The Royals are set to reveal plans for a new stadium in Kansas City’s Crossroads District tomorrow, according to reports from Anne Rogers of MLB.com (on X) and Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star. The club is holding a press conference at 2:30 pm local time. “Important details about this transformative project will be shared including renderings, economic data, and progress towards lease and community benefits agreement,” the team said (via Rogers).
McDowell writes that the targeted site is in the approximate area of the former Kansas City Star Press Pavilion. The team has not yet revealed its specific financing plan, but they’re seeking some amount of public funding via a 40-year sales tax that’ll be up for a vote in early April. That tax plan would split the money between the Royals for their intended new facility and the NFL’s Chiefs for renovations to its Arrowhead Stadium.
The Royals’ current home, Kauffman Stadium, was opened in 1973. It’s the sixth-oldest park in MLB. Fenway Park and Wrigley Field have been open for more than a century. Dodger Stadium (1962), Angel Stadium (1966) and the Oakland Coliseum (1968) each began playing host to big league clubs in the general vicinity of Kauffman’s opening. The A’s are very likely to depart the Coliseum after the upcoming season. If the Royals secure a new ballpark, that’d put Toronto’s Rogers Centre — which opened in 1989 — among the sport’s five oldest home stadiums.
Last summer, owner John Sherman told reporters that the team was hopeful of having a new park ready for the 2027 or ’28 seasons (link via The Associated Press). Sherman purchased the franchise from the late David Glass in August ’19.
The club has yet to find any on-field success during his ownership tenure, which began amidst a rebuild on the heels of their consecutive pennants and 2015 World Series win. Last season’s 106 losses tied a franchise record. The Royals have had an active offseason as they try to turn things around fairly quickly. They’ve brought in Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Hunter Renfroe, Will Smith, Chris Stratton and Adam Frazier in free agency. They saved their biggest move for last week, inking franchise shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to a team-record guarantee in excess of $288MM to ensure he remains in K.C. through at least 2030.
Say no to sales tax to fund a new stadium that will support the wealthy.
Love live Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.
Never been to Fenway but Wrigley is the most overrated entity in all of sports. Try sitting behind the countless columns that obstruct your view.
Wouldn’t you want to know how much the sales tax is before you object to it?
Sales taxes are regressive
The area has a big meth an opioid problem, especially the burbs. Money better spent elsewhere,
doesnt matter – why should I pay for the stadium ? I dont get to go there for free to watch the game – no thanks – tell the Royals see you later – let them leave
H&R Block Stadium probs
Didn’t they just put a lot of money into the stadium only a few years ago?
In 2009 they did a $250 million renovation, It was all aesthetic. That’s the argument, The tax payers can keep pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into Kauffman every other decade – and still not have a modern ballpark – or we can build a new park with amenities that will help the team generate more revenue and be more competitive. It’s kind of like how long do you keep pouring money into your old car to keep it running before it’s time to buy a new one.
I see ur point but u have to hv the down payment to buy a new one – cars arent that cheap – and ur insurance goes up – then there is the interest rate if u hv bad credit – its a tough thing when ur poor and jobs arent so sure any more –
The put 250 million into renovations 15 years ago. That said they still have the same problem. The stadium is in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing. No restaurants, bars, public transportation or hotels to speak of. In the crossroads you could walk to the power and light district. There are already restaurants, bars and public transportation right there. The new stadium target date is 2031. That means they will get 22 years out of the renovations. A bargain compared to most cities that spend a billion or so every 20 to 25 years. As the light rail system expands people will be able to park out in the suburbs and ride the train. Kauffman was nice and fit the team’s needs until around 2000 or so when the new stadiums elsewhere changed everything. The renovations were a stopgap but Kauffman will be 59 years old in 2031.
Most cities do not spend a billion or so a decade on stadiums… where do you get this info? Most likely just made it up.
I said that stadiums cost about a billion right now and are replaced every 20 to 25 years. Look at any recent baseball or football ball stadium and the project costs at least a billion dollars. More if it is in a large city like New York. The 20 to 25 year time-line matches among other places Atlanta and their Baseball stadiums. Opened in 1966, 1996 and 2017.
