{"id":2254038,"date":"2026-01-28T06:26:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T06:26:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2254038"},"modified":"2026-01-28T06:26:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T06:26:59","slug":"overland-park-neighbors-react-to-royals-dropping-stadium-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/overland-park-neighbors-react-to-royals-dropping-stadium-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Overland Park neighbors react to Royals dropping stadium plans"},"content":{"rendered":"

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KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. <\/i>Share your story idea with Fernanda.<\/u><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Kansas City Royals are no longer considering the Aspiria site<\/a> in Overland Park as a spot to build a new stadium for the team. <\/p>\n

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‘We feel heard\u2019: Overland Park neighbors react to Royals dropping stadium plans<\/p>\n

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The announcement came in a news release from the club Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs stated when the Aspiria mortgage was acquired, the investment was made to maintain the site as an option for a new Kansas City Royals stadium.\u00a0 After significant evaluation, we do not believe this site meets our criteria for a stadium.\u00a0 We continue to evaluate opportunities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area to create a world-class ballpark district.\u00a0 As always, we hear and appreciate the input of our fans throughout the region. We remain hard at work toward the best solution for our team, fans, partners, and community.”<\/p>\n

Neighbors who shared their concerns for months about the possibility of a stadium being built at the site are now welcoming the news.<\/p>\n

Mark Kelly, who lives in Overland Park, says he finally felt like he could breathe again after hearing he wouldn\u2019t be calling the Royals \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it was so exciting,” Kelly said. “It was almost unreal.”<\/p>\n

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KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

When asked if he considered moving while discussions about the stadium were taking place, he said yes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t think we would have been able to stay because the community would have just changed too much,\u201d he said. \u201cImagine the organ playing, fireworks going off, and the crowd chanting \u2014 right next to a hospital. It begins to lose a little bit of its luster.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jake Weller\/KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Traffic, security, and infrastructure were just some of the issues neighbors raised<\/a> when they took their concerns to local officials in December.<\/p>\n

Marsha Friedman is one of the neighbors who voiced her concerns at city council meetings<\/a>. On Tuesday, she celebrated.<\/p>\n

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Jake Weller\/KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cIt feels really good to have worked hard on something and to have succeeded in what we were working for,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

One of the city’s most visible corporations celebrated as well. <\/p>\n

T-Mobile \u2014 which had previously said it would consider relocating from its Overland Park headquarters <\/a>if the Royals moved there \u2014 said it appreciates the Royals\u2019 decision.<\/p>\n

Fans say they appreciate being heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have faith in our democracy,\u201d Friedman said.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Marsha<\/p>\n

Jake Weller\/KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Now, they\u2019re looking to the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know they\u2019re going to find a great location,\u201d Friedman said.<\/p>\n

As for the Aspiria campus, Kelly has ideas, including “a walkable area where people can live, play, and shop\u201d \u2014 that don’t include a baseball stadium.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Fernanda<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n