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Jackson County voters denied the Royals funding for a new Crossroads stadium. What now?

A rendering shows a walkway and park connecting the proposed Kansas City Royals stadium in the Crossroads and the T-Mobile Center downtown.
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Kansas City Royals
A rendering shows a walkway and park connecting the proposed Kansas City Royals stadium in the Crossroads and the T-Mobile Center downtown. Voters turned down a sales tax that would have funded the stadium.

In Tuesday's election, 58% of voters opposed the 3/8ths-cent sales tax. The tax would have funded a downtown ballpark for the Royals and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs.

The Royals' dreams of downtown baseball in 2028 were dashed Tuesday, after voters turned down a sales tax that would have funded a new ballpark in the Crossroads arts district.

A count of ballots showed 58% of voters rejecting a 3/8ths-cent sales tax to fund the ballpark and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs.

The measure's failure raises questions about the teams' next steps, as well as the future of both teams in Jackson County. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the Chiefs and Royals should re-evaluate their relationships with communities around the Crossroads Arts District and the Truman Sports Complex.

"We just had a very downtown conversation. And that is fine and an important part of our region. But east Kansas City, Raytown, Independence are important too," Lucas told KCUR's Up To Date.

"For the Royals, I do think that it needs to get back to the basics of the 'why' for downtown baseball."

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When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
In an era defined by the unprecedented, one thing remains certain: Kansas Citians’ passion for their hometown. As an Up To Date producer, I construct daily conversations to keep our city connected. My work analyzes big challenges and celebrates achievements to help you see your town in a new way. Email me at hallejackson@kcur.org.
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