KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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Leawood Mayor Marc Elkins and the Leawood City Council joined a growing list of those questioning the potential Kansas City Royals stadium location on the Aspiria campus in Overland Park.
Elkins released a statement Monday night to KSHB 41 News, saying that while the city supports keeping the Royals in the region, they cannot, at this time, "support the Overland Park Aspiria campus as an appropriate location for a Major League Baseball stadium."
Earlier this fall, the Royals distributed a fan survey, which, among other questions, asked fans their thoughts on three proposed locations for a new stadium: Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, North Kansas City, and Overland Park.
Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog said Monday night the city has not received an application or site plan from the team.
"There have been no formal requests to the city on this topic at this time," Skoog said in response to issues raised during the public comments section of Overland Park's City Council meeting Monday night.
The lack of a formal request hasn't stopped several groups from lining up in opposition to the site.
"Based on media reports and direct feedback from our residents, we share serious concerns about the potential impacts on Leawood and its citizens should a stadium be built on this property," Leawood's mayor said. "These concerns include traffic congestion, noise and lighting, public safety and emergency access, parking in residential neighborhoods, infrastructure capacity, and impacts on nearby schools, medical facilities, senior living communities and established single-family residential areas."
Earlier this month, T-Mobile, which hosts a significant number of workers at the Aspiria campus — the campus itself is the former headquarters for telecommunications giant Sprint, which merged with T-Mobile — said it would not support a stadium plan at the site and threatened to relocate its offices elsewhere in the city. Elkins also cited opposition to the plan from the Jewish Community Center.
"Given the concerns raised by residents and the opposition voiced by key institutions in this area, as well as the lack of information regarding the project, the City of Leawood cannot, at this time, support the location of a stadium at the Aspiria Campus in Overland Park," Elkins concluded in his statement.
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