# @thekansascitystar on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CwYBV75uJMZ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/18810300-thekansascitystar-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/5694654dab.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-08-25T17:05:54.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Kansas City Star (@thekansascitystar) — https://gondola.cc/thekansascitystar

## Caption

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 scholarly studies on the economic impact of stadiums and collateral development do not support the claims made here.”

The experts don’t dispute that there may be benefits to a new stadium — if Kansas City wants to remain a big league city, it has to be willing to pay, or teams may go elsewhere. But the team should be honest and not promise economic returns that may not be reality, they say.

The firm that provided the numbers defended the study Friday, saying it’s based on historical precedent and industry trends. 

Read more about the study at the link in our bio. 

#RoyalsStadium #RaisedRoyal #KansasCity

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## Tags

kansascity, raisedroyal, royalsstadium

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