Missouri leaders push to keep Kansas City Royals as new stadium talks emerge

State, local, and county leaders in Missouri are intensifying efforts to keep the Kansas City Royals on the Missouri side of the state line. New details about those talks will be aired this Sunday on KMBC’s Heart of the Matter, which will feature a one-on-one interview with Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota.While much of the public conversation has centered on Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, LeVota told KMBC that another potential Kansas City, Missouri, site is again under consideration. The location is near 18th Street and The Paseo and was previously considered a potential stadium site.“It’s the old ATA area,” LeVota said. “The Gates family has the ability, it has the area to sell it, and it has the opportunity that the Royals want of the expansion of the other amenities besides the stadium.” During Sunday’s Heart of the Matter, LeVota will discuss where negotiations currently stand and detail his conversations with the Kansas City Chiefs before the franchise publicly announced its move to Kansas.The ongoing stadium debate comes amid growing concern among Missouri leaders about the economic and cultural impact of losing professional sports teams from the state.Heart of the Matter airs Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on KMBC 9.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

State, local, and county leaders in Missouri are intensifying efforts to keep the Kansas City Royals on the Missouri side of the state line.

New details about those talks will be aired this Sunday on KMBC’s Heart of the Matter, which will feature a one-on-one interview with Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota.

While much of the public conversation has centered on Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, LeVota told KMBC that another potential Kansas City, Missouri, site is again under consideration.

The location is near 18th Street and The Paseo and was previously considered a potential stadium site.

“It’s the old ATA area,” LeVota said. “The Gates family has the ability, it has the area to sell it, and it has the opportunity that the Royals want of the expansion of the other amenities besides the stadium.”

During Sunday’s Heart of the Matter, LeVota will discuss where negotiations currently stand and detail his conversations with the Kansas City Chiefs before the franchise publicly announced its move to Kansas.

The ongoing stadium debate comes amid growing concern among Missouri leaders about the economic and cultural impact of losing professional sports teams from the state.

Heart of the Matter airs Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on KMBC 9.