KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement Friday evening saying they intend to stay in Jackson County, where the baseball team will build a new stadium and ballpark district downtown if voters approve to extend the 3/8-cent sales tax on the April ballot.
In turn, the opportunity for North Kansas City to be the new site for the Royals stadium is possibly gone. However, while talking with residents, KSHB 41 found there are no hard feelings.
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"Either place that it goes it will be fantastic," said Tim Roberts, a North Kansas City resident.
Roberts is a longtime Royals fan, and was excited at the idea of being in walking distance of an MLB game while showing off what he loves so much about his community.
"Small town in a big city," Roberts described it. "I think it would have done a lot for North Kansas City."
The biggest factor was the economic growth the stadium would bring to the area by helping businesses, like Chappell's Restaurant, where Roberts likes to watch football games.
Roberts said Friday's announcement came as a let down.
"Everybody around here is huge Royals fans," he said. "I think the royals stadium would thrive in North Kansas City."
But that's not how everyone in the area feels.
Over at Screenland Amrour Theater, employee Derek Dunn was less than enthused about the idea of a stadium moving in right across the street.
Dunn believes it would have destroyed the small town charm the area has to offer.
"I think every business around here would become geared toward serving that," Dunn said. "Which is not a bad thing for economic growth, but that’s not why I like North Kansas City."
From a business standpoint, Dunn believes the theater would've taken a hit.
"I think it would have made parking a lot more difficult," Dunn said. "I think it would’ve destroyed people’s interest in coming down here."
With Friday's announcement, the possibility of never knowing what the stadium could've done for the area has grown, but the next question is: What will fill that empty space where the Royals were supposed to be?
"Besides the Royals stadium, I have no idea," Roberts said.
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