KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – The Royals’ new downtown ballpark will be about half a mile from two major hospitals, University Health and Children’s Mercy.
University Health President and CEO Charlie Shields said the hospital is ready to be the Royals’ new downtown neighbor.
The new Royals downtown ballpark will be about half a mile from University Health.(KCTV5)
“I just don’t anticipate a lot of problems, I anticipate more excitement,” Shields said. “This will be a vibrant part of town and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Road and traffic planning
Shields said the hospital is preparing for congestion during construction and expects a long-term fix for the 22nd Street and Highway 71 interchange.
“That’s always been a troublesome interchange, so we know part of the plan would be to address that,” Shields said.
Talks with MoDOT, the Royals and the city are already underway, according to Shields.
Gameday logistics
The Royals’ schedule a year in advance helps the hospital plan for game nights that fall around shift change, Shields said.
“We know that a majority of the home games will be played at night,” Shields said. “Most of our staff work 7 to 7. We can move that forward and backwards on game days.”
Shields said the hospital has handled large downtown crowds before, including parades, and will monitor parking to keep spots open for employees, patients and visitors.
“We make sure that our parking spaces are reserved for our employees, our patients and our visitors,” Shields said.
Employee reaction
Jolie Justus, executive chief administrative and legal officer at University Health, said the proximity to the ballpark is welcome news.
“To be able to step out from my home or my office to hear the crack of a bat or the roar of the crowd is everything I’ve ever wanted,” Justus said.
Justus expressed confidence in Kansas City’s ability to manage the development.
“I’ve been around KC long enough to know that we will do it, we will do it right and people will love it,” Justus said.
Children’s Mercy declined an interview but provided a statement to KCTV5.
“Children’s Mercy is proud to be part of a vibrant and growing Kansas City,” the statement said. “We value our long-standing community partnerships and look forward to being engaged in conversations as development planning moves forward and details take shape.”
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