Now that Question 1 to build a new Royals ballpark in the Crossroads and give Arrowhead Stadium a major overhaul has lost big, we’re not here to say, “We told you so.”
But rather, let’s go back to the business of Kansas City supporting the teams we love — and getting some love back.
The voters’ message was loud and clear: They expect to be listened to and hear answers to the questions asked. That’s all we wanted, too.
Tuesday night, the measure failed 58% to 42%. In total, 56,606 voted yes and 78,352 voted no, a wide margin by anyone’s expectations.
We recommended a no vote on Question 1. We said we are fans of the Chiefs and Royals and want to see them succeed.
“We understand and agree that the two professional sports franchises are essential to the Kansas City area,” we wrote last week.
But we couldn’t say yes because of all we didn’t know. And now, there’s another opportunity to get it right. Those issues can be dealt with, including:
• Reconciling with stakeholders: The community benefits agreement unveiled at the last minute didn’t sit well with many of the people it would have affected.
Multiple Crossroads entrepreneurs who would lose their places of business said they had no firm deal with the Royals, even right up to the vote.
• The cost: The Royals said it would have been a cool $1 billion to build the new stadium. The extended replacement sales tax would have provided roughly $350 million of that.
Where would the other $650 million have come from?
• Would the state contribute?
It wasn’t clear. Voters didn’t know if Missouri would have chipped in, or when.
• What would happen to The K?
If the Royals moved, who would pay for demolishing Kauffman Stadium, as the Chiefs’ renderings for their redo show?
