The Kansas City Royals held a public hearing for the community to voice concerns over the proposed new stadium in the downtown area. 

  The Royals’ organization announced that the team will leave Kauffman Stadium and move after their lease is up in 2031. 

  The hearing, hosted this past Tuesday at the Urban Youth Academy, included Chairman and CEO John Sherman, Chief Operating Officer Brooks Sherman, and Innovation Officer Sarah Tourville. 

  The benefits outlined for Kansas City’s relocation include a better fan experience before, during and after the game, a stadium that brings in revenue all year long, and a ballpark district that would help the Royals organization and Kansas City by generating $2.8 billion in economic output, according to Chief Revenue Officer Sarah Tourville. 

  The Royals are following the lead of the Braves, who moved from Turner stadium to Truist Stadium and ballpark district in 2017. Relocating created a more diverse and inclusive experience for fans. 

  With this major build being proposed, it also comes with a major price tag. A new downtown ballpark district would cost nearly $2 billion. One person in attendance joked, “Why can’t Mr. Sherman pay for the stadium himself?” 

  “We will be the biggest investor in this project for both the stadium and district,” Sherman said.

  UMKC student Jacob Lobdell believes the Royals’ move would be a good idea. 

  “Since the [Kauffman] stadium and Arrowhead are so out of the way it makes it less accessible,” Lobdell said. “Being from St. Louis, I love going to the ballpark village and getting a pregame meal and listening to some live music.”

  The current location of the proposed stadium is still unknown, but the team said they have narrowed it down to four or five locations in downtown Kansas City. 

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