At this moment, we have an opportunity to build a world-class baseball stadium in Jackson County and Kansas City while raising the economic and community benefits for our surrounding neighborhoods as well as the entire region.
In the Royals’ open letter to the community last November, they stated three criteria that would guide the search for their new home; real and measurable 1) community impact, 2) economic growth, and 3) an enhanced quality of life for the citizens of our region, with an emphasis on historically under-represented members of our community. If these criteria remain the top priorities for the Royals, then Downtown Kansas City is the clear and best choice for our community.
The East Village is a transit hub for our city with 33 existing bus routes connecting Downtown to east and west side neighborhoods as well as suburbs throughout our region. In addition, the site is only a few blocks away from the fare-free KC Streetcar as well as the Greenline, a 10-mile pedestrian trail connecting surrounding neighborhoods to Downtown amenities. For the hundreds of thousands of residents living near these various transit options, driving and parking costs would no longer be a factor, and transportation to the game would require very minimal or no cost at all.
Before us stands a unique opportunity to correct past wrongs of misplacing critical community assets in isolation of other key amenities and neighborhoods. A new ballpark district in East Village would integrate seamlessly with surrounding neighborhoods and activity centers. The East Village site will build upon the nearly $10 billion dollars of community investment in Downtown over the past two decades. A new home for the Royals in Downtown Kansas City will have great synergy with other catalytic projects within walking distance of the new district. Together, these amenities will mutually support each other and exponentially add to the economic impact of the region.
The East Village site is immediately adjacent to neighborhoods where the city is committed to reaching its goal of creating 5,000 new affordable housing units over the next decade. The Downtown development community provides a platform and partner organizations to build that new inventory and continue the rebirth of these surrounding neighborhoods while maintaining their authenticity and affordability.
The new ballpark would no longer stand alone, separated from communities and amenities but placed in Downtown Kansas City, the region’s unrivaled center for social and pedestrian activity. Downtown Kansas City averages more than 177,000 daily visitors, employees, and residents. Downtown is the region’s largest employment center blended with the fastest-growing residential neighborhood in the metropolitan area. The constant flow of visitors through Downtown will overwhelmingly support the game day atmosphere as well as the district’s office, residential, and retail uses throughout the year.
Downtown Investment
More than $9.8 billion in major developments have been completed or are currently under construction
Downtown Visits
In the past 12 months, more than 5.7 million unique visitors have visited Downtown more than 42 million times
Daily Population
In August, Downtown averaged more than 177,000 daily visits from visitors, employees, and residents
Downtown Employees
Downtown is home to more than 122,442 employees and 26.5 million square feet of office space
Streetcar Population
More than 47,000 residents live within a few blocks of a current or future Kansas City Streetcar stop
Parking Spaces
Downtown is home to 40,000 parking spaces conveniently located to accommodate different routes
Downtown Residents
Downtown is home to more than 32,000 residents with a projected growth to 40,000 residents by 2030
Bus Routes
33 existing bus routes connect Downtown to surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs throughout the region
Several major leasing transactions (displayed below) show continued strong investment in Downtown’s office and retail market, ensuring these diverse uses in the ballpark district will experience great success in the East Village. In addition, Downtown’s residential density collectively results in one of the highest buying power numbers in the region, showing an ability to sustain the ballpark district’s retail businesses throughout the entire year, beyond just the baseball season.
Downtown Kansas City has charted the course of mixing live and work together in a compact, walkable setting – transforming from a 9-to-5 office district into a modern, mixed-use neighborhood. More than $9.8 billion in major developments have been completed or are currently under construction since 2005.
Downtown is the fastest-growing residential neighborhood of both Kansas City and the entire region. A thriving arts scene, as well as new restaurants and retail, have significantly added to the vibrancy and exponentially increased the volume of pedestrians on Downtown sidewalks throughout the day and into the night.
Downtown Council of Kansas City
1000 Walnut, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64106
816.421.1539