KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals are planning a new ballpark and entertainment district for the team, but service workers say they want higher wages to work in that district.
“Whether it’s in Clay County or downtown, it’s going to be workers like me working there," Bill Thompson said. "We are always worried about paying our bills,"
Thompson is a service worker with 35 years of experience. He works with Stand Up KC, a group advocating higher wages for workers.
“With a living wage, they'll actually be able to go to a game," Thompson said. "I haven’t been to a game since 1987."
On Wednesday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred visited Kansas City and talked about the benefits of a new ballpark and entertainment district on a community.
“I think new ballparks create the opportunity to energize a fan base and I think even more important, they create the opportunity for development around that ballpark," Manfred said.
The Royals are considering locations in North Kansas City and East Village in downtown Kansas City for a new ballpark.
Inside the current ballpark, Kauffman Stadium, workers received good economic news from the team Thursday.
A statement from the Royals said in part:
We are pleased to report that all Royals employees working at Kauffman Stadium will be paid from $16 per hour up to $31 per hour for their work throughout the 2023 season. Our ballpark services, event services, and grounds & tarp staff will all receive regular pay increases through the life of the new contract. In response to union requests for greater parity in pay among employees within the events services bargaining unit, the Royals have agreed to pay increases of 20 percent or more for our ushers and bathroom attendants over the course of our new 3-year contract with the Union.
SEIU Local 1, who represents stadium workers, responded to the statement.
“While parts of their statement are true, it really paints a rosier picture than is accurate to reality," said Rose Welch, with SEIU Local 1.
Welch said a community benefits agreement would address the reality workers face daily.
“Livable wages, quality services, union jobs, affordable housing," Welch said.
In response to calls for a community benefits agreement, a Royals spokesperson said:
When we announce our future site, we look forward to engaging with a broad range of community leaders. We were also pleased to have invited leaders from both Stand Up KC and SEIU Local 1 to yesterday’s event with Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred, as he shared his view on how a new ballpark district can bring benefit to our community.
Royals owner John Sherman and Manfred said during a question and answer session on Wednesday that a new ballpark and entertainment district could generate more money to a community.
Without the community benefits agreement, Thompson said he's concerned about the impact on workers.
“My main thing about the money is it doesn’t trickle down to us," he said.
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