KANSAS CITY, MO — Businesses in the Crossroads Arts District who did not support a downtown ballpark for the Royals reacted Wednesday after a stadiums sales tax proposal failed at the polls.
Business owners like Chet Duvenci are taking a deep breath Wednesday.
“I am so happy today,” said Duvenci." "A neighborhood where we were already close with each other, they are even closer now.”
Duvenci said he worked with other businesses in the Crossroads to keep a new Royals stadium out of their neighborhood.
“It was a bad deal for the taxpayers and the citizens of this city," Duvenci said. "We don't need to give these billionaires our money. "It was made by the people. It should be spent on the people."
People that Mat Adkins said make the Crossroads special, and who now feel a sigh of relief after fears all the odds were stacked against them.
“This community and this neighborhood mean so much to so many people and had for the better part of 30 years," Adkins said. "We kept hearing so many times, 'You guys can just move, go somewhere else,' but it's not that easy."
Jill Cockson thinks the election results don't mean the fight is over to keep a stadium out of the neighborhood.
“There is work to be done, we're going to work to put in some added protections for some properties in the neighborhoods," Cockson said. "So if they try to circle back around in this neighborhood, it's just going to get harder and harder."
For now, businesses like hers will work to celebrate what they see as a win for the arts and culture in Kansas City.
“The Jackson County voters showed up so we are very grateful for that,” said Cockson. “I firmly believe that I get to say, 'I told you so.'"
