Kansas City begins talk and studies for downtown ballpark

[Titty Meat]

http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...177058541.html

The city of Kansas City is funding a study of at least four potential sites for a downtown baseball stadium for the Kansas City Royals, according to documents obtained by The Star.

A series of emails shows that Kansas City Manager Troy Schulte was involved in funding studies of four sites within the downtown loop that might be suitable for a baseball stadium.

Two of those sites, according to slides prepared by architecture firm HOK, are immediately adjacent to the Sprint Center, one to the north and one to the east.

Another site is East Village, several blocks of mostly undeveloped land and surface parking lots east of City Hall. A fourth site would involve several blocks of mostly surface parking lots beginning at the northwest corner of 8th and Main streets.

Others involved in the planning include Jon Copaken, principal with real estate development firm Copaken-Brooks, the Downtown Council of Kansas City, JE Dunn, The Cordish Co. and Tower Properties.

Schulte said the studies started after the Downtown Council approached City Hall about the feasibility of downtown baseball. Schulte added that he agreed to help fund a study to consider whether the four sites would work so that the city could plan ahead if the idea gained momentum.

“At this point it’s nothing more than hopes and dreams and discussions,” Schulte said.

A May 12 email from Copaken obtained by The Star suggested that conversations with the Royals and Jackson County have started.

“[T]he studies are underway, invoices are out, conversations from the County and the team are actually heading in the right way and we are sufficiently in the loop to know that real progress is being achieved,” Copaken wrote.

Kevin Uhlich, senior vice president of business operations for the Royals, said he had been contacted about downtown baseball stadium proposals earlier this year.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

Shocker. The people arguing that this is some horrible idea. It's a great idea. Sorry if you live close to the Royals stadium, most do not. It's just as easy to drive from let's say Olathe to downtown as it is to drive to the K right now. Hell you can get off 35 and be right there.

LOL at this idea that "traffic" will be bad. It takes 20 minutes to get from Olathe to the river downtown. 20 minutes!!

I drive 48 minutes to work every day and I have one of the easier commutes. Yall a bunch of lazy short-sighted tards. A downtown stadium would be magical. The idea that we shouldn't do it because you're in love with a parking lot is asinine.

One individual getting there is quite different than ~40,000 individuals getting there at the same time. That type of situation doesn't currently happen downtown. With Sprint Center at capacity, it's half of what Kauffman currently provides. Imagine the worst Sprint Center concert traffic you've experienced, and double it. Downtown simply doesn't have the current capacity for that at once. There's not enough multiple lane streets downtown that connect to the major highways. Not to mention the many criss-crossing one way streets. Kauffman currently benefits from multiple entrance/exit gates that takes vehicles from the stadium lots directly onto I-70/435/Hwy 40/Blue Ridge. It still takes hours to get everyone into and out of the lots. Now you expect to simply move that downtown, where parking is the opposite of the centralized lots that Kauffman enjoys?

Take a lesson from the Royals World Series parade at Union Station. Anybody present for that knows what a cluster**** it was to navigate anywhere close to downtown for that entire day. People were abandoning their vehicles on the side of I-70 that day.

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

After game 2 of the WS, the wife and I were in the shuttle to the terminal after dropping off the rental car at KCI. There was a Mets fan beside us, total NY baseball dork, 50's, glasses, heavy accent. He was on his phone and the conversation went something like:

You wouldn't believe it, ma. There were just rows of cars and they just sat behind them cooking their food. NO, MA! In the parking lot, cooking their food! Smoke everywhere! NO INSIDE THE PARKING LOT, MA!

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Nothing like tailgating in a ****ing parking garage.

Tailgating would not exist downtown. At least not the way we think of it. A few guys here and there pounding a beer before walking in.

[scho63]

I can't speak for Kansas City but MANY places that have downtown baseball stadiums have awesome surrounding areas; San Fran, Pittsburgh, Baltimore (but not if you go in the wrong direction) Detroit, Arizona, Philly to name a few.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by kstater

Not a big surprise that the corrupt city council is pissing away tax dollars on something that won't ever happen.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I've had an office in downtown sing 2002, I've watched every "not gonna happen" story grow around me. Powers & Light, H&R Block, Sprint Center, 1 Light, you name it, all things that weren't going to happen...

[Kiimo]

San Diego too.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I'd rather have the stadium at the ****ing Legends. In fact, I really can't think of a worse place to put a stadium than where it is right now. The only reason you guys like the location, is because it's all you've ever known.

