KC's All-Star Game cleanup efforts rankle some

By Bill Draper

Associated Press

Published: Friday, July 6 2012 2:15 a.m. MDT

In this July 2, 2012, photo Kansas City, Mo., Manager Troy Schulte, right, watches as a demolition crew tears down an abandoned house near Cleveland Park, one of four inner-city ballpark complexes that will host the RBI Jr. Classic youth baseball and softball tournaments that are part of the All-Star Game activities. Four softball teams and eight baseball teams, all consisting of players 11 to 12 years old, will compete in the four-day tournaments, starting Friday.

Bill Draper, Associated Press

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Summary

Residents in Kansas City's urban core say they welcome the city's efforts to clean up blighted neighborhoods near sites that will host activities associated with next week's All-Star Game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Residents in Kansas City's urban core say they welcome the city's efforts to clean up blighted neighborhoods near sites that will host activities associated with next week's All-Star Game.

They also are wondering why it took a professional sporting event to get something done about eyesores the city has largely ignored for decades.

City workers and volunteers have been working for months to clean up areas near Kauffman Stadium east of town and several urban areas where four days of youth baseball and softball tournaments are being played. The efforts include tearing down 32 abandoned homes near the ballparks that residents think should have been taken care of a long time ago.

City leaders say most residents have supported the call to clean up their properties.

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