Downtown Baseball Stadium

[aknowledgeableperson]

A downtown stadium that depends on a vote of the people just will not pass. Even if the team goes and wins the WS this year the no votes will always prevail. The sentiment of many who live in suburban Jackson County, even suburban KCMO, isn't so much they are anti-downtown it is more like they couldn't care less about downtown. Oh, they may go to an occasional event at T-Mobile or a public show at Bartle but to ask them to pay a tax for a downtown baseball stadium is just a simple no-no. Then of course there are the many who are anti-tax overall so there is a need to keep their negativity from spreading too far.
The team and the city if they go the public vote route first will have to do one fantastic sales job to convince people downtown is the best place for a new stadium. And convince the same people that a new stadium is needed instead of just rehabbing or fixing up what is at TSC.

[TheUrbanRoo]

Read the comments at the end of this article about the Tampa Bay Rays new stadium project: https://stpetecatalyst.com/inside-the-v ... -ballpark/

It's not just KC. This is just how Americans are. Muh parking! Muh taxpayer dollars! It sucks.

[WoodDraw]

So we tried this back before when the previous tax was passed. People mapped out how far they walk at Truman vs. how far they'd walk downtown.

It didn't work, and the glass family shut it all down very quickly.

It really annoys me how hard they missed on the messaging because so many people could have helped.

[Highlander]

A downtown stadium that depends on a vote of the people just will not pass. Even if the team goes and wins the WS this year the no votes will always prevail. The sentiment of many who live in suburban Jackson County, even suburban KCMO, isn't so much they are anti-downtown it is more like they couldn't care less about downtown. Oh, they may go to an occasional event at T-Mobile or a public show at Bartle but to ask them to pay a tax for a downtown baseball stadium is just a simple no-no. Then of course there are the many who are anti-tax overall so there is a need to keep their negativity from spreading too far.
The team and the city if they go the public vote route first will have to do one fantastic sales job to convince people downtown is the best place for a new stadium. And convince the same people that a new stadium is needed instead of just rehabbing or fixing up what is at TSC.

I think you are wrong. Much of Lees Summit voted for the stadium which actually surprised me. Only 8.1% of the voters in the last election need to be convinced, it's not an enormous hurdle with a better run election campaign. The Royals now have a couple of years to convince the public. Poor attendance figures this year in spite of winning could provide them with the urgent impetus to move downtown (and next time with the very real threat of losing the team if some type of public funding is not worked out and it sinks in that the Royals won't be renewing their lease at Kaufman).

[KCPowercat]

So we tried this back before when the previous tax was passed. People mapped out how far they walk at Truman vs. how far they'd walk downtown.

It didn't work, and the glass family shut it all down very quickly.

It really annoys me how hard they missed on the messaging because so many people could have helped.

Yeah if they fleshed that out and walked people through how it would work better, the message could have stuck. Do some documenting of an upcoming weekend homestand with the Royals being hot and the cluster post game traffic will be out of TSC to also drive home the message that the current state isn't all bliss.

[TheUrbanRoo]

I agree with Highlander, I think people are heavily overstating how far off the vote is for the Royals to win it. Votes have comeback from more than 8% before.

With that being said we shouldn’t even waste time with another vote, just get the money elsewhere.

[KCPowercat]

Imagine the lid flipping if they do this without a vote. I'm okay with it but there will be a LOT of backlash about the city going around voters will and they will have to be prepared to answer that question

[Highlander]

Imagine the lid flipping if they do this without a vote. I'm okay with it but there will be a LOT of backlash about the city going around voters will and they will have to be prepared to answer that question

First, suburban voters in Jackson County outside of KCMO would have no cause to create a backlash. This no longer would concern them. Second, an extension of a 3/8 cent sales tax was what was rejected by the voters, not a downtown stadium or even an East Crossroads stadium, it was only a funding mechanism. Nothing else should be read into the vote as many here have already posted - they cannot have it both ways.

[KCPowercat]

Imagine the lid flipping if they do this without a vote. I'm okay with it but there will be a LOT of backlash about the city going around voters will and they will have to be prepared to answer that question

First, suburban voters in Jackson County outside of KCMO would have no cause to create a backlash. This no longer would concern them. Second, an extension of a 3/8 cent sales tax was what was rejected by the voters, not a downtown stadium or even an East Crossroads stadium, it was only a funding mechanism. Nothing else should be read into the vote as many here have already posted - they cannot have it both ways.

You are lying to yourself if you think the tax was the only reason people voted no and even if so it won't stop naysayers from saying they are going around the voters.

[Highlander]

Imagine the lid flipping if they do this without a vote. I'm okay with it but there will be a LOT of backlash about the city going around voters will and they will have to be prepared to answer that question

First, suburban voters in Jackson County outside of KCMO would have no cause to create a backlash. This no longer would concern them. Second, an extension of a 3/8 cent sales tax was what was rejected by the voters, not a downtown stadium or even an East Crossroads stadium, it was only a funding mechanism. Nothing else should be read into the vote as many here have already posted - they cannot have it both ways.

You are lying to yourself if you think the tax was the only reason people voted no and even if so it won't stop naysayers from saying they are going around the voters.

