Downtown Baseball Stadium

[WoodDraw]

I have a handful of friends that have given up on this site and I'm starting to see why.

I've enjoyed the friendships I've made along the way, but I'm out.

[Chris Stritzel]

A lot of this has nothing to do with the stadium at all. It’s people showing their true selves. We can admit that there is a gun problem and a crime problem. Yes. Both should be addressed. But how they relate directly to the new stadium and vote is where I get lost on the argument. Let’s keep that discussion elsewhere because this thread has had spirited debates recently on issues pertaining directly to the stadium plan and location (as it should be).

[shinatoo]

A lot of this has nothing to do with the stadium at all. It’s people showing their true selves. We can admit that there is a gun problem and a crime problem. Yes. Both should be addressed. But how they relate directly to the new stadium and vote is where I get lost on the argument. Let’s keep that discussion elsewhere because this thread has had spirited debates recently on issues pertaining directly to the stadium plan and location (as it should be).

Average suburban voter: "Mass shooting at a sporting event downtown - Royals want to move downtown - Downtown is violent and full of gangs as evident by the mass shooting - I don't want to be around violence and gangs, but I do like baseball - I'm voting no on a downtown stadium."

Not sure why it's difficult to relate the effects of yesterday on the vote.

[Chris Stritzel]

A lot of this has nothing to do with the stadium at all. It’s people showing their true selves. We can admit that there is a gun problem and a crime problem. Yes. Both should be addressed. But how they relate directly to the new stadium and vote is where I get lost on the argument. Let’s keep that discussion elsewhere because this thread has had spirited debates recently on issues pertaining directly to the stadium plan and location (as it should be).

Average suburban voter: "Mass shooting at a sporting event downtown - Royals want to move downtown - Downtown is violent and full of gangs as evident by the mass shooting - I don't want to be around violence and gangs, but I do like baseball - I'm voting no on a downtown stadium."

Not sure why it's difficult to relate the effects of yesterday on the vote.

That’s different because the stadium isn’t a standalone vote item. It’s linked with the Chiefs. Even with the shooting yesterday, people will still likely vote yes because of the Chiefs. I’m not saying that this won’t affect the vote, but it won’t lead to a massive change in opinion against the stadium or the Chiefs or the plans that both teams have. The same suburban voters have had their mind made up that downtown is a dangerous place long before the vote.

Where I get pissed is people who come in here and hijack threads to complain about race, partisan politics, and other crap that have nothing to do with anything relevant to the topic of the thread.

[DColeKC]

I was there, ran home, went out later to pick up dinner, and still live downtown.

But we have a huge gun and policing problem, and we can't ignore it.

We do have a policing problem. We need more of them and we need them in a heavier presence in the areas we see the most violence. That’s what those residents want too. Yet we had this entire movement pushing the opposite which has only exacerbated the problem.

Thank god we had such a huge presence yesterday as the insanely fast reaction time likely saved lives and allowed for the punks to be apprehended.

Obviously this topic is controversial and I’m not sure why. The fact you failed to mention other things that are relevant but got in guns a police is a prime example of not speaking the truth.

I just hope we get on top of this. We’ve done too much work on our city to continue to have violence harm that progress and worse, people’s lives.

[WoodDraw]

I just want to talk development and and not deal with racist fuck boys.

People know how to get ahold of me if they wish, or someone that has my number. Take care everyone.

[Highlander]

I just want to talk development and and not deal with racist fuck boys.

People know how to get ahold of me if they wish, or someone that has my number. Take care everyone.

That's a pretty minor part of this forum. I am use to far worse on other forums where the racism is blatant and unabashed. At least the moderators here keep things more or less under control. But lets at least be honest. It happened. At least one person is dead and many other injured badly. It hurts the image of the city and could have a profound impact on the upcoming vote for a downtown stadium and the overall perception of downtown. We don't live in world uncolored by the impact of perception even if that perception is highly biased.

[GRID]

Don't go WoodDraw! This forum needs you.

I don't think the shooting will change the vote. People that would use the shooting as a reason to vote no are not going to support a downtown stadium regardless.

America has a problem. It's not a race problem, it's a poverty problem. Putting our sports venues in the middle of nowhere and buffering them with parking lots won't change anything.

My biggest concern with this stadium is I'm very concerned that none (or few) of the key components (extension of park deck, bridge, highrises along Oak, even a proper rebuild of Grand Ave) will be built in a timely fashion. If they just build a stadium and none of the rest and KC just gets a stadium with the ugly At&T building towering over the outfield, then I will be pretty disappointed and so will everybody else.

