Kansas City Royals announce initiatives to support Crossroads District
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals announced Saturday “commitments to the Crossroads Community Association (CCA) for the neighborhood around the proposed ballpark district.”
On Wednesday, the Royals and Kansas City Chiefs released $260 million community benefits agreements. and the CCA Board of Directors released a proposal, “with the goal of reaching a legally binding document to protect” the Crossroads District.
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Question one on the April 2 election ballot will decide whether Jackson County voters approve the sales tax to fund the stadium projects.
According to the Royals, the CCA initiative will support small business displacement, offer local businesses reduced lease pricing within the ballpark district and implement traffic and parking management.
The release’s specifics of this commitment are as follows:
Small Business Support – including small businesses being displaced under direct impact of the stadium footprint and surrounding development, such as rent support, relocation assistance, tenant improvements, and payroll coverage to help with employee retention.
Local Business Opportunities – providing opportunities for locally owned businesses to lease space within the stadium and surrounding development at reduced lease pricing to support ongoing small business endeavors.
Entrepreneurship Support – investing up to $500,000 in community-based organizations that provide entrepreneurship training and support for businesses located in the Crossroads and surrounding areas.
Construction Mitigation Programs – discussing the scheduling of construction activities with adjacent businesses, residents and property owners to minimize noise and disruption to scheduled activities and assisting small businesses in developing continuity plans to mitigate the impact on their operations.
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Crossroads Community Improvement District (CCID) – actively participating in and financially supporting the formation and ongoing operations of the institution with a focus on safety and clean neighborhoods, including an upfront $50,000 commitment to support formation of the CCID.
Local Infrastructure – working to enhance infrastructure impacted by the stadium, which shall include focusing on stormwater management, green solutions and sustainable development.
Traffic Management and Transportation – developing comprehensive plans to manage increased traffic and parking demands, emphasizing public transportation, and sustainable access options.
Green Spaces – supporting the Crossroads Street Tree Initiative and additional streetscape improvements to adjacent streets.
Sustainability – constructing the stadium to meet the LEED Gold certification requirements, or similar certification requirements, and working with vendors to develop, implement, and maintain a sustainability operations plan.
Public Art & Support of Local Arts Community – setting aside up to $5 million of the of the construction cost of the stadium for the acquisition and installation of art around the ballpark and surrounding development, with an emphasis on supporting local artists, and working with groups such as ArtsKC in determining how to integrate artworks into the project.
Community Engagement & Representation – supporting the CCCID’s efforts in enhancing the neighborhood, including incorporating community art and cultural representations in the stadium design, and seeking to enhance connections with the 18th & Vine Jazz District.
Local Events and Culture – committing to ensure that street-level businesses are operational year-round and that the new stadium and surrounding development are positively contributing to the street-level activity in the Crossroads neighborhood.
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“We are pleased to be collaborating with the Crossroads Community Association to demonstrate how we can invest in and contribute to this part of our city,” said Sarah Tourville, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial and Community Impact Officer for the Kansas City Royals.
“We have the opportunity to advance a once-in-a-generation proposal to return baseball to Kansas City’s urban core, and these commitments demonstrate how we can accomplish that as good neighbors.”
