Owner: Old Star building has ‘reemerged’ as possible Royals stadium site

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The co-owner of the old Kansas City Star printing press building says his property is still in the mix for a new downtown Royals stadium.

That was the word Thursday from Tony Privitera, executive vice president of Mark One Electric Co.

“I don’t know if this site was ever actually removed from their thought process,” he said during an interview.

Since June, the Royals have said their two main stadium options are north of the Missouri River in Clay County at 18th and Fayette in North Kansas City and somewhere in the East Village, northeast of 12th and Cherry streets within the downtown loop.

The Royals aren’t commenting on Privitera’s site. If true though, it would be a third site the team’s considering.

Privitera’s sister Rosie talked to FOX4 back in March before the Royals had narrowed down their stadium locations to two.

On Thursday, Privitera told FOX4 he and his sister were the ones who came to the Royals about building their new ballpark at the old Kansas City Star printing press back then. He said they were not the ones who came back to team ownership this go around.

The East Village site’ is 27 acres while the North Kansas City site is 90 acres. FOX4 asked Privitera how a ballpark could actually fit in this space at 16th and McGee. The Priviteras bought this building back in 2018.

“Well, you know, you could go north, alright?” Tony Privitera said. “The deck, the lid, the South Loop project is developing, you know? Having a downtown stadium, a world class downtown stadium may help make sure that the South Loop happens with a bang.” 

The old KC Star building, where four printing presses are still inside, is 4.7 acres and is in the northeast corner of the Crossroads. It’s also just south of the Power and Light District. 

“I don’t think so, Jonathan,” Tony Privitera said when asked if there would need to be a ballpark district around their stadium site.

“I think with the Crossroads being down here, and our market being as small as it is, and we’ve got the Power and Light, a stadium would complement T-Mobile. It would complement the Power and Light. It would complement the Crossroads.”

At the same time though, the Royals have always said they’ve wanted a ballpark district surrounding their stadium.

“Because it’s the right location,” Privitera said when asked why the Royals would want to build here if they didn’t need a ballpark district. “It’s a true downtown location.”

Just across I-670 from the old KC Star building is the Kansas City Convention Center. The Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) had their annual meeting there Thursday.

“Whatever the Royals decide to do in working with the county, Jackson County, KCMO, if it happens to be north of the river, just do something that is going to work long term for the customer, for the baseball fan,” KCADC CEO Tim Cowden said in an interview with FOX4 Thursday.

“I love the Royals. I love baseball. I’m excited about what they do, but they’re putting a lot of energy into it, and I trust their process.”

There’s still a big push to get this issue in front of voters in either Jackson or Clay counties in April 2024.

The Royals haven’t picked which county, not to mention which site, they want to build their new stadium at though.