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."

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by vonBobo

The Hunt family is worth 25 billion, he should be ashamed.

Lamar Jr raped a mentally disabled family member & several of them cornered the silver market. The family has a history of being not good people

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I overlaid, to scale, every downtown stadium in baseball on that proposed footprint to keep Oak St. open and none of them fit.

None of them.

Not even Oriole Park, which is basically built to avoid Camden Yards the same way this stadium would be built to avoid Oak St.

What that tells me is that the Royals are willing to say whatever it takes to get this vote to pass, and they'll let the architecture firm figure it out later.

What it also says is that the renderings you think you're voting on are not anywhere close to what will actually be built.

Yep.

[GloryDayz]

How about, effective as soon as voted yes, no more KC area blackouts and half price tickets for JACO residents? Since the Royals are so confident...

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I overlaid, to scale, every downtown stadium in baseball on that proposed footprint to keep Oak St. open and none of them fit.

None of them.

Not even Oriole Park, which is basically built to avoid Camden Yards the same way this stadium would be built to avoid Oak St.

What that tells me is that the Royals are willing to say whatever it takes to get this vote to pass, and they'll let the architecture firm figure it out later.

What it also says is that the renderings you think you're voting on are not anywhere close to what will actually be built.

Weirdest ****ing lie ever.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by Katipan

Weirdest ****ing lie ever.

The part about me overlaying the stadium, or them saying they'll keep Oak open?

[Titty Meat]

I assume the stadium being placed in the crossroads isn't far from P&L. The city pays about 15 mil a year from it's general fund to pay down the debt. I would assume a new stadium near P&L would generate millions a year don't know why they aren't telling people this

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Strongside

The part about me overlaying the stadium, or them saying they'll keep Oak open?

The tweet was at 12:20 and you posted 10 minutes later.

It's weird because it's unnecessary for you.
You ok?

[GloryDayz]

LOL, this game makes me want to keep paying a tax to keep these clowns...

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

LOL, this game makes me want to keep paying a tax to keep these clowns...

Dude, they were probably cactus league champs again. It's hard to come off of that high and bring the same intensity to the home opener.

[ping2000]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Dude, they were probably cactus league champs again. It's hard to come off of that high and bring the same intensity to the home opener.

Seriously? God bless your optimistic attitude sir!!

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Dude, they were probably cactus league champs again. It's hard to come off of that high and bring the same intensity to the home opener.

Yes, Salvy still swinging at those balls in the dirt in front of the plate makes his plea for us to vote yes, well, it all makes me realize that they are super serious about winning. And our bull pen, wow, those guys now send the fear of God into the opposing team. I know, I know, it's only one game and we're only one game behind first place...

But the commercial with Chiefs and Royals players saying they "need" us to vote yes seven year out just makes me laugh.

[Discuss Thrower]

Isn't Mahomes and Kelce speaking in those ads a salary cap violation?

[TribalElder]

Imagine if they focused on winning games instead of moving

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

Imagine if they focused on winning games instead of moving

We're a small market...

[vonBobo]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

I assume the stadium being placed in the crossroads isn't far from P&L. The city pays about 15 mil a year from it's general fund to pay down the debt. I would assume a new stadium near P&L would generate millions a year don't know why they aren't telling people this

It doesn't generate new money for the city, however it will draw people away from Westport, plaza, river market, or the neighborhood dive.