Chastain: Royals Stole My Washington Square Park Stadium Design

Kansas City's foremost transit activist and petition-gatherer makes a bold claim in his latest note that's EXCLUSIVE to TKC . . . And so, we share the message and give credit where it's earned . . .

CLAY CHASTAIN IS 100% CORRECT THAT THERE'S NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH PARKING FOR DOWNTOWN KCMO BASEBALL!!!

Just to prove he's serious about this effort, here's a nicer photo of our friend Clay collecting signatures in Brookside today . . .

And so, we share this note that also connects to Clay's latest rail petition . . . 

The Royals stole Chastain's Washington Park Stadium Design

2-years ago Chastain met the Royals Marketing Director @ Washington Park & gave her the stadium design & how it could be transit-oriented, they weren't interested). And now? Regardless, the City is under strain & needs the Monorail Plan to survive & prosper. The Royals & Mr. Sherman are under strain & need the Monorail Plan to make the Washington Park Stadium site work.

The Monorail Initiative proposes a Regional Transportation Center on the Eastside of Union Station's North Wing (across the street from Washington Park) to facilitate connections between the Airport Monorail, Streetcars, Johnson County & Metro Express Buses, Greenways, Electric Buses & Amtrak. Directly across the street is the (proposed) site for the Royals' New Stadium. This nearby interconnection of alternative mobility options will facilitate thousands of people being able to conveniently access a Royals game without use of an automobile. Without the Citywide (30-mile) Monorail providing direct service to Washington Park, that Stadium site will be 'shut-out', for these reasons:

1. Mayor Lucas & the Royals are delusional in claiming PKG. will not be a major problem at this site, especially whenever other major Downtown events happen simultaneously.
2. Getting thousands of cars in & out of that already dense & congested urban area (before & after games) will not only be a traffic & logistic nightmare, but such an onslaught of cars, pollution & noise will further brutalize that fragile urban environment...81 times + a year.
3. Fans having to walk with their kids to distant prkg. spaces raises a serious public safety concern that will keep families away!

The only way to make the Washington Park site work, make fans feel safe & keep the Royals in KC...Mayor Lucas...is to make it accessible to numerous & affordable mobility options that connect @ Union Station, including the Rapid, high-capacity, cost-effective & smooth-traveling Monorail. I believe melding the two major projects together will assure widespread public support for both. 

Therefore, I urge Mayor Lucas, the City Council & the Royals to back the Airport Monorail Initiative so we can build something incredible for Kansas City that will not only save the City, but also it's baseball team. 

Electrical Engineer, Clay Chastain 
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