The Royals announced today, August 22nd, that the renderings for the new Royals stadium complex have been finished. The renderings include a 3D view of the proposed facility, named simply "The District" (How original, KU football I think would like a word regarding their more prepared project, more on that in a College Football Dawgs article coming soon from yours truly.) "The District" will include amenities that can be used for non-baseball activities such as concerts, events, and other related activities intended to boost the local economy. The MLB commissioner Rob Manfred supported project was referenced as "unbelievably high-quality" for revenue production and called it necessary for small markets such as the Royals to compete. You can check out more in the Tweet below:
What puzzles me though, however, is that the team STILL does not have a location battened down for this project. Yes, they have two different renderings for the two different locations in the running for this project, but did anyone even bother to ask the people of these areas if they even wanted the stadium? ESPECIALLY considering that they will be expected to foot half of the bill per John Sherman's letter? How can they even have a rendering done when they have no idea where they're going to end up going? Shoot, most of Clay County has opposed the proposed new sales tax meant to pay for the stadium, that should be telling enough. I expect downtown isn't exactly thrilled promises were not kept either.
Look, the problem is that John Sherman is simply not taking into account the opinions of the Royals' fanbase and is all but blind to the actual issues this team faces. It's absolutely nothing new with sports team owners and John Sherman is simply keeping up the norm. You want people to support this team? You want people to foot the bill for this stadium project that hardly has any detail to it, yet it's supposed to be done within 5 years? Perhaps be more respectful and transparent to your fanbase/main group of financial supporters, provide a better on the field product, swallow your pride and realize that this project is going NOWHERE without the support of the city, and recognize that if you do try to move the team, you are going to catch an incredible amount of heat. Not to mention that's much easier said than done, much harder on the pocketbook, and will get you put into sports infamy (See Bud Allen and the Houston Oilers, Art Modell and the Browns, Dean Spanos, the Oakland As, the Montreal Expos, the Baltimore Colts, etc.) If Sherman thinks he can hold this city hostage to pay for a half-baked passion project he and really, he alone thinks will solve all the Royals' problems, he's got another thing coming. For the love of all that is holy, put some money toward the on the field product first and make this team fun to watch again! Put butts in seats, make this team into a contender, make this team WATCHABLE on ACCESSIBLE television, do something that doesn't involve something that has been tried time and time again and has FAILED time and time again. The choice is yours John.
Burn Notice: 10/10 This heat has got me acting crazy, I swear.
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