Royals Announce New Ballpark in "The Heart of Downtown KC"

[Couch-Potato]

What do you guys think about the new ballpark?

ESPN:

Spoiler!

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals intend to build their new downtown ballpark blocks away from T-Mobile Center and the Power & Light District, scrapping two concepts elsewhere in the city for a location that puts the stadium closer to existing entertainment areas.

The Royals revealed plans for the $2 billion-plus ballpark project Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium, two days after the Kansas City Chiefs -- whose Arrowhead Stadium shares the Truman Complex with their existing ballpark -- won their third Super Bowl in the past five years, and one day before the city celebrates another Lombardi Trophy with a parade downtown.

"This is going to be awesome!!! Can't wait!" Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes wrote on X in response to renderings of the new Royals ballpark.

The parade route Wednesday travels along Grand Avenue to Union Station, or directly past the location of the new ballpark.

"We're the second-smallest city with both an NFL franchise and Major League Baseball club," Royals owner John Sherman said, "and we want to sustain ourselves as a major league city. We want these franchises to thrive here for another 50 years."

The new ballpark -- located in "the heart of Kansas City," per an X post from the team -- will seat about 34,000 fans, or roughly 3,000 fewer than Kauffman Stadium, and the Royals are hopeful it would be ready for the 2028 season. The final design is still under development, but renderings shown Tuesday paid homage to the K's swooping roof lines and iconic center-field fountains.


"The ballpark will have a really great feeling of intimacy," Sherman said.

Kansas City started play at Municipal Stadium in 1969, then moved to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the current ballpark from 2009-12.

The Royals unveiled two other locations last fall, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri. Both were met with tepid reaction from fans, many of whom still love Kauffman Stadium, and political infighting ensued over the extension of a sales tax in Jackson County, Missouri, to help pay for the ballpark.

The Royals' ownership group plans to invest more than $1 billion in private funding for the project, but some of the money will come from the 3/8-cent tax, which also will provide funding that the Chiefs plan to use to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.

"I know I'm biased here," Sherman said, "but between what the Chiefs can do out here with an expanded tailgate experience, and what we do down there, we will have two of the best pregame and postgame experiences in all of sports."

The Royals and Chiefs pushed to put the sales tax on the April 2 ballot, and Jackson County legislators initially approved the referendum, only to watch Jackson County executive Frank White -- a five-time All-Star and member of the Royals' Hall of Fame -- veto the measure. Last month, two legislators changed their vote and joined five others in overriding the veto.

That not only put the tax extension on the ballot, it put the onus on the Royals to reveal exactly what voters will be paying for.

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The new ballpark would be situated adjacent to Interstate 670, where the Kansas City Star's former printing press building sits largely vacant, and tie together several disparate neighborhoods into a more cohesive downtown environment.

Just to the north, where new parks would cover the interstate and allow for safe pedestrian traffic, sits Power & Light, the home to many existing bars and restaurants. To the south lies the Crossroads Art District, a trendy enclave anchored by the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. And to the east is the historic 18th & Vine neighborhood, home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the American Jazz Museum and iconic restaurants such as Arthur Bryant's Barbeque.

"The fact of the matter is, we've always been cognizant of this site. It never went away," said Earl Santee, the founder of the Kansas City-based sports architectural giant Populous. "We looked at other sites over time, and this is my 23rd major league ballpark site, and it's timing that leads you to the end, and this is the right timing for this site."

Santee compared the 17.3-acre site to downtown ballparks built in Denver, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis. There are about 20 property owners in the area and the Royals will need to negotiate with each of them to purchase their parcels of land.

"Development is happening in ways that are engaging," Santee said. "This will amplify the brand of Kansas City."

Indeed, the Royals hope the project continues what Sherman called "a golden era" for the former cowtown on the plains.

Over the past decade, Kansas City has hosted two World Series, baseball's All-Star Game and the NFL draft, while a $1.5 billion airport opened just over a year ago. The Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League will open their new purpose-built stadium next month on the north edge of downtown, and Arrowhead Stadium was recently awarded six games -- including a quarterfinal match -- by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

"This is about a lot more than just a new home for the Royals," said Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations, who is unrelated to the team's owner. "This generational project is intended for something great."

