Take me out to the ball game — but where that game is played depends on who you ask.
If it’s Royals COO Brooks Sherman, he said “baseball belongs downtown.” If it’s our KCtoday readers... well, let’s just say there’s a lot of opinions.
We asked your thoughts on a Royals downtown stadium, and you showed up in our inbox. Here are your pros + cons:
Pros
“It will extend the tax base, boost employment, bring in new entertainment venues, attract new businesses downtown, and the list goes on [...] Does roasting wieners on a grill and drinking beer out weigh the above mentioned benefits? You tell me.” — Reader John K.
“Much easier access to the stadium without having to drive and pay for parking. I think attendance will increase as people would be able to take the streetcar.” — Reader Matthew M.
“Average Royals attendance is 16,000, not 40,000. 16,000 is akin to what the T-Mobile Center handles very successfully year round.” — Reader Ryan G.
“I visited Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati this summer to see downtown ballparks. The areas have transformed with new hotels, shops, restaurants, and parks. No one complained about parking… the fan base adjusted.” — Reader Christopher K.
“Believe me from someone who has visited almost every park in the country. A downtown stadium is a much better experience.” — Reader Ehren M.
“Having a downtown stadium doesn’t just mean baseball [...] It allows us to keep growing as a city and downtown area. 20 years ago, the Power and Light District, T-Mobile Center, and surrounding areas didn’t exist. No one came to downtown to have fun. Now we’re hosting Chiefs Super Bowl watch parties, NCAA Tournaments, Block Parties, and Festivals.” — Reader Jaime D.
“Let’s face it, Taco Bell and the Best Western aren’t drawing many people to the Blue Ridge Cutoff [...] Also, as much as parking costs at the stadium, it will probably be cheaper to park downtown.” — Reader Jon P.
Cons
“Trying to find parking and just driving in the downtown area to get to a game with upwards of 40,000 people makes us think we’ll watch it on TV (better bathrooms too).” — Reader Fran H.
“Money spent on a new stadium in cramped downtown would be wasted. Other needs are MUCH greater!” — Reader Susan F.
“Let’s stick with our KC Current Stadium until the city is more prepared for the development.” — Reader Quinn C.
“There is no parcel of real estate in the downtown corridor large enough to accommodate a stadium and required parking without displacing extant residents or businesses.” — Reader Amy F.
“I can tell you as a worker downtown It would be a madhouse. No parking is just one issue. Like my dad always said, make do with what you have. I feel that putting the roof over the stadiums would be better.” — Reader Dale G.
Parking is a common complaint about the possible move — but not just for convenience, for something Kansas Citians love to do outside the stadiums: tailgating.
“If the stadiums move downtown, I worry that tailgating will be no more, and that’s one of the things that makes KC sports special.” — Reader Lauren O.
