Record turnout for Royals FanFest

KANSAS CITY -- The weather didn't exactly cooperate, but the first Royals FanFest to be held at Bartle Hall in the downtown Kansas City Convention Center was deemed a success.

As the two-day event ended on Saturday night, Royals vice president Toby Cook said total attendance was 11,032, the highest turnout for any Royals FanFest. That included about 3,000 on Friday when snow and slippery streets plagued the area.

As the two-day event headed into its final hours on Saturday, Royals vice president Toby Cook estimated total attendance at about 10,000. That included about 3,000 on Friday, when snow and slippery streets plagued the area.

"We wanted to be in the 12,000 to 15,000 range, but I think the weather hurt us a little bit yesterday and maybe a little bit today," Cook said on Saturday. "It was great to be in a larger venue. Even when it was full, people had elbow room and people liked the fact that there weren't long lines for the interactive games."

Winter weather elsewhere delayed some players traveling to Kansas City, but only one, shortstop Alcides Escobar, couldn't make it because of plane problems. Manager Ned Yost planned to arrive on Wednesday, but flight cancellations in Atlanta kept him away until Friday afternoon.

The five previous FanFests were held at the Overland Park Convention Center on the Kansas side of the metro area.