I would really get a kick out of the Chiefs or Royals being in KANSAS. That would freak Methzourrahs the **** out. KANSAS City Chiefs!

Well, if KCMO doesn't do something it will end up at the Legends. JACO had better understand the WYCO (and JOCO) doesn't **** around when it comes to stealing business from across the state line.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

If I'm going to have to get in my car and drive to a game, I'd prefer the ease of getting in and out over what's around it. If I'm able to easily uber or utilize public transportation to get to a game, then I'd prefer it be in a downtown-like setup. In KC, most people are still going to have to drive to the game. I could see it down the road though as their downtown becomes more densely populated and the public transportation options get expanded.

For football I won't disagree. 10 home games, and 10 epic tailgates, that's manageable. 81+ home games and tailgates can better be replaced with trips to an adjacent sports bar. Not to mention drowning a crushing loss at a bar after the game ain't a bad choice.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by eDave

Phoenix downtown arena and stadium have brought downtown Phoenix to life. Great time down there now.

No parking issues, light rail runs right by them.

Hell, we always drive and use the parking garages for sports or concerts and it's a cake walk in downtown Phoenix. Might spend at most 45 minutes getting out of the garages after the event but after that it's smooth sailing.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

So, the big reason I can tell everyone on here has for straight up HATING this idea is "I assume it will make my parking harder."

That's the dumbest ****ing reason I can think of. **** your parking. Figure it out. The simple fact that you can park easily at the K is why you have to move the stadium. No businesses around there benefit from its location. Everyone just drives in, parks, drives out.

Put it downtown, and people will spend time - and money - around the stadium. THAT is why you move away from great parking.

I hope you’re not a business owner. Telling your customers “**** your convenience” is not usually a good move.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Nothing like tailgating in a ****ing parking garage.

Is tailgating really that big of thing with baseball fans? I've only been to a handful of Royals games but I don't recall it being anything like the Chiefs games.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

So, the big reason I can tell everyone on here has for straight up HATING this idea is "I assume it will make my parking harder."

That's the dumbest ****ing reason I can think of. **** your parking. Figure it out. The simple fact that you can park easily at the K is why you have to move the stadium. No businesses around there benefit from its location. Everyone just drives in, parks, drives out.

Put it downtown, and people will spend time - and money - around the stadium. THAT is why you move away from great parking.

Yes, move the stadium, and inconvenience the hell out of all the fans just to benefit a handful of businesses.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Bughumper

Is tailgating really that big of thing with baseball fans? I've only been to a handful of Royals games but I don't recall it being anything like the Chiefs games.

Most people, at best, have beers and break out a portable/disposable grill. Yeah, there might be a few exceptions, the key word is "few."

For baseball a trip to P&L for lunch and a beer would be 1000000% better than a July or and August tailgate in 95-degree weather. An exit drink while letting traffic die down would be sweet too.

And let's hope the new park will provide TONS of shade for the fans in the summer.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Bughumper

Is tailgating really that big of thing with baseball fans? I've only been to a handful of Royals games but I don't recall it being anything like the Chiefs games.

Timing and number of games doesnt make it as conducive to it, starting at 7 on weeknights and having 81 home games. But there's more than you would think. If you get there at 3 or 4, there are plenty of groups (college kids and 20s) partying it up. Later the lot fills in with people just off work and heading in.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Fish

One individual getting there is quite different than ~40,000 individuals getting there at the same time. That type of situation doesn't currently happen downtown. With Sprint Center at capacity, it's half of what Kauffman currently provides. Imagine the worst Sprint Center concert traffic you've experienced, and double it. Downtown simply doesn't have the current capacity for that at once. There's not enough multiple lane streets downtown that connect to the major highways. Not to mention the many criss-crossing one way streets. Kauffman currently benefits from multiple entrance/exit gates that takes vehicles from the stadium lots directly onto I-70/435/Hwy 40/Blue Ridge. It still takes hours to get everyone into and out of the lots. Now you expect to simply move that downtown, where parking is the opposite of the centralized lots that Kauffman enjoys?

Take a lesson from the Royals World Series parade at Union Station. Anybody present for that knows what a cluster**** it was to navigate anywhere close to downtown for that entire day. People were abandoning their vehicles on the side of I-70 that day.

800,000 > 27,000 to 30,000 on a normal Royals game really good comparison there.