Want to talk (downtown) baseball? Royals set Plexpod Westport Commons for first stop on listening tour
December 7, 2022 | Startland News Staff
Less than a month after announcing the Royals’ intention to build a $2 billion downtown ballpark district — a vision that would see the Major League Baseball franchise leave its longtime home at Kauffman Stadium — the team’s leadership is opening a community dialogue on its future.
The move would boost economic growth for entrepreneurs, John Sherman, chairman and CEO of the Royals, shared previously, noting the potential for new shops, hotels, restaurants and affordable housing options downtown.
John Sherman, Kansas City Royals
A public community meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Plexpod Westport Commons, 300 E. 39th St., to discuss the Royals moving to a new home in or around downtown Kansas City.
The gathering is expected to include presentations from Royals executives and outside experts engaged on the project and a session for questions from the audience.
Click here to RSVP for the meeting, which is expected to be the first stop on an ongoing public listening tour.
In a Nov. 15 letter to the Kansas City community, Sherman shared his vision for the team to leave the Truman Sports Complex in less than a decade.
“When its current lease in Jackson County concludes at the end of this decade [in 2031], it will be 60 years old,” Sherman’s letter read. “The renovations required at The K [Kauffman Stadium] to achieve our objectives would cost as much or more than the price tag to develop a new ballpark.”
Rendering of a potential new downtown KCMO stadium for the Kansas City Royals, image courtesy of the Royals
With the price tag for the move and ballpark district projected to surpass $2 billion, the Royals plans would be contingent on continuing its public-private partnership and investment with multiple local jurisdictions and the state of Missouri, Sherman said.
The Royals intend to invest hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the project, according to previous reporting from KCUR, with Sherman saying the franchise will not ask Jackson County citizens to pay more tax dollars than what they already do in the current lease at Kauffman Stadium, which opened in 1973.
“The Royals look forward to seeking public input about how to best serve our residents and build on the momentum our city is experiencing,” the team said in a statement announcing the Dec. 14 meeting.
RELATED: Kansas Citian of the Year: Royals owner’s work echoes legacy of Ewing Kauffman
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
New in KC: Ops leader joins KCSourceLink to strengthen network’s collective impact for entrepreneurs
A newly created director of operations role at KCSourceLink is expected to boost efforts to connect entrepreneurs and small businesses with hundreds of resources for growing and scaling their ventures in Kansas City, as well as across the state through MOSourceLink. Dena Thomas Aouassou, a veteran of nonprofit entrepreneurship support and workforce training, recently relocated…
Cultura con carácter: How JEFES inks DINKC’s hometown team with drops of KC Latino hustle
Laedan “DINKC” Galicia draws a fine line between his creative mediums: skin, pen, fabric, and paint — now from a artists hub in Kansas City’s Columbus Park neighborhood. From his signature tattoo style to his JEFES clothing line, DINKC’s bold perspective is leaving a mark on Kansas City culture (and the Super Bowl). “With JEFES, I…
BKS Artisan Ales plans Crossroads nanobrewery, tapping additional location closer to KC’s hub of activity
BKS Artisan Ales — dubbed a “little beer heaven” by industry insiders — is bringing its award-winning operation to the Crossroads, adding a second, smaller brewery location near what founders Brian and Mary Rooney see as a downtown tourism market that also is easily accessible to some of their business’ biggest local fans. The space…
Pipeline doubles-down on diverse voices: Meet its new class of Pathfinder entrepreneurs
Programs built to support emerging founders who are primed to break through — despite entering entrepreneurship from a different starting point — have never been more needed, said Melissa Vincent, announcing the newest class of Pipeline Pathfinders. “In today’s climate, programs like Pathfinder are not just valuable — they’re essential,” said Vincent, CEO of Pipeline…