Kansas City, Missouri, City Council to city staff: Keep negotiating with Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted on a resolution Thursday expressing their desire for the Royals to remain in Kansas City, Missouri.

Council woman Melissa Robinson, who represents the district where Kauffman Stadium is currently located, introduced the resolution, which passed unanimously. She introduced the resolution today without first seeking a committee review saying time is of the essence. The Royals have said they’ll announce where they plan to relocate their new stadium in late September.

Last month, Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman spoke with assembled media and said the club hoped to provide renderings of a $2 billion stadium and ballpark village in the two remaining locations up for consideration: downtown’s East Village and a site in North Kansas City.

“We are putting both sites through an equally rigorous process,” Sherman said in the July 25 meeting. “We look forward to unveiling detailed renderings and many other components that will help us compare the broad benefits of both sites.”

Thursday’s council resolution directs city staff to continue “good faith” negotiations with the team. Robinson said she felt the need to pass the resolution after quotes from city Manager Brian Platt in a CityScene KC article this week titled “City Manager on Ballpark: East Village or NKC, Downtown Wins Either Way.” Robinson believes Kansas City truly wins by keeping the stadium within the city limits.

Her resolution was just one sentence. It read: “Be it resolved by the council of Kansas City: That the City Council hereby expresses its intent to continue good faith negotiations with the Kansas City Royals to keep the team in Kansas City, Missouri.”

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