New 3D proposals show Kauffman Stadium near Union Station, Crown Center
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After months of debates, proposals and incentives across the Missouri and Kansas state lines, a new piece of pavement has entered the running as a possible spot for Kauffman Stadium to sit.
The new proposal? Washington Square Park in Jackson County.
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Washington Square Park is a 5-acre open area with grass, trees and walking paths. It sits one block east of Union Station, one block north of Crown Center and has been a hotspot for Kansas City sports for years.
Steve McDowell, the principal chairman and CEO of BNIM and his team have worked to pull this together since January.
They took a pause when the vote took place in April, but over the last two months his team has actively worked on this site with the mayor’s office and within the last two weeks, they’ve spoken with the Royals about this plan.
Today the new rendering and a website rolled out all in hopes of finally bringing baseball to Downtown Kansas City.
“It’ll lift all boats. It will be an incredible revitalization of the whole of Kansas City, as well as the organizations and the businesses that are nearby,” McDowell said.
They estimate 5,000 people would use the streetcar that would be adjacent for transportation. With this location.
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There was also a question about if the stadium would be big enough. McDowell said the potential Crossroads location was going to be 584 feet wide and that the stadium in Washington Square Park would be the same distance.
“It’s the civic center of Kansas City. It has the scale, the scale of outdoor spaces, in addition a stadium will fit beautifully in there. It has 19,000 parking spaces within four blocks, it has 12 access points from freeways and other major roadways,” McDowell said.
Since the Royals won the 2015 World Series and celebrated with a parade and rally at Union Station, the area has served as a gathering place for Super Bowl victories, concerts, celebrations and community gatherings.
Now, contractors, architects and real estate brokers with 3D Development want to transform the site and make it into a permanent location for locals and visitors to enjoy a piece of Kansas City athletics.
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According to the We Love KC Baseball website, many factors, including team and community goals, had to be considered before the site could be proposed.
These factors are:
Benefit local businesses across the largest footprint possible
Deliver significant cost savings across the board
Have both abundant parking and easy access via public transportation
Be welcoming to families as a safe and fun destination
As well as this, the site also has several key components that may make it more attractive to both the team and Kansas City area residents. From abundant parking to easy highway access, to convenient distances to hotels and other attractions to a spot along the KC Streetcar rail line, Washington Square Park could prove to be an enticing choice on a future Jackson County ballot.
During games, the roads nearby would turn into pedestrian only on the Main side, sort of like we see for Boulevardia or the Irish Fest that’s coming up this weekend.
As far as the entertainment district aspect of this, it’s a little farther from Power & Light, but they say this would boost them in the right direction.
They point to places like Chicago with the Cubs and Boston, where they say the most successful ballparks conform to the city and not the other way around.
In an interview with FOX4 News reporter Regan Porter, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said, “I believe that if the Royals are looking at downtown, then we will do all we can to make sure, while having respect for our taxpayers, that we find a way to come up with that proper balance.”
He continued, saying the site is a good location that has “Good amenities nearby, but that also allows us to have the type of stadium that Kansas City deserves.”
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To make things even more appealing, the location would not require any active businesses to be demolished. According to the website, the only building that would be taken down is the former Blue Cross building which will be vacated by 2025.
“As Crossroads businesses, we understood the concerns of our neighbors, but we also believed in the Royals’ desire to create something transformational for the city,” Vince Bryant, CEO of 3D Development with We Love KC Baseball, said. “After months of due diligence, which included sharing it quietly with our neighbors, we feel confident that this is a great home for the Royals.”
For more information about the potential future home of the Kansas City Royals, go to welovekcbaseball.com.
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