The Royals, in making their latest pitch for a downtown stadium this week, included projections for how much economic benefit the $2 billion project would bring. But three national sports economists who study new stadiums and their economic impact say the teams’ numbers are fiction. The Royals have claimed the construction of the stadium could create 20,000 jobs, result in at least $2.8 billion being added to the local economy and increase visitor spending by $68 million. Asked by The Star to evaluate the team’s economic study of what a new stadium and adjoining ballpark district development would mean for the area’s economy, all three experts scoffed at the document’s claims. They characterized it as propaganda to support the team’s request for taxpayer support to build the $1 billion ballpark and $1 billion commercial district adjoining it. “This is not a study; it is simply a bunch of assertions,” said Andrew Zimbalist, professor emeritus of economics at Smith College. “The scho...