There has to be a way to make sure this ENTIRE project goes up at the same time or within a few years of the stadium opening. Look how long it took StL to build ballpark village and one cardinal way after Busch three opened. KC can't wait that long. If they can't do this, then this stadium should just go to EV

I also wish they could rotate the stadium just a little more to the north and do something more with the main video board. I hope they can pull off the fountains, but I have a feeling nearly all the fountains in the renderings won't make it through value engineering. I think the fountains should be a priority to keep the stadium unique.

[Chris Stritzel]

WHAT IF… the sales tax revenue for the stadiums is partially redirected from the Royals to help cover the infrastructure enhancements and the Loop Park extension? It doesn’t seem out of the question in my view and would probably win some other people over. Use publicly generated tax revenue to build better infrastructure.

[KC_Ari]

Rotate the stadium more north and shift it as close to Grand as possible to prevent any closing of Oak. You can take away half of both those streets right of way to have plenty of room. Dcole even drew up adding a bump out around the stadium. If pedestrian safety is a concern or reason for trying to close Oak, then do what T-Mobile/P+L does and close that block during games, preferably with automated bollards that actually work. Do those two things and my two biggest gripes are cleared. The CR site always had a higher upside, it just seems like overall the initial concept is fairly unimaginative with the given space. The extended cap was a layup to make the renders look nicer, everything else visually is fine. I actually like the stadium design itself, just needs to be located better.

I won't like the demolition of blocks and blocks of buildings, but at the same time if the owners sell and there isn't government overreach using eminent domain then I can't really fault property owners for selling to the Royals. They have every right to do that. I don't even mind if the buildings out of right field take years to go up, just don't demolish what is already there for parking while waiting to time market with construction competitions.

I'm also in the camp that I don't expect the highway lid or bridge over Truman to happen until it happens, but I'm not opposed to that bridge it serves a valid purpose. The current two beg button crossings are already terrible, although you would expect people to use both so people directing traffic would already have to happen across 670, making the walkway a little redundant after games.

[KCPowercat]

What a few days to be not on the site. Between super bowl, parade, haven't even had a chance to digest the stadium news/plans. Overall it looks like worst fears of what they are taking and closing but I was coming to terms that this was probably where we were going to not sure I have much anger left. I do intend to support those organizations that do speak out and have demands on how to make this better for that neighborhood. right now, it's too abstract to really understand it all.

[DColeKC]

What a few days to be not on the site. Between super bowl, parade, haven't even had a chance to digest the stadium news/plans. Overall it looks like worst fears of what they are taking and closing but I was coming to terms that this was probably where we were going to not sure I have much anger left. I do intend to support those organizations that do speak out and have demands on how to make this better for that neighborhood. right now, it's too abstract to really understand it all.

I was wondering where you were.

[KCPowercat]

I don't plan to actively be opposed to this in any way. I'll be beating the drum of making it better and getting that yes vote in april. I just haven't had any bandwidth to really look into it yet. From what I've see so far I'll focus on the positives

- really like that pedestrian bridge concept going from tmo to the outfield
- I generally like the design from the generic rendering and sizing

[Sani]

Crossroads businesses don't want a Kansas City Royals stadium to bulldoze their neighborhood

KCUR | By Savannah Hawley-Bates
Published February 14, 2024 at 4:00 AM CST

The Royals’ recently announced Crossroads stadium and entertainment district would require the demolition of more than a dozen businesses. Many of those owners are now calling on Jackson County residents to vote against April's sales tax measure to send a message to the team.
The Royals want their proposed $2 billion Crossroads stadium and entertainment venue to open in 2028. But first, they’d have to demolish more than a dozen small businesses that surround the old Kansas City Star printing press site, where the stadium would be centered.

The Crossroads choice was a surprise to many business owners — it was not on the team’s shortlist of locations last fall.

The stadium’s footprint sits on historic buildings and small businesses from Truman Road to 17th Street and McGee Street to Oak Street.

Several Crossroads business owners want the team to build its stadium instead in the East Village, a downtown area of mostly parking lots about half a mile away. The East Village was among the team's original options, and likely wouldn’t require the demolition of any businesses

Business owners plan on sending a message through their votes. They're calling on Jackson County residents to reject the April 2 ballot measure, which would extend the county's current 3/8th-cent sales tax that supports the Royals and the Chiefs stadiums.

[DColeKC]

Crossroads businesses don't want a Kansas City Royals stadium to bulldoze their neighborhood

KCUR | By Savannah Hawley-Bates
Published February 14, 2024 at 4:00 AM CST

The Royals’ recently announced Crossroads stadium and entertainment district would require the demolition of more than a dozen businesses. Many of those owners are now calling on Jackson County residents to vote against April's sales tax measure to send a message to the team.
The Royals want their proposed $2 billion Crossroads stadium and entertainment venue to open in 2028. But first, they’d have to demolish more than a dozen small businesses that surround the old Kansas City Star printing press site, where the stadium would be centered.

The Crossroads choice was a surprise to many business owners — it was not on the team’s shortlist of locations last fall.

