Longfellow Community Association looks to KCMO City Council for assistance after Royals stadium approval

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.

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The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council approved the Kansas City Royals' plan to build a new ballpark at Crown Center Thursday.

The approval allows the city manager to execute previously negotiated lease, development, funding and community benefits agreements with the Major League Baseball team and its partners.

The Longfellow neighborhood sits within a 10-minute walk of where the Royals plan to build.

Longfellow Community Association President Robb Traylor said walkability is part of what drew residents to the neighborhood. Residents are concerned about how stadium traffic might impact parking.

"One of the things a lot of the neighbors do depend on is on-street parking," Traylor said.

Lauren Leslie/KSHB

The neighborhood already has some on-street parking restrictions due to traffic from nearby hospitals, and residents are looking for a similar solution once baseball comes to the area.

City Councilman Crispin Rea sponsored a new resolution Thursday that will require the city to monitor how the Royals stadium impacts the neighborhood and identify ways to address issues.

"We want these folks to know we're going to do what we can on the city side to protect their neighborhood. That's the goal of this resolution," Rea said.

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The Royals' front office told council members the team will try to direct traffic away from nearby neighborhoods.

Mayor Quinton Lucas supported the ordinance Thursday. In 2019 and 2020, he compared a new downtown stadium to buying a Maserati, saying it was a luxury the city could not afford on its own.

When asked about that comparison Thursday, Lucas reflected on the change.

Lauren Leslie/KSHB

"Wow, you remembered. No, I don't have a Maserati; I have maturity," Lucas said.

Lucas said the project is an investment in future growth for the city.

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