MLB team’s new $1.9bn ballpark edges closer to reality as council make $20m first move

The Kansas City Royals are getting closer to complete authorization to bring baseball downtown.

A ‘world class’ ballpark, surrounding mixed-use development and re-imagined team headquarters will be built after a years-long search for Kauffman Stadium’s replacement.

Populous / Kansas City Royals

The Royals have played their home games at Kauffman Stadium for 53-years, and unlike the Kansas City Chiefs, they will be staying within state lines.

The stadium and mixed-use district will be housed in Crown Center, which is just south of downtown Kansas City.

Before moving into Kauffman in 1973, the team played at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

That was located at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and E. 22nd Street, just southeast of downtown.

The new ballpark site will be just a stone’s throw away from there, and Union Station, where fans gathered to celebrate the World Series win over the New York Mets in 2015.

Council reserve $20m in funding for Royals to kickstart planning and construction

In the biggest signal that the city is advancing negotiations and agreements with the Royals, Councilman Kevin O’Neill introduced a proposal to enter various agreements with Major League Baseball about the proposed build.

The item was introduced on the floor during the council’s meeting last Thursday, meaning it did not appear on the agenda ahead of time and would be discussed on the August, 11 meeting.

This was done tactically, amid fears some groups and residents are trying to force a public vote, on the entire project.

The proposed ordinance says the city has negotiated lease, development, funding, non-relocation, and community impact agreements with the team.

It also said the city has reserved $20 million of special obligation bond funding into a fund for the downtown stadium district.

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Populous / Kansas City Royals

The $20 million is set to cover the city’s initial commitments and kickstart early planning and site development. Tax from food and beverage sales after the stadium opens would pay back this bond.

Mayor Quinton Lucas sponsored the ordinance to fast-track approval, as City Council committees recently delayed voting on it to allow further public review, site negotiations, and community feedback.

While the $20 million bond fund signals serious momentum, the finish line is still months away.

The Royals hope to welcome fans on Opening Day 2030, with their lease at Kauffman expiring at the end of the same season.

The council will still need to navigate public hearings, zoning reviews, and potential voter pushback before shovels can be buried into the ground.

The coming weeks will determine whether Mayor Lucas and the Royals can finally turn this highly-debated downtown vision into reality.

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