Downtown Royals Stadium

[CloneIce]

In general, it's ok-ish, but as someone that drove their kid from Shawnee to Lees Summit for soccer practice at 5:45 PM, this is on another planet from the truth. I found some very creative routes over the years.

Yeah I drive JoCo to LS several days a week. It’s not that bad. You shouldn’t expect to drive 70 across a metro area during rush hour. There will always be slowdowns.

Also - when did you make that drive? The lanes added to 435 have helped alot. As well as more people working from home since COVID.

 

[Fall Creek]

Baseball stadiums belong in downtown areas, its much easier for people to get to the game. The day-to-day foot traffic and synergy with the local establishments like P&L district would add to their attendance figures.

 

[CloneIce]

But the Royals want to move downtown and not out by the race track in Kansas. They asked people after the first bond issue that failed why they did not vote for it, and it was very clear that if it was only the Chiefs, it would have passed, but they were not willing to pay for the Royals also. KC has always been a Chiefs towns first and foremost and the Royals are a distant second.

Yes. Quite an interesting conundrum. Royals want to be downtown but they are getting the better incentives for KS or North KC.

I voted yes and it was an easy yes vote. But the timing of that vote couldn’t have been worse - right during the property tax fiasco and before the Royals became a good competitive team again.

 

[CloneIce]

I feel like you're dead set on you opinion, and that's fine. We can agree to disagree.

Yes, I think the traffic issues come down to perception and what people consider bad traffic. I drive across KC daily and I think it’s pretty good compared to most metros.

The location of the stadiums is always going to leave some people further, some closer. I do not think proximity to the northland is an important criteria for the Royals, given that there are other parts of the metro with more people and more of those people who attend Royals games. Most of the population of metro is on Jackson and JoCo South of the rivers. But really, downtown is the only spot where they could get a lot of attendees who aren’t driving there on highways.

 

[JP4CY]

Wouldn't it really help the Royals to get a lot of the foot traffic by the outlet mall next to the racetrack in KS? Also with as many flights as MLB teams take, thats a really quick, short ride to the airport.

 

[chuckd4735]

Wouldn't it really help the Royals to get a lot of the foot traffic by the outlet mall next to the racetrack in KS? Also with as many flights as MLB teams take, thats a really quick, short ride to the airport.

All of the MLB charters fly through Wheeler downtown.

 

[CloneIce]

Wouldn't it really help the Royals to get a lot of the foot traffic by the outlet mall next to the racetrack in KS? Also with as many flights as MLB teams take, thats a really quick, short ride to the airport.

I think one downside is that same existing development out there does limit their ability to build a Royals owned ballpark entertainment district around the stadium. But I could see them ending up there. I actually think it’s a better spot for Chiefs.

 

[aeroclone]

I think one downside is that same existing development out there does limit their ability to build a Royals owned ballpark entertainment district around the stadium. But I could see them ending up there. I actually think it’s a better spot for Chiefs.

I feel like the overland park location poses the same problem. The Royals want to build a village with office, restaurant, and retail space. But the 119th and Nall location is already built up in that regard, not too different from the Speedway. Where does the ballpark village go?

 

[CloneIce]

I feel like the overland park location poses the same problem. The Royals want to build a village with office, restaurant, and retail space. But the 119th and Nall location is already built up in that regard, not too different from the Speedway. Where does the ballpark village go?

I agree. I feel like this site is there in part for negotiation leverage with MO and other potential sites.

I’ve also heard the rumors around the Meadowbrook site in JoCo.

 

[dafarmer]

I feel for the Hunt family, they might have yellow mustard instead of grey poupon on their sandwiches.

 

[Dgilbertson]

I feel like the overland park location poses the same problem. The Royals want to build a village with office, restaurant, and retail space. But the 119th and Nall location is already built up in that regard, not too different from the Speedway. Where does the ballpark village go?

Best place for expanded development is where they currently reside. There’s a run down hotel/waterpark, and plenty of cheaper land than anywhere else in the metro.

 

[CloneIce]

Best place for expanded development is where they currently reside. There’s a run down hotel/waterpark, and plenty of cheaper land than anywhere else in the metro.

The stadiums have been there for more than 50 years and no successful development has occurred around them. What does that tell you?