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Gotta be fat Zach's alt

I just wish he'd think about all those poor, poor senior citizen parking lot attendants losing their jobs before crowing about job creation ya know!!

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

If I can’t back in my pickup that I’m spending 60% of my monthly household budget on and light up a grill then this just ain’t going to work for me

You've just described the high point of about 60% of royals games unfortunately

I've been informed this downtown stadium will naturally usher in an era of prosperity so we'll all be so busy watching winning baseball that won't matter.

[Pablo]

The integration with the south loop park that was planned before this announcement is legitimately exciting. We'll see if that thing gets kicked into turbo if this passes. 2026 WC was thrown out originally when that was proposed.

[KingPriest2]

Originally Posted by dabergtobirden

crossroads spot makes too much sense. way more attendance in this location. tons of extra people who might go early/stay late to hang downtown or crossroads. tons of new jobs to take care of all the additional spenders which increases tax revenues for the city. extra money made by royals increases payroll so we field competitive teams that increases attendances even further.

if people are against crossroads location, they hate our city.

You have much to learn young inf. Also need to stop with assuming things

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by KingPriest2

You have much to learn young inf. Also need to stop with assuming things

That's like 2/3 of what makes CP fun though

[dabergtobirden]

Originally Posted by KingPriest2

You have much to learn young inf. Also need to stop with assuming things

please advise? genuinely curious on why other locations would be better. the integration with the 670 highline park would be really cool for our city and create way more jobs/spending/tax revenues for the city than any other location.

also i get if people are against bc they don't like subsidizing billionaires in general.

and i get it if you don't like this spot bc of personal reasons. was being hyperbolic in original post - just meant they'd be prioritizing personal stuff over the greater good of the city/community. which everybody does.

[dabergtobirden]

and i'll admit my bias - i want the royals to have a good team. they'd make so much more in attendance/revenues at the crossroads spot than any other so they could finally pay enough in salaries to be relevant.

added bonus is increased jobs/taxes to make my city better.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by dabergtobirden

you prefer locations that give our city fewer jobs and less tax revenues for city programs? why? crossroads location would undoubtedly be better overall for the city.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Pablo

You just Uber or walk right to the stadium. It’s so simple

Hop on the street car

I know I wouldn't walk 10 feet for a women's soccer game. Well if there is nudity maybe. Is there nudity?

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

You would really have no idea someone lived in a city of 2.5 million people listening to them complain about parking garages and traffic and one way streets... but it's a major topic of conversation if you're ever at an event downtown or even on the Plaza with people who don't often go there.

You would really think they all just drove in from BFE Kansas or someone had grabbed an uncontacted tribesmen from the Amazon and dropped them off at Times Square... but nope, live in OP and just cannot fathom getting around downtown and finding a place to park.

KC is under 500,000 the other 1.5 million live in the suburbs and drive cars like a red-blooded Americans.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by srvy

I know I wouldn't walk 10 feet for a women's soccer game. Well if there is nudity maybe. Is there nudity?

There’s always a chance

[dabergtobirden]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

dude explain why you are laughing? kansas city karens are the worst. no new airport, no public transportation, all i do is cry about parking/traffic. royals would kill at this spot and make way more tax revenue and help for the city. but nooo i'm so mad at how this will take away my favorite bar that opened up a year ago and will go away next year!!!

i love the diverseness/indie spirit of the crossroads as much as the next guy. and maybe a little bit of this goes away but it will really benefit all the breweries and the good local spots. will be way better for KC if this goes through.

[Eureka]

I think it's a great thing to happen. Opposing fans will enjoy the improved downtown area while bringing in cash into the area. Welcome everyone but hope they Royals win.

[dabergtobirden]

i understand if total progressives or i hate all business/giving tax dollars to sports franchises hate this bc they are idiots...but there are actual chiefs/sports fans or normal regular people that don't like this? blows my mind. it's the best thing this city has ever proposed. have you guys looked at the images and how cool this will be for our city? just have realized many people are stupid and don't want change. they should move to small towns where they don't have to worry about parking.

[srvy]

It wont do jack squat till they get real ownership that is serious about winning baseball. Shyster Sherman ain't that.