The Kansas City Royals recently released additional information and renderings on a new location for their $2 billion new baseball stadium and mixed-use ballpark district. The selection has come down two sites, one in downtown’s East Village and one in North Kansas City. A final decision is expected at the end of this month.
The Royals also released an economic study that projects the economic benefits of the new stadium, done by HR&A Advisors, Inc. The projected economic benefits from a new stadium district include:
- $320 million in annual retail and hotel revenue
- 20,000 new jobs
- $1.4 billion in labor income
- $2.8 billion in total economic output
- $117 million in increased economic activity from higher revenue generated by the new gameday
- $68 million in increased spending from visitors traveling to the games
- 600 new jobs across greater Kansas City
- 2,200 estimated onsite office jobs
- $200 million in annual labor income from new jobs
- $500 million in annual economic impact from district operations
- $170 million in annual retail and hotel revenue by the “full buildout”
Additional renderings, videos and information are available on the Royals Facebook page.
The NKC location involves half a dozen blocks bounded by Armour Road on the north, 15th Avenue on the south and between Howell and Swift streets on the east and west. The area contains the former AMF bowling alley and the Gold Buffet, as well as several parking lots.
The East Village site is in the northeast quadrant of the Downtown Loop. It’s an eight-block redevelopment area northeast of City Hall that for decades has been hoping to attract development.
The “ballpark district” would be a mixed-use area surrounding the stadium, like Wrigleyville surrounding historic Wrigley Field in Chicago. The scope of the Royals’ plan is notable with features including residential, office, hotel, entertainment, and food and beverage development.
