County exec and KC Royals legend Frank White: ‘Long way to go’ before downtown baseball
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What we know about Royals stadium move
The Kansas City MLB team has set its sights on leaving its ballpark of nearly 50 years, Kauffman Stadium, and potentially building a new stadium and sports entertainment district downtown.
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Jackson County Executive Frank White not only put together a storied career as a major-league player for the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, but he was part of the crew that originally built the ballpark.
A member of the Royals Hall of Fame, White released a statement on Tuesday night in response to Royals CEO and chairman John Sherman’s open letter to fans and the local community making his case for the club to move away from Kauffman Stadium and into a ballpark in or near downtown as part of a $2 billion ballpark district project.
White expressed admiration for Sherman and his dedication to the KC area, but he also seemed to signal some tepidness.
“I look forward to continuing to work with all parties involved, but we have a long way to go before any decisions are made on a downtown stadium,” White said as part of his statement.
White also alluded to a desire for more detailed information about the project such as cost, funding and the “specific” benefits to the community.
White played for the Royals for 18 seasons from 1973 through 1990, including the World Series championship in 1985. He won eight Gold Gloves, a franchise record tied by Alex Gordon in 2020, and earned five All-Star nominations, a Silver Slugger award and an ALCS MVP in 1980.
White has served as Jackson County Executive since 2016. He’d previously been elected as 1st District At-Large Jackson County Legislator on November 4, 2014.
White’s history with the current ballpark extends to the facilities construction. He worked as a union laborer, scraping mortar and sealing floors for what was originally named Royals Stadium.
Sherman, who became the Royals principal owner in November 2019, first voiced his intentions to explore a downtown ballpark in September 2021.
Sherman’s letter describes the need for “a mixture of public and private investment, including our own intention to invest hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the ballpark and the ballpark district.”
Sherman also said one of the guiding principles in the planning process was that they would “not ask Jackson County citizens to contribute any more tax dollars than you already do today.”
Here’s White’s statement on downtown baseball:
“Tonight, with the rest of our community, I had an opportunity to read the open letter from Royals Owner John Sherman. From the moment I met Mr. Sherman, I was impressed with his honesty, thoughtfulness and love for Kansas City and it is my hope that our residents, many of whom have not met Mr. Sherman personally, get those same feelings through his written words and recognize his commitment to our heartland hometown, beloved baseball team and storied stadium.
“I truly believe there is no one who loves Kauffman Stadium more than I do. Before playing there, I got a job working on the upper deck of the facility to support my family. I never imagined that Ewing Kauffman would bless me with the opportunity that would change my life forever. Because of him, a kid who picked cotton in Mississippi lived his professional baseball dream under lights at Kauffman Stadium for 18 years. Like the thousands of fans who call it home, the memories there are priceless.
“Now as County Executive, I am extremely proud to lead a county that is home to two of the greatest stadiums in professional sports. It is our goal to keep them both in Jackson County for decades to come, while protecting the interests of our residents and ensuring that their voices are the most important in this discussion.
“I look forward to continuing to work with all parties involved, but we have a long way to go before any decisions are made on a downtown stadium. Specifically, I am interested in hearing more about Mr. Sherman’s proposal in terms of location, cost, funding sources and specific new and added benefits to the community.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2022 at 9:35 PM.
