The Royals have announced plans for a new ballpark in downtown Kansas City, specifically in the Crown Center area. A joint venture with Hallmark Cards, the project will also include mixed-use amenities, including a new club and corporate headquarters. It is expected to cost about three billion dollars in total and the stadium itself accounts for about two-thirds of that. It will be funded through a mix of private and public sources. Kacen Bayless and Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star and Dave Skretta of the Associated Press were among those who provided additional details.
John Sherman bought the Royals in 2019 and has been focused on securing funding for a new stadium for most of the time. Kauffman Stadium opened in 1973 and is one of the five oldest ballparks in the league, with only Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium being older.
The road to the new stadium has been bumped back for the past few years. The Royals and the NFL’s Chiefs were hoping to get public funding for new stadiums in Jackson County, where Kansas City, Missouri is located. However, voters rejected the sales tax measure in April of 2024. That seems to have played a role in the Kings leaving the country, as they plan to play in Kansas City, Kansas starting in 2031.
Unlike the Chiefs, the Royals will stay in Missouri. It is not yet clear whether Jackson County will provide any funding but the project has funding from other sources. The Royals have announced that they will be the main sponsor, with more than $2 billion in total. The state of Missouri and the city of Kansas City also offer it. Missouri passed a law last year that allows the state to fund up to 50% of major stadium construction projects. Last week, the city passed an ordinance authorizing the city manager to negotiate with the Royals for up to $600MM.
Some details are still unclear. The exact time of the planned delivery has not been announced. The team’s lease at Kauffman runs through 2031, so they have time on that. As mentioned, it is unclear whether Jackson County will provide any funds. The exact amount donated by the state of Missouri has not been reported. The Kansas City Council still has to give final approval and it’s possible the council could push for a public vote.
“We are very far from an agreement,” said councilor Johnathan Duncan in Solezwe this week. “We still need a development agreement. We need a TIF (tax increment financing) plan. We need a CID. And we need some kind of real plan from the Royals that says this is how we’re going to spend the $600 million in bonds.”
The club’s official announcement does not mean that everything will go ahead as planned. For example, the Rays previously announced plans for a new stadium in St. Louis. Petersburg at the same location as Tropicana Field. But storm damage to Trop led to a fight over repairs and maintenance that derailed the deal. That’s a rare example and it’s unlikely something like that will happen in Kansas City but it shows they still have to dot some I’s and cross the ot.
Photo courtesy of William Purnell, Imagn Images
