$1.9bn MLB stadium triggers aggressive timeline after being abandoned by NFL franchise

The Kansas City Royals have been handed a major update in their search for a new stadium location.

Top Kansas City officials are set to introduce a funding plan for a downtown Royals ballpark, sources told Sam McDowell and Kacen Bayless of The Kansas City Star.

Getty

The new ballpark could be built in Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, Missouri – which is owner John Sherman’s preference.

The proposal calls for a $1.9 billion stadium and surrounding district at the downtown site near Crown Center and Union Station.

Mayor Quinton Lucas unveiled the plan as an ordinance during Thursday’s City Council meeting.

Union Station, which opened in October 1914, has seen numerous teams pass through over the century and has called for baseball to return to the area.

The ordinance is expected to authorize City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate and execute a 30-year term sheet, lease and development agreement with the team.

Kansas City would contribute roughly $600 million of the project, with the remaining being covered by private funding. 

The proposal also includes an ambitious construction timeline. Pending approval, work could begin in 2027, with the new stadium potentially opening by Opening Day, 2030.

“What I would say folks, is that today is a very material step in the delivery of a downtown baseball stadium that the Royals and the city are interested in opening by Opening Day of 2030,” Mayor Lucas told The Star.

There have been numerous challenges to the Royals’ proposed relocation so far, and Thursday’s update marks a significant step forward.

With their lease at Kauffman Stadium expiring in January 2031, Sherman had expressed his concern that a site hadn’t been found – especially after the Kansas City Chiefs announced their decision to relocate to Wyandotte County in December 2025.

Getty

Getty

Funding uncertainty also emerged after Senator Tracy McCreery introduced a bill to repeal tax incentives designed to keep both the Chiefs and Royals from leaving Missouri.

Plans to build a new ballpark were also scuppered earlier last year, when voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rebutted a proposed sales tax measure which would have contributed to the funding.

The latest update suggests there is a strong chance the Royals remain in Kansas City, Missouri, but nothing is binding at this stage.

A Royals spokesperson praised the ordinance, but did not indicate whether the team would accept the city’s terms.

“The Kansas City Royals appreciate the work of our city’s leadership – the Mayor, City Manager and City Council – as they take important steps toward continued economic development for our city,” The statement to The Star read.

“We are grateful for their engagement in this process, as well as for the crucial work for the State of Missouri.

Getty

“We look forward to more detailed conversations as we consider solutions that are best for our team, our fans and our community.”

The Royals have played at Kauffman since 1973. It is the fifth-oldest active ballpark in MLB, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium.

With construction targeted for 2027, the city and the Royals face a narrow window to finalize agreements ahead of their lease expiration.

Stay up to date with the latest from the MLB across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.