You cannot assume why they voted no. The forum has been telling that to DCole on several occasions. I would suspect, however, if you remove the suburban Jackson County voters who do not reside in KCMO from equation, you remove a high percentage of the anti-downtown voters. And if the KC Port Authority takes on the project, those people are truly out of the loop. It might create some bad blood between them and the Royals but they'd have no say in the matter jurisdictionally. In the city, a downtown stadium could have been an issue with some but my guess would be the no vote was more anti-tax and save the crossroads oriented.

[KCPowercat]

Downtown voting tracts were some of the highest no vote percentages. Stats from exit polling also show the tax wasn't the only reason for no votes

I'm not saying legally they will have any standing but there will be political and public backlash with a move like that. Again as I said I'm not against the idea just have to prepare for it

[grovester]

You would also have to count on politicians doing something politically risky which is not their natural inclination.

60/40 vote is nothing to blow off.

[DColeKC]

30% or more of the population is going to hate anything that doesn't involve staying at Kauffman. A new stadium will be controversial regardless but even more so considering some public money will be used. If you can't get something done one way, you try another and you block out the group of haters you'll never win over. Treat the people right who will be displaced, pay your fair share (debatable) and avoid a public vote because even with a perfectly executed campaign complete with Mahomes and Witt having private visits with every household, many people will never be able to understand the importance of moving forward for the future of this city and team. So leave those people behind and focus on the very small margin of people you've got to flip if a vote is a must.

After it's all said and done, 5 years after the new stadium opens it will be hard to remember anyone ever opposed it.

[WoodDraw]

Downtown voting tracts were some of the highest no vote percentages. Stats from exit polling also show the tax wasn't the only reason for no votes

I'm not saying legally they will have any standing but there will be political and public backlash with a move like that. Again as I said I'm not against the idea just have to prepare for it

It's kinda like the airport vote; they didn't need it but wanted it. There were super confident they had the numbers there though.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I think you are wrong. Much of Lees Summit voted for the stadium which actually surprised me. Only 8.1% of the voters in the last election need to be convinced, it's not an enormous hurdle with a better run election campaign.

I would assume you do realize that there is more to Jackson County outside of KCMO than Lees' Summit.
And don't forget the no vote percentage in KCMO was about the same as the no vote in Jackson County outside of KCMO. Look at the no vote of downtown residents.
I think you underestimate the feelings many have in favor of the current stadium, even the residents of KCMO in Jackson County. And underestimate the negative feelings of downtown in general.
A better election campaign may move the needle some but the first move of those involved is to sell downtown itself as a desirable location to go to.

[WoodDraw]

It's quite expensive, but on my todo list is to run a poll of the KC region with over samples in certain areas to better understand all of this.

There's some private stuff out there but it's always behind an NDA.

[grovester]

Here my anecdote about downtown voters.

Niece and nephew, 25-30, live by 39th St, local sports fans, Sporting, Current, Chiefs.

BIG local boosters, local restaurants, local coffee, local music/venues, KCMO boosters.

They were all for downtown baseball until the team flipped to EC, now they are 100% against, because LOCAL.

[KCPowercat]

Here my anecdote about downtown voters.

Niece and nephew, 25-30, live by 39th St, local sports fans, Sporting, Current, Chiefs.

BIG local boosters, local restaurants, local coffee, local music/venues, KCMO boosters.

They were all for downtown baseball until the team flipped to EC, now they are 100% against, because LOCAL.

They are not alone.

[DColeKC]

Here my anecdote about downtown voters.

Niece and nephew, 25-30, live by 39th St, local sports fans, Sporting, Current, Chiefs.

BIG local boosters, local restaurants, local coffee, local music/venues, KCMO boosters.

They were all for downtown baseball until the team flipped to EC, now they are 100% against, because LOCAL.

Yeah, these are the people you don’t waste time on. They feel virtuous by doing their part and shopping local when they can but refuse to see the big picture. They’ll still attend the games at the new stadium even if it displaces their very favorite local shop.

Small group of people as well. Loud but small.

[Highlander]

I think you are wrong. Much of Lees Summit voted for the stadium which actually surprised me. Only 8.1% of the voters in the last election need to be convinced, it's not an enormous hurdle with a better run election campaign.

I would assume you do realize that there is more to Jackson County outside of KCMO than Lees' Summit.
And don't forget the no vote percentage in KCMO was about the same as the no vote in Jackson County outside of KCMO. Look at the no vote of downtown residents.
I think you underestimate the feelings many have in favor of the current stadium, even the residents of KCMO in Jackson County. And underestimate the negative feelings of downtown in general.
A better election campaign may move the needle some but the first move of those involved is to sell downtown itself as a desirable location to go to.

If people love the current stadium so much, maybe they should actually attend games. The Royals are 34-19, in the thick of a pennant race and riding an eight game winning streak and yet attendance is near the bottom of MLB. That's the problem. People love Kaufman but not enough to go to games. Hence the interest in a downtown stadium. For these reasons, I think the Royals leave the metro if some kind of solution cannot be found. They will not renew their lease at TSC and will be gone by 2030 (if not before) without a solution.


https://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance