Fans are split on Royals moving near downtown KC: ‘They need to do this’
Andrew Berry fondly recalled getting on the field at Kauffman Stadium after the Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. He claims to have the dirt to prove this. Berry is one of many fans who will soon have to forge new memories in a new stadium.
On April 22, the Royals announced that they will be moving to Crown Center, a sprawling, 85-acre mixed-use shopping district near downtown Kansas City as part of a joint partnership with Hallmark Cards. This move will put the Truman Sports Complex to rest, since the Kansas City Chiefs already announced their intentions to move to Wyandotte County.
“Our founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City’s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible,” Royals CEO John Sherman said in a press release. “Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.”
For Berry, he cherishes the memories he made at Kauffman, but understands that it’s time to move on. The stadium originally opened in 1973 and has seen four World Series appearances and two MLB All Star games.
“I have amazing memories of Kauffman, but this is what our city needs, and it will be awesome,” Berry said.
We’ve seen players and coaches react to the Royals move, but how do the fans feel? Well, we asked Star readers to share their thoughts, and with over 30 responses, the feelings are pretty split on the move.
Some fans feel the Royals move will be an inconvenience
While the Royals new stadium will bring the team closer to the heart of KC, it will also bring additional traffic. Some fans noted how the crowded the Crown Center will be, especially come game day.
“Crown Center will be impossible to navigate on game days,” said Aurelia Peters. “I’ll miss (Kauffman Stadium) being out of my way.”
Marcus Crosby feels that the current Royals location is the “best location now.”
The parking situation has also been a big topic on many fans’ minds. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas previously stated that there are 19,000 parking spaces within a 10-minute walk of the proposed ballpark site, which is less than the 26,000 spots available around Kauffman Stadium.
Paul Short lives near Grandview and said he loves the parking situation at Kauffman. He said it’s easy to get out and only takes him 18 minutes to get home after a Royals game. Despite the mayor’s reassurance, Short doesn’t have too much faith in the Royals’ new parking options.
“19,000 parking spaces within 2 miles? We have gone to lots of other cities ballparks. Most downtown stadiums are awful. The parking is terrible,” Short said.
Some readers also shared the things they would miss about The K once it moves. Carolyn, who thinks the move is a “horrible move,” said that she will miss the ease of access to Kauffman, as well the fact that you can see it on the highway.
Other responses about what they will miss about Kauffman include tailgating, location, and, of course, the history.
Other fans are elated about an entertainment district
A majority of fans in favor of the new stadium expressed that they will miss Kauffman. However, many of them see the upside in a new stadium. Berry, for example, said that the new stadium will uplift the Crown Center experience, allowing for him to grab a bite to eat before and after a game.
One of the downsides to Kauffman that has been brought up by fans is that the Truman Sports Complex simply doesn’t have much around it. The new Chiefs and Royals stadiums will have entertainment districts for fans to frolic around before and after matches.
Thomas Brooks said he has longed for a downtown Royals stadium. He’s excited for the new stadium and believes it will bring him to the Crown Center area more.
“I went to the original opening night game as a 16-year-old. I attended about 40 games per year in the late 70’s. But my heart was always downtown. It’s very near where I grew up,” Brooks wrote.
Jeff Frost is an Iowa native, but has been remained a long-time Royals fan. He considers Kauffman one of the best stadiums he has ever been to. But he admits when he and his family makes the trip to KC to catch the team, usually they’d just go back to the hotel afterward.
The K is roughly 20 minutes from downtown KC, while the Crown Center is a 10-minute drive and a few street car stops away from downtown.
“With this stadium downtown, you’re going to get a whole different experience for you and your family. That’s what I think is going to really a draw a lot of people both in Kansas City and people that travel,” Frost told said. “Things change over time, and you got to evolve with it. I’m old, but I’m not set in my ways. I love The K, but I also know for the Royals to really take their opportunities to the next level, they need to do this.”
While many of them are ready to move on, there are still amenities from the Kauffman that many fans want to see at the new location. Frost mentioned that the Royals need to keep their fountains, as well as the crown on the scoreboard, both of which appear in the renderings of the new stadium.
When asked about what he’d hope to experience at the new ballpark district, James Barnes hopes for some better baseball from the boys in blue, writing, “Right now, they STINK.” He said this on April 24, when the Royals were 9-17 for the season. They’ve since improved to 17-19 and sit a game half game back in the American League Central.
