In last week’s Hot Stove (full post here), I spoke of my accidental 2018 suggestion of a downtown baseball stadium located between the Power and Light District and the Crossroads.

There was no basis for my suggestion. The idea of a downtown stadium had been specifically rejected by owner David Glass when the first major wave of downtown redevelopment was being planned 20 years ago. That wave brought in the Power and Light District, the Sprint (T-Mobile) Center and the H&R Block headquarters. Former mayor Kay Barnes told Kevin Collison for a Flatland article last week, “The reason it didn’t move forward was the owner said ‘no’…Many of the rest of us thought it was a good idea, but he was not interested.”

There is now another chance, and Kay says, “I have no doubt that having the stadium there and having all those people coming to the area dozens of times will greatly enhance the commercial, retail, housing and everything else that goes on.”

In this week’s Hot Stove, I am again going back to the archives, but this time to retrieve something that is more than an accidental suggestion. I really thought it might happen.

From the Lonnie’s Jukebox Section of Hot Stove #214 (12/30/2022):

Petula Clark and the Royals New Stadium. Petula Clark turned 90 on November 15. I’m thinking her biggest hit could be a theme song to promote a downtown stadium for the Royals.

The light’s so much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re
Downtown
No finer place for sure
Downtown
Everything’s waiting for you (downtown, downtown)

“Downtown” by Petula Clark (1965). This link is to the original version, and she must be lip-syncing. The orchestra and backup singers are missing.

And Then It Happened (3/21/2024):

Yesterday, a new campaign video was released. The music is “Downtown” by Petula Clark. See it here. It’s very good.

 

 Lonnie’s Jukebox – Petula Clark Edition: Petula Clark has been in show business since 1939 when she was seven years old. In 2022, at the age of 89, she sang “I’m Still Here” in the Steven Sondheim’s Old Friends concert in London. She is now 91.

My time with Petula was in the 1960s when she had 15 consecutive Top-40 hits, starting with the #1 smash “Downtown.” She became the first UK female artist to have a US #1 in the rock ‘n’ roll era, earning the title “First Lady of the British Invasion.”

“Downtown” (1964). Released in December of 1964 in four languages (she’s very talented).

“I Know a Place” (1965).

“My Love” (1965). Her second #1 hit.

“A Sign of the Times” (1966). From the Ed Sullivan show. Quite the choreography.

“I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love” (1966).

“Don’t Sleep in the Subway” (1967).

Thank you Petula.