Serial entrepreneur: Why are many small businesses against the new Royals stadium?

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Tyler Enders is co-founder of Made in KC, a brick-and-mortar and online retailer of locally made goods with locations downtown, on the Country Club Plaza, Lenexa, Lee’s Summit, and across the metro. 

Getting the disclaimers out of the way first: 

• Small businesses aren’t a monolith; 
• I don’t speak for all small businesses; 
• Many, many small business owners are in favor;
• Reasons to oppose the sales tax vary

The strong opposition to the new stadium, and the 3/8 cent sales tax that accompanies it, fascinates me. As a small business owner who’s spent the past four years integrating myself into the greater business and civic community, I believe wholeheartedly that our city is better off because of and better off with the Royals and the Chiefs.

Tyler Enders, Made in KC

National press doesn’t cover our BBQ competitions, celebrities don’t come back for our art shows, and our tourism isn’t driven by our claim to fame as the City of Fountains.  We’re a city of sports and art. There’s room for foodies and sports fans alike.

RELATED: ‘Out of touch’ ballpark plan leaves Crossroads small biz owners feeling betrayed

So why have neighboring businesses ended up so diametrically opposed to each other on the teams that bring our city together?

Small business owners are a unique bunch. Few people know the pressure of making payroll for an entire team of employees. Few people willingly embark upon a life where failure is a regular part of your day. It’s a job that ignores your personal boundaries, requires relentless perseverance, and still manages to punch you in the face every now and then. 

Many of the things that make for a great small business owner unintentionally pull you away from the connectivity that defines our civic and business community. Many of the best restauranteurs know how to run a cook line, regularly help with training & prep, meet with vendors, and run payroll, all while overseeing the rest of their business. All of these responsibilities restrict a business owner’s ability to build the relationships which lead to trust, alignment, and buy-in.

The NFL Draft left a bad taste in many Crossroads business owners’ mouths, and it wasn’t tourists or sports fans who helped KC small businesses during the pandemic, it was their core customer base (yes, many of whom are sports fans). If you’re a small business owner who made it through the pandemic and the ensuing inflation, you’re probably pretty weary and the last thing you need is for someone to tell you what’s good for your business.

From the archives: They walked right past us: Small biz owners shocked by low NFL Draft sales, now wary of World Cup

RELATED: NFL Draft festivities scored $164.3M in economic impact for Kansas City

Pedestrian traffic isn’t going to be slowing down in the Crossroads anytime soon, so many aren’t eager to invite new (massive) variables to the mix. And the solidarity that business owners from across KC are showing their friends and peers in the Crossroads is inspiring.

When I zoom out, and scale back, the decision to support the sales tax is so obvious; KC is a sports town and we need to not only retain the Chiefs and the Royals, we also need to ensure the facilities are world class. Analyzing my own spending, I’m proud to pay my $10 per month in sales tax so that Jackson County can own and benefit from these stadiums.

While I do consider myself a fan, and my small businesses perform better when the teams perform better, I genuinely believe that our city’s economy is more robust and dynamic with these teams, providing more opportunities and better opportunities. Thus I believe the benefit to citizens extends beyond fans, albeit at varying amounts.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve said many times that I feel no ill will towards people who oppose the tax or the downtown stadium. As badly as I believe that this is the right next step for Kansas City, I feel for the business owners that are facing an uninvited change to their plan. I commend the Royals organization for the thoughtful and generous agreements they have committed to and are working towards, both individual deals with individual businesses, and the larger Community Benefits Agreements which are historic in size and nature.

RELATED: Royals ballpark plan gains support among longtime Crossroads advocates

As our city continues to grow and evolve, we’ll surely see many more passionate debates about what is best for the city. I hope we can continue to connect our small business community to our larger business community and civic community. In an alternate universe, I feel these communities are aligned and unified.

Tyler Enders is co-founder of Made in KC, anaphora, and Kindred, as well as co-owner of Rainy Day Books.

 

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