A number of months in the past, I wrote a narrative on the Kansas Metropolis Royals and their loopy methods of making an attempt to persuade taxpayers to offer them a billion {dollars} by means of an elevated gross sales tax (for a brand new ballpark). As I mentioned within the story, the Royals determined that one of the best ways to do that was by ensuring that residents have been “confused about every detail of their potential ballpark.” Fairly than end vital offers months earlier than the vote on the brand new gross sales tax, the Royals have been finishing them “just a week or two before the sales tax vote, leaving people with little opportunity to read or review (any) documents for themselves.”
Thoughts you, all of this comes after the proprietor wrote a letter to everybody stating how much he values residents and transparency. Though the Royals have promised everybody that they might be “super transparent” in regards to the ballpark shifting ahead, they’ve by no means carried out it. The Kansas City Star even wrote an editorial late final 12 months that mainly mocked the Royals (and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, to be truthful) for promising the general public transparency after which giving none.
If we fast-forward to at the moment, issues aren’t getting any higher. The Kansas Metropolis Enterprise Journal wrote a narrative detailing how the Royals “have yet to say where they want a new ballpark” but are angering residents in areas that they could construct on. After it was came upon that the Royals had accomplished a $183.5 million mortgage buy in Overland Park’s Aspiria campus, nearly everybody who lives close to there advised the Royals to not construct a brand new ballpark on this a part of city.
It received’t shock anybody that one of many the reason why native leaders in Overland Park are towards the ballpark is because of transparency with the group:
“The shortage of transparency is obtrusive,” Leawood Councilwoman Julie Cain mentioned at a Monday assembly, the place council members unanimously backed (the mayor). “(We have now) no photographs, no nothing. … To suppose that placing (a stadium) proper throughout the road, actually proper throughout the road to our western border, is not going to influence the town of Leawood is simply completely absurd.” — 12/16/25, Kansas City Business Journal
At a current open home, “hundreds of (residents) reportedly attended” to inform the Royals to not construct a ballpark right here. The president of 1 owners affiliation insists {that a} new ballpark “would ruin the neighborhood feel of the area.” One native enterprise proprietor begged the Royals to not let native considerations be “pushed aside” with this ballpark. T-Cellular has threatened to move their campus if the Royals construct at this location. Heck, the mayor doesn’t even need them and issued an announcement saying that he “cannot, at this time, support (Overland Park) as an appropriate location for a Major League Baseball stadium.”
Because the Kansas Metropolis Star wrote, residents are “sick of secret negotiations” by the group.
“There may be clearly work occurring with no work offered from Johnson County, Overland Park, or Royals possession,” resident Amanda Palan mentioned. “Residents ought to be knowledgeable or polled about billion-dollar initiatives that may change the character of their group.” — 12/12/25, Kansas City Star
The Royals have overtly mentioned constructing a brand new ballpark at a location known as Washington Sq. Park. This has caught each residents and officers off guard since no one has any particulars on this concept. The Royals received’t inform anybody “where a new ballpark could go” on the park. As one resident advised the Star, it’s “grim and frustrating” to have “so few options to voice our opinion” on this venture.
I do know this implies nothing, however I nonetheless discover it a bit humorous. Two petitions have been began not too long ago on Change.org. One that’s towards constructing a ballpark in Overland Park and one that’s for this concept. The petition towards the thought has “more than 1,200 signatures as of Monday,” and the petition for the thought “has garnered 55 signatures.” As I mentioned in a earlier story, “Wherever the Royals look, residents seem to be ready and set to fight the team from moving into their neighborhood.” Then once more, contemplating how typically the Royals end up pissing off residents and businesses in all of their potential ballpark areas, ought to anybody count on precise transparency?
Final month, the Royals launched a brand new survey to season-ticket members and requested for “feedback on the team and the game-day and broadcast experiences.” KSHB, a neighborhood media outlet, did an incredible job getting Royals followers response to the survey.
It’s not tough to determine how drained Royals followers are of listening to a few new ballpark:
- “When you knew you deliberate on shifting, why didn’t you ship the survey…a very long time in the past, three years in the past, particularly to these season-ticket holders?” — Stephanie Meade, a Royals fan from Midtown.
- “Ever since (the gross sales tax was rejected by voters final 12 months), I simply really feel prefer it’s been actually obscure on what precisely the plan is…I’m a little bit bored of it, actually…I’m uninterested in listening to about it on the radio each single morning.” — Mark Flood, a Royals fan from Shawnee.
- “However apart from occasional statements of appreciation…the Royals have stored comparatively quiet within the 18 months.” — KSHB.com
- “I haven’t heard that a lot from John so far as what he’s put out…He form of simply sprung the survey on us” — Kyle Vassar, a Royals fan at Union Station.
- “Even when it was just a bit bit of knowledge, the group can be like, ‘Hey, you realize, I recognize that you’re open speaking with us and in order that we’re within the loop’” — Deron Binkley, a Royals fan from Independence.
- “His agenda was from day one, he’s shifting the Royals, and that’s a disgrace — in my eyes” — Shawn Malles, a Royals fan from Independence.
