Will parking be an issue at Royals games in Crossroads? Here’s what Big 12 fans said

Pete Grathoff
·3 min read

We won’t know the answer to a question that Royals fans and others have raised about a potential stadium in the Crossroads until (and if) it’s built. But will parking be an issue?

The Big 12 men’s basketball tournament on Thursday night provided a litmus test of sorts. Iowa State played Kansas State at T-Mobile Center, just across I-670 from where the Royals hope to build their new home.

While it’s not an apples to apples comparison, I spoke with 50 fans about their experiences with parking for the tournament.

A number of them didn’t have to worry about it at all.

Some of the Cyclones and Wildcats fans were dropped off outside the T-Mobile Center, others used a ride-sharing option or simply walked. But not from Manhattan or Ames, of course.

Fans booked a hotel near the arena, making parking a moot point. That could be something Royals fans do as well, particularly if they come from out of town.

The same could be true of visiting fans from, say, Minnesota or St. Louis who make the trip to see their team in Kansas City.

Those who drove to the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday were asked to rate their parking experience from 1 (very difficult) to 5 (very easy). Here is the breakdown:

  • Very easy: 28.6%

  • Somewhat easy: 38.1%

  • Neither easy nor difficult: 19.0%

  • Somewhat difficult: 9.5%

  • Very difficult: 4.9%

Fans shared their experiences with getting to T-Mobile Center, which has a capacity of 18,000, roughly half the size of the proposed Royals stadium. Some were rankled at having to pay $30 to park in a lot and others were not happy to walk up to six blocks to get to the arena.

A group of Baylor fans parked in the River Market and took advantage of the streetcar to get to the game. A few others had a parking pass for an area lot.

David Stout of Parkville was one those with a parking pass for a nearby lot, so it wasn’t any issue. The second session of Wednesday’s tournament included Kansas fans, but the Jayhawks’ loss likely helped with parking on Thursday.

“If we’d come yesterday it would have been a problem,” Stout said, noting the large presence of KU supporters.

Paul Knudtson of Overland Park loves the idea of a Royals stadium in the Crossroads. However, he has one reservation.

“We’re excited,” Knudtson said, “but I’m most nervous about parking.”

The Royals say there are 21,000 parking spots located within a 10-minute walk of where their ballpark would be constructed. The team said 40,000 parking spots are within a 20-minute walk.

Despite that estimate, other basketball fans shared Knudtson’s reservations about parking around the stadium.

“I think it’s going to be hard (to park) when they have a game and something happening here,” Nathan Reger of Lee’s Summit said from inside T-Mobile Center. “If they’re going to do it (build a Royals stadium), they’re going to have to build a garage.”