The stadium’s footprint sits on historic buildings and small businesses from Truman Road to 17th Street and McGee Street to Oak Street.

Several Crossroads business owners want the team to build its stadium instead in the East Village, a downtown area of mostly parking lots about half a mile away. The East Village was among the team's original options, and likely wouldn’t require the demolition of any businesses

Business owners plan on sending a message through their votes. They're calling on Jackson County residents to reject the April 2 ballot measure, which would extend the county's current 3/8th-cent sales tax that supports the Royals and the Chiefs stadiums.

It’s literally a small percentage of the business owners but of course KCUR is going to dive in.

It was never going to be east village. It was crossroads or not in Jackson County. That will all come out one day.

[Cratedigger]

Crossroads businesses don't want a Kansas City Royals stadium to bulldoze their neighborhood

KCUR | By Savannah Hawley-Bates
Published February 14, 2024 at 4:00 AM CST

The Royals’ recently announced Crossroads stadium and entertainment district would require the demolition of more than a dozen businesses. Many of those owners are now calling on Jackson County residents to vote against April's sales tax measure to send a message to the team.
The Royals want their proposed $2 billion Crossroads stadium and entertainment venue to open in 2028. But first, they’d have to demolish more than a dozen small businesses that surround the old Kansas City Star printing press site, where the stadium would be centered.

The Crossroads choice was a surprise to many business owners — it was not on the team’s shortlist of locations last fall.

The stadium’s footprint sits on historic buildings and small businesses from Truman Road to 17th Street and McGee Street to Oak Street.

Several Crossroads business owners want the team to build its stadium instead in the East Village, a downtown area of mostly parking lots about half a mile away. The East Village was among the team's original options, and likely wouldn’t require the demolition of any businesses

Business owners plan on sending a message through their votes. They're calling on Jackson County residents to reject the April 2 ballot measure, which would extend the county's current 3/8th-cent sales tax that supports the Royals and the Chiefs stadiums.

It’s literally a small percentage of the business owners but of course KCUR is going to dive in.

It was never going to be east village. It was crossroads or not in Jackson County. That will all come out one day.

As someone that's been somewhat in the loop - this is a gross misrepresentation of the situation. EV was the preferred site initially and the one of the first ones with detailed renderings.

Of course, that changed once the team started to (finally) talk to stakeholders outside of Populous and HR&A.

[KCPowercat]

To me it's not even about those businesses directly impacted anymore even though that's horrible for them. It's the ancillary impact of the surrounding businesses not bought out. Their rent is going to skyrocket and they won't survive where they are.

[DColeKC]

It’s literally a small percentage of the business owners but of course KCUR is going to dive in.

It was never going to be east village. It was crossroads or not in Jackson County. That will all come out one day.

As someone that's been somewhat in the loop - this is a gross misrepresentation of the situation. EV was the preferred site initially and the one of the first ones with detailed renderings.

Of course, that changed once the team started to (finally) talk to stakeholders outside of Populous and HR&A.

I’m not saying EV wasn’t at one point in play but starting late last year, it was off the table and this was going to a different county. I’m only saying this because the article says these business owners say they want it in EV. Likely because they know there will be economic benefits but that’s not a possibility.

[Cratedigger]

It’s literally a small percentage of the business owners but of course KCUR is going to dive in.

It was never going to be east village. It was crossroads or not in Jackson County. That will all come out one day.

As someone that's been somewhat in the loop - this is a gross misrepresentation of the situation. EV was the preferred site initially and the one of the first ones with detailed renderings.

Of course, that changed once the team started to (finally) talk to stakeholders outside of Populous and HR&A.

I’m not saying EV wasn’t at one point in play but starting late last year, it was off the table and this was going to a different county. I’m only saying this because the article says these business owners say they want it in EV. Likely because they know there will be economic benefits but that’s not a possibility.

Got it. Yeah that's true

[rxlexi]

Would love to hear more about some of the design choices:

Why wasn't the field oriented north, given this is the perfect location to do so, and the northeast view looks directly onto a looming relative eyesore of a building? Issues with sunlight/angles per MLB? To better incorporate the "village" development and it's views into the park?

Was the design for the pedestrian bridge based on the assumption that a cap park between Grand and Locust is purely aspirational, and the existing crossing situation is inadequate (reality)? I do like that this will funnel people towards existing infrastructure (P&L and loop garages).

Does Oak simply dead-end into the stadium, and the "village" buildings are incorporated directly into the design of the stadium (secure access all the way around)?

Overall, I think Grid has described my sentiment. How much of this beyond the basic stadium bowl (park/bridge/village) can even be expected to be reality by 2028-30 (within a year or two of Opening Day, say)? If the answer is "not much", I think it's BS to be marketing it as such for a public vote.