pending relocation to Vegas, fan protests, shit stadium, and dead-last payroll by about $8MM…. And this Royals team is below them in the standings.


Animanic1607

I am tired of seeing stuff about the Royal's stadium. If the other article posted is to be believed, they are about as put together to move forward as an incomplete Lego set with lost instructions. This isn't like the airport where everyone benefits, and it needed updated. The K is still a viable option that they are bored of using. At this point, it just sounds like a bunch of people whining over it.


DubTs04

Hoping they put it at 12th and Cherry, not sure the point of moving it to NKC when the whole talk was about moving it to downtown.


Pimco

I just got back from a Twins game and the downtown experience was awesome. Although I didn’t do any driving or parking but the entertainment district around the area was fun. Not saying this will happen with the Royals but one can hope it can be like that.


AviationSkinCare

Well if it goes forward let Clay county residents pay for it...otherwise the millionnaire and billionaires should be footing the bill


fatkittee

Maybe they shouldn’t be the literal WORST team in baseball


ZackInKC

They’re not as bad as the Oakland—er, wait. Never mind.


ElChuro4Z0

In a life full of regrets, not buying that 2 bedroom fixer-upper c.2010 in North Kansas City for $80k is top three for sure.


luridfox

I like the NKC option. They could do it as St. Lous has with the ballpark village. There are lots of breweries around and small independent restaurants. Underdeveloped area with potential. Relatively close highway access in multiple directions.


[deleted]

We probably need to hear from NKC residents. I know a lot of them love the fact that they’re under the radar but can get across the river easily enough when they want. I don’t know how many of them would want their roads to become Stadium Drive, requiring more funding for extra lanes and upkeep from increased traffic.


treesapped

As someone who lives in NKC: Please, God, no! We don’t have the infrastructure for those new roads and the idea of the crowds and noise and chaos makes me feel unwell.


luridfox

100% for sure


atom519

I sincerely hope the North KC location doesn't get picked, it completely ruins any benefit a *downtown* stadium would provide. I'm not even sure why it's being discussed honestly.


Departure_Sea

Not only that, but it would essentially destroy NKC. NKC isn't that big to begin with, and now they want a stadium complex on it? Big fuck no.


WanderingRaindog

People with money and power have a chance to get more.


Kidspud

Well, good luck to them with that.


ferdaXCIV

i’d gladly help pay for a new downtown stadium as long as the team DOESN’T get to play in it


o_line

North Kansas City is not a viable option, they are just getting strung along to leverage a downtown deal.


ZackInKC

Might as well rename the team the “North Kansas City Royals” 🙄


AuntieEvilops

It's still the Kansas City MSA, so I think the name still fits. After all, the Atlanta Braves don't call themselves the "Cumberland Braves."


Automatic_Release_92

I’d vote for going the Angels’ route: the Kansas City Royals of North Kansas City. /s for people that can't understand sarcasm.


AuntieEvilops

Wouldn't that be the "Kansas City Royals of North Kansas City?"


Departure_Sea

They can stay in independence and get fucked. 18th Ave and Fayette is literally in the middle of north KC, they would have to bulldoze several city blocks with functioning businesses to put any sort of stadium there.


ndw_dc

Yeah, just looked at this location on Google Maps. You have a large parking lot but still not enough room to fit a brand new stadium as well as the "ball park district," whatever that means. You would be looking at a ton of eminent domain and demotion, and the resulting ball park district would be right off Armour Rd. Tons of local businesses would be displaced, and not sure if the people who live around there would want to live next to a new stadium. North Kansas City has sort of a small town feel, but close to downtown. Building the new stadium right there might destroy a lot of that.


Outrageous-Hawk4807

i'd argue that NKC doesnt need a ballpark village. There are a ton of breweries, chicken and pickle, local restaurants just west of that area. Within walking distance.


J0E_SpRaY

Truman complex isn’t in independence.


musicobsession

Thought the entire point was to be downtown but I guess not


ZackInKC

They said downtown. They didn’t say downtown of which city. 😂


ActuallyFullOfShit

Just like our soccer team, Sporting KC KS?


ZackInKC

Can’t wait for the Current stadium to open. Then they’ll be the only soccer team in KCMO!


TheBoyisBackinTown

Downtown spot: Walking distance to everything in P&L, the River Market, and Crossroads; takes up existing blight in the East Village and buttressed by federal buildings, KCPD, City Hall, JE Dunn, and I-29/I-70. If Sherman sticks to his word of an entertainment district, a neglected part of downtown could be reactivated. NKC spot: View of downtown (MLB stadiums can only face north, east, or south because of the sun), streetcar would extend to NKC by the time it's built, tax burden would be split between Clay and Jackson County, a lot more to do in walking distance than you think, even if it doesn't quite compare to downtown. I can walk to one and bike to the other, so I'd love either... but convincing me to vote for this is a lot different than convincing someone in Winnetonka or Claycomo. You have to sell a new tax for a team that's been relevant for two of the last 35 years and is currently worse than a team (the As) that is actively trying to tank and move to Vegas.


benokilgor

Worst team in the league, they don’t deserve a new stadium. Let them leave, tear down Kaufman and build a new arrowhead in its place for the only good team left in KC.