San Francisco Tower residents retain counsel as concerns about new stadium project are ignored

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.

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The roughly 275 residents of San Francisco Tower live closer than anyone else to the Kansas City Royals' proposed downtown stadium and ballpark district in the Crown Center area. And they say the team, Crown Center and the city have not been good neighbors.

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Dave Byrn, a former Jackson County judge and vice president of the San Francisco Towers Owners Association, said residents have raised concerns about structural damage from demolition and construction, dust and dirt during construction, possible damage to water systems, noise and light pollution, security, and whether windows would be sufficient if the city waives noise and light standards.

"If your home is going to immediately be surrounded by a $3 billion construction project that, by their own plans, could extend 13 or 14 years and is literally on your doorstep, you want to make sure your home's protected," Byrn said.

Residents also said access to amenities they have relied on for decades — including a lap pool, tennis courts and a club space — is threatened by the rezoning plan, but the Royals and their partner on the proposed development, the Crown Center Development Corporation, haven’t shown a willingness to engage in substantive conversations to resolve those concerns.

"We've asked for them to commit to keep these here,” Byrn said while sitting in the Monterey Club, which is adjacent to the pool and tennis courts. “They've been here for 50 years. It was part of the original plan and intent that we've relied on for 50 years. It adds value to our homes. We've asked them to commit to keep that, and the answer has been no.”

Tower residents met with Royals Vice President of Real Estate and Development Brooks Sherman, Crown Center President Stacey Payne, City Councilman Crispin Rea and City Manager Mario Vasquez on Aug. 10 and met last Friday with Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Part of the Royals’ refrain when discussing the project — including remarks Sherman gave Tuesday at the Kansas City Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee — is a commitment to be “great neighbors.”

Andrae Hannon/KSHB

"We want to be good neighbors," Sherman said. "... And we will work in earnest to ensure we're a positive addition to the neighborhood."

But Byrn said the meetings have not produced meaningful results.

“Since May 8, we've been asking Crown Center and then the Royals to meet with us and engage in a true two-way dialogue, a neighborly dialogue, to take things that they've been saying about wanting to be good neighbors,” he said. “That hasn't happened.”

It took months — and intervention from Rea — to convince reps from the Royals and Crown Center to meet with Tower residents, but there was no give-and-take. It’s led the San Francisco Tower Owners Association to retain Ken McClain and his Independence-based firm to represent their interests.

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“The answers to our questions were no, so I don't think that's a good faith two-way dialogue,” Byrn said. “As a result of that and the fact that their plan will take away our legal rights, we had no choice. We have retained legal counsel, and we intend to take whatever action we need to take to preserve our rights and to preserve our homes.”

Tower residents expect light and noise living downtown. Occasional crowds are also understandable.

Byrn said residents are not opposed to the stadium and Crown Center itself, but the unresolved implications of the project are too much to take on faith alone.

"It's not that we're opposing the stadium or the concept of the stadium, it's about the implications it will have on our lives," Byrn said. “... We just want as many protections as possible from those concerns, those damages ... [and] we want our homes, our quiet enjoyment, our quality of life maintained.”

The dispute may well land in court.

Al Miller/KSHB

“All of our attempts across the board have been rebuffed,” Byrn said. “There's been no interest by the Royals or Crown Center to do anything that would remotely suggest they want to resolve it. We'd love to find a path forward. So, from that perspective, hopefully it will. But history doesn't show that that would happen.

One resident, speaking at a recent committee meeting, expressed initial enthusiasm for the project but pressed for accountability.

"My initial response was to hug Stacey Payne and Brooks Sherman — the majesty of this plan, the smartness of this plan," she said.

In the months since, she hopes the city council will look out for residents instead.

"How will you engage us and assure accountability over the next years and months?" she asked at Tuesday’s committee meeting.

That answer may ultimately come in court filings.

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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