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The Kansas City Royals could potentially relocate to Washington Square Park near the Union Station streetcar stop, creating a second stadium accessible by streetcar alongside CPKC Stadium.
Streetcar riders react to possibility of Royals stadium at Washington Square Park
The proposed location sits between Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial, drawing mixed reactions from streetcar riders and downtown visitors.
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“If it lands here, I think that would be great for the town,” Layton, a streetcar rider, said.
Some fans view the location as prime real estate for the team’s potential new home, citing convenience and accessibility as major advantages.
“Convenient for sure, but it’s going to take a lot of infrastructure and a lot of planning to deal with game day stuff,” Layton said.
Supporters believe the stadium could boost economic activity in the downtown area.
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“I think it’ll bring more jobs down to the downtown area, which it needs,” one streetcar rider said.
However, concerns about increased traffic and infrastructure challenges have emerged among residents familiar with similar urban stadium situations.
“I’ve lived with this in Chicago, right next to Wrigley Field, and that’s a very intense situation all the time,” Layton said. “So, it’s going to take a lot more than just popping something in a spot that works.”
Another rider expressed concerns about the financial burden of managing increased downtown traffic.
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“Putting a sports complex in the middle of downtown that adds more traffic, that’s more money that we will have to spend to get to this area,” the rider said.
The proposed ballpark would be constructed on the parking lot surrounding the Blue Cross Blue Shield Building and would expand into Washington Square Park.
Despite traffic concerns, some believe the streetcar system could help alleviate transportation issues.
“If it’s tucked in a nice spot and you can get parking figured out, I think you’re going to see people just ride the streetcar, walk, ride a skateboard,” Layton said.
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The location’s connectivity to multiple transportation options appeals to some supporters.
“It would be perfect right from the Amtrak to the streetcar, using the streetcar, which they just extended right into the stadium. So, yeah, I think that would be more convenient,” one rider said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.kshb.com ’
