KCRag Forum

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"My hope is before the end of the calendar year we have something to announce for the people of Kansas City," Lucas said.
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Monday’s announcement marked the latest development in a year where state and local leaders have worked with officials from the two clubs to find new homes.

"I continue to believe the Chiefs will be at Arrowhead Stadium for years to come. I think there is going to be a good agreement reached," Lucas said of the ongoing negotiations between the county and the Chiefs. "As for the Royals, they will be playing in Kansas City, Missouri. We have a lot of different ideas in the hopper, but we are figuring out how we can build a great stadium, a great tourist destination, and also something that is responsible and exceptional for our taxpayers."
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dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 9:16 am Yeah the vibes are good regardless now for the Royals and can only get better if they can advance. There will be renewed interest this offseason and let's hope the Royals continue to press on and make significant moves to keep improving their talent.

As for the stadium deal my guess is Washington Square Park will be the winner. I saw KC Biz Journal had an article today talking about how they can assemble the park land without a public vote and the City or the Royals could buy the old BCBS of KC property plot. My guess it is all done before the end of the year so that after BCBS moves in early 2025 the Royals will start moving on preparing the site for the new stadium. Going to be fun to watch the activity there as they build it up, not to mention some "zombie projects" in the area might start moving again or moving at a better pace. Along with new projects in the surrounding areas.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:53 am
From my perspective it feels like WSP could happen and is the easiest location. Only thing I know for a fact at this point in time is that a few locations around downtown are still being discussed and the Royals have not internally picked one yet. If they loved WSP, they would have bought in fully by now.

TheUrbanRoo wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:02 pm

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:53 am
From my perspective it feels like WSP could happen and is the easiest location. Only thing I know for a fact at this point in time is that a few locations around downtown are still being discussed and the Royals have not internally picked one yet. If they loved WSP, they would have bought in fully by now.

I could live with WSP and think their could be good benefits to it. But the more I've stewed on this the past few weeks I think North Loop would be the best site, along with East Village or Crossroads. I just think we need to keep the activity towards the city center, and WSP is a bit too far out. I really think North Loop would be the wisest option, for reasons everyone else has said.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:53 am

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 9:16 am Yeah the vibes are good regardless now for the Royals and can only get better if they can advance. There will be renewed interest this offseason and let's hope the Royals continue to press on and make significant moves to keep improving their talent.

As for the stadium deal my guess is Washington Square Park will be the winner. I saw KC Biz Journal had an article today talking about how they can assemble the park land without a public vote and the City or the Royals could buy the old BCBS of KC property plot. My guess it is all done before the end of the year so that after BCBS moves in early 2025 the Royals will start moving on preparing the site for the new stadium. Going to be fun to watch the activity there as they build it up, not to mention some "zombie projects" in the area might start moving again or moving at a better pace. Along with new projects in the surrounding areas.

From my perspective it feels like WSP could happen and is the easiest location. Only thing I know for a fact at this point in time is that a few locations around downtown are still being discussed and the Royals have not internally picked one yet. If they loved WSP, they would have bought in fully by now.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:44 pm Redoing infrastructure is one for the very reasons to do North loop. What building needs to come down, flash cube? All the better it's not a viable building.

langosta wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:45 pm

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:44 pm Redoing infrastructure is one for the very reasons to do North loop. What building needs to come down, flash cube? All the better it's not a viable building.

Isn’t it a fully leased apartment complex?

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:44 pm Redoing infrastructure is one for the very reasons to do North loop. What building needs to come down, flash cube? All the better it's not a viable building.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:47 pm

langosta wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:45 pm

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:44 pm Redoing infrastructure is one for the very reasons to do North loop. What building needs to come down, flash cube? All the better it's not a viable building.

Isn’t it a fully leased apartment complex?

I don't see this as a reason it stands in the way of a bigger project. WSP loses an office building and a war memorial

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:47 pm

langosta wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:45 pm

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:44 pm Redoing infrastructure is one for the very reasons to do North loop. What building needs to come down, flash cube? All the better it's not a viable building.

Isn’t it a fully leased apartment complex?

I don't see this as a reason it stands in the way of a bigger project. WSP loses an office building and a war memorial

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2024 1:19 pm Dcole, I'm sure the Royals are still looking at options for sure. My take, is they love the East Crossroads as the best possible spot and they are really enamored with it. The City would love it, as would the Royals. However I think it is going to be a real uphill battle to get the neighborhood and business owners on board. Plus there is already an uphill battle with the general public on the PR side. Even if the Royals do not tear down buildings and & businesses on the West side of Oak, keep Oak open, and look to develop other parcels around the area the negative PR may just be too much. So there is a PITA factor and is it worth it? Can you skip the area to get your stadium up faster and start realizing your ROI quicker.

That said, I'm sure the EV is still in play as well, and again it is an easier option than EC. But overall the WSP site offers too many positives and an ease of use factor for them to pass up. Plus the City would like it to help be a huge catalyst to develop more of the Southern end of the Cross Roads and in and around Crown Center. Plus spillover potential to the West Side & SW Blvd area and some of the new things going in there. I also think the stadium serving as a catalyst for commuter rail from the burbs into Union Station, especially on game days could be game changing for the Metro. Obviously a lot of work to do on all fronts but from the ease of starting and the full potential of what WSP would mean to not only downtown but KC Metro makes it the solid choice. EC would be great but it appears that growth & development is going to be sustained by the stakeholders who built it to what is is today and they want to shape that area going forward. Can't argue with success. Plus there may be something transformative planned for the old KC Star Press building that would fit the area better. But have River Market on the North, TMobile in the Middle and Royals at WSP really provides 3 great anchors for future development to springboard from.

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Proponents of a Washington Square Park ballpark in recent months have highlighted how comparatively simple its land assembly would be. Its 11-plus acres include the city's 5-acre park, managed by its Parks & Recreation Department, and a 6.14-acre office property that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City will vacate in early 2025. By comparison, the Royals' illustrated stadium sites in the East Village and East Crossroads respectively called for transactions with 12 or 23 unique property owners. Both also may have involved city-led eminent domain, and would have demolished rows of small businesses or low-income apartments.

But Kansas City's ownership of Washington Square Park could give the Royals a leg up not just on land assembly, but a new lease, too. Both before and after the team's failed sales tax vote, leaders like Mayor Quinton Lucas have said the city or a city incentive agency, rather than Jackson County, could take ownership of a downtown ballpark, similar to venues like the T-Mobile Center, Municipal Auditorium and CPKC Stadium, and execute a lease with the Royals.
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Importantly, while selling any city parkland requires public approval at a special election, that wouldn't be the case with a ground lease. A city spokesperson last month said the charter authorizes the Board of Parks & Recreation Commissioners to lease or license "any land, building or parts thereof in any park" — and without any term limit — as long as all funds derived from the lease or license are used for park purposes.
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The city also theoretically could buy Blue KC's property, which the health insurer looks to sell, or the Royals could acquire and convey it to public ownership, as the team contemplated for private properties at other stadium sites.
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The mayor told KCUR that pursuing those tools, rather than a sales tax on another ballot, would not be intended to "avoid" a public stadium vote.
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