By Kirby Ingles
Father of Six | Retired Army Combat Veteran | Leadership & Wellness Coach | Insurance Producer | Proud Kansas Citian
Kansas City has always been a place of grit, resilience, and deep-rooted pride. From jazz to BBQ, rodeos to Royals baseball, this city knows how to carry its legacy forward. But lately, when it comes to our beloved Royals, we’ve hit a crossroads—and I’m not talking about the East Crossroads location they pitched and lost in April 2024.
I’m talking about our vision.
The Royals Deserve More Than Patchwork
Look, I’ve got nothing but love for The K. Like many of you, I’ve spent nights in that stadium watching legends rise and memories unfold with my kids. That crown isn’t just branding—it’s sacred to us.
But let’s not pretend it’s still fit for royalty. Time has moved on, and so should our infrastructure. Kansas City deserves a stadium and entertainment complex that honors the crown—and fuels the next generation of baseball, business, and community engagement.
Mayor Lucas: Less Talk, More Backbone
Here’s where I get real with you. Mayor Quinton Lucas has been riding the fence long enough. One minute he’s tossing around figures like $1.2–$1.4 billion in potential funding, the next he’s shrugging and saying, “Neither stadium is collapsing.” That’s leadership?
“Not collapsing” isn’t a compelling vision for the future of a city trying to stay competitive with Dallas, Denver, or Nashville. We don’t need lukewarm. We need bold. We need backbone.
A Legacy Worth Building
This isn’t about billionaire bailouts. This is about smart investment in our community.
Let’s be honest—any major stadium project creates economic ripple effects:
- Union jobs in construction and service
- Revenue growth for small businesses and restaurants
- Increased tourism and national visibility
- Family experiences that anchor people to this city
If you want Kansas City to be a place your grandkids stay and thrive in, you’ve got to build for that future now.
We can’t afford to let opportunity pass just because city leaders are too afraid to lead or too indecisive to act. We’ve waited long enough.
The Royals’ Responsibility
The Royals need to step up too. No more vague promises. No more veiled threats about leaving. No more mystery site shopping. The community has stood by this team through thick and thin. It’s time for the team to return that loyalty with transparency and partnership.
Declare your direction. Plant the flag. And help us build a royal legacy together.
It’s Time to Roll Out the Red Carpet
As a father of six, a man who’s worn the uniform for this country, and someone who’s had to rebuild from the ground up—I understand what it means to invest in what matters. The Royals aren’t just a baseball team. They’re a Kansas City institution. It’s time we gave them—and ourselves—a stadium fit for that title.
So let’s stop bidding against ourselves. Let’s stop waiting on “the perfect time.” That time is now.
Kansas City: Let’s build the house the crown deserves.
—
You can connect with me on LinkedIn or visit the Contact page if you’d like to chat more about leadership, veteran issues, or creating a legacy through intentional action.