KC Faces Historic Decision on a new Royals’ Stadium

A decision may be coming on the Royals Stadium location very soon. And it remains one of the most impactful local development projects in a generation. It will literally shape the future of Kansas City.

Now YOU can make your voice heard. The Royals are seeking input from their fans on where the stadium should be located.  Whether we choose one of two suburban sites, or whether we build on the incredible momentum of our revitalized downtown.

Kansas City has arrived at a pivotal decision point. The location of the Royals’ future stadium will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the trajectory of our city.

The clear choice is to build an iconic new downtown stadium and mixed-use ballpark district that can serve as a permanent anchor in the heart of Kansas City’s cultural center.

This is a rare chance for us to create not only a superior fan experience but also an amazing tourist experience for conventioneers and vacationing families. This is our shot at making Kansas City one of the top destinations in America.

Imagine the excitement of visitors enjoying downtown baseball and conveniently riding the KC Streetcar from the CPKC Stadium on the riverfront to the River Market, the Power & Light District, the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts, the Crossroads Arts District, the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District, Union Station, Crown Center, the National WW I Museum and Memorial, the Nelson-Atkins and Kemper Museums, the Country Club Plaza, UMKC, and countless entertainment venues and restaurants along the way.  Unique assets like these have a synergy, a multiplier effect when located in close proximity to each other

Visualize the rave reviews that fans and visitors will give Kansas City after attending a Royals game amid so many easily accessible cultural and entertainment attractions. Picture the backdrop of our downtown skyline from the stands in a new ballpark in Washington Square Park that would showcase our beautiful city like never before.

Think of the tremendous amount of new tourist revenue that would flow to local businesses and boost our city’s economy.

Fulfilling the vision of Mayor Kay Barnes, the “River-Crown-Plaza District” features the highest concentration of hotels and demand-generators in the Kansas City region, all of which are now conveniently connected by the expanded streetcar line like a string of pearls. There’s simply no better place for a new ballpark.

A new downtown stadium would support existing hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues in a safe, clean, and walkable environment.

Downtown has a uniquely permanent character. It is home to historic architecture and beautiful landmarks that have stood the test of time. It is what gives Kansas City its identity.

KC made a critical mistake in the 1970s by dispersing major assets – the airport, the stadiums, Kemper Arena, and shopping centers – to all points of the compass. Like kicking the logs of a roaring fire, we scattered them and weakened our core through suburban sprawl. Predictably, the fire died out.

Over the last two decades, though, downtown has experienced an incredible transformation that continues today. With nearly 34,000 residents, 35% of the city’s employment base, millions of visitors, and a vibrant cultural scene, downtown is returning to its glory days. A baseball stadium would be the final piece to the puzzle of our remarkable resurgence.

More than 180,000 people live, work, and play downtown every day. It is the only place in the metro area with the infrastructure to accommodate large crowds and vehicular traffic. We witnessed this last month when – on the same evening – over 100,000 people descended upon downtown to attend a Chappell Roan concert at the Liberty Memorial, celebrate First Friday, attend Oktoberfest, and cheer on the PBR rodeo, amid other festivities.

Downtown has welcomed the largest crowds in our city’s history, including World Series and Super Bowl victory celebrations with hundreds of thousands of visitors. An estimated 300,000 attended the recent NFL Draft in 2023. And next year, downtown will be the epicenter of the World Cup events.

The proposed stadium site at Washington Square Park is uniquely equipped to handle baseball stadium traffic. Accessibility is key to removing barriers to participation by many of our citizens, and Downtown’s existing infrastructure provides seamless connectivity and accessibility to neighborhoods throughout the region. Downtown is a hub for our city with 33 existing bus routes connecting to east and west side neighborhoods, suburbs to the north and south, as well as the entire region. In addition, the expanding (free to the public) KC Streetcar line offers an opportunity for 47,000 residents who live along the streetcar corridor to enjoy a dinner in Midtown or the Plaza and a game Downtown, without a car.   It is conveniently accessible by nine nearby interstate ramps. It is served by several major arterial streets and the city’s incomparably efficient grid system, as well as by roughly 20,000 parking spaces within a four-block radius.

Downtown is the center of our region, a place where everyone in our community feels welcome. Sixty percent of the residential population within Greater Downtown is a diverse cross-section of African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and those of mixed ancestry. It also offers the shortest average commute for fans from the Northland, Eastern Jackson County, Johnson County, and South Kansas City. It is only twenty minutes from the airport. 

The location at Washington Square Park represents an unbeatable fan experience within walking distance of many of Kansas City’s best existing restaurants and entertainment venues, particularly enjoyable in the warm weather months of the year during baseball season.

We cannot repeat the mistakes of our past. If you agree that the Royals’ new stadium belongs in Washington Square Park, please let the team know how you feel. If you receive the survey, let your voice be heard by supporting downtown baseball on the questions asked.  Even if you don’t receive the survey, please take a minute to send a message to the Royals at fanfeedback@royals.com and help make Kansas City one of the best downtowns in America.

Let’s get this decision right, Kansas City. It’s time to play ball downtown!