Not sure you can use the Braves (or the Rangers, for that matter), as examples. Their turnover of stadiums seems to be distinct outliers.
I went to KC a couple years ago. It’s a great park.
I went a few years ago and thought it was outdated and dingy, but I have been to nicer and newer parks
The best stadium I’ve been to if you’re using a wheelchair.
Kauffman isn’t bad, make the owner pay for it all.
Noooo! It’s such a beautiful stadium and a great location! Man…I hope the voters say no
The current location is terrible. There’s absolutely nothing to do around Truman. Downtown will be a much better location for both things to do and a more central location for the majority of the metro. I’m not a fan of it going to the Crossroads due to traffic and parking already lacking there, but maybe that will improve with the stadium plans.
In Seattle on game day the downtown stadium takes up all the street parking in the downtown. The retail merchants have zero sales those game days…NO, they will not provide enough parking…they will claim to solve it, but remember parking spots costs a lot no matter how you park cars downtown…
To be fair, how many attendees actually need something to do near the ballpark? Don’t most people just go a baseball game and then either go straight home or straight to a motel/hotel?
A more central location is certainly a good idea, though.
You can go see a baseball game if you have nothing to do down there.
You go to watch the team play the game. Other stuff isn’t needed for true fans.
It is in the middle of nowhere with no restaurants, bars, shopping, trains, busses or hotels nearby. The old stadium looks great but has no amenities at all . You can’t build a perennial winning team without those things. And if the voters say no they will just building in Kansas or North of the river. Staying put is not an option.
yet somehow they went to the World Series twice in the last ten years without them,
They have had 3 winning seasons in the last 20 years. In 2 of those they made the World Series. Within 4 years of that everyone from those teams but Salvador Perez had left or been traded away because the owners couldn’t afford to keep them. They got lucky when a bunch of young talent all got there at once and developed together. Depending on that happening again is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle.
Well, everyone but Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon.
Otherwise, point taken.
Hmm. Cubs have money but their free agent spending has been next to nil so has the competitiveness
They tried but were outbid
The publics money should be prioritizing other problems in KC, not baseball stadiums for billionaires.
They will just move the team’s to another county if the voters say no. They will build a new stadium either way.
The Rich Owners are Paying for the Stadium and Team in Seattle
Seattle got a new stadium and a new NHL team paid for by the owners…cost overruns paid for by the owners,
The wait was well worth it…and who wants an NBA team and staunch NBA rules and that Commish?
Seattle has more than twice KC’s population . 3 times it if you add Vancouver. In addition they have so many large corporations there they actually have multiple billionaires who can afford to do that. Name 1 KC area billionaire who can afford to foot the bill. I can’t. All our big companies have been swallowed. What you think Taylor Swift will foot the bill to be nice to Travis?
the owners of the Arena are LA people. Vancouver nor Portland are part of our standard Metro…they are not our retail Base…when you pay out a billion you lost a billion in other projects…make the owners pay…hold out
This explains their recent expenditures
Is the seating capacity less than Kauffman? Will the average family be able to afford a trip to the ballpark?
Went last year and very few parks that have the kind of identity Kaufmann has with the waterfalls. I wish my Braves’ stadium had something close to a signature.
It’s ok, they’ll build a new one soon. SunTrust is getting kind of old by Braves standards.
SunTrust is no more. It’s Truist. The most true of all truths.
The Braved stadium is like 5 to 7 years old.
It’s more of a comment on how disposable stadiums built today are. There’s truth in the hyperbole I think they’re speaking in. Turner Field was 19 years old (1997-2016) before it was replaced, but it took 52 years before the Braves got a home they built themselves.
More of a comment not the age of stadiums but how much control the owners have over the luxury boxes, parking and high revenue generating items. If none to little then they threaten to move and demand a new stadium with more revenue control.
So. Sign some free agents to make it appear you are spending. Get on the ballot with the Chiefs for public funding. Once the measure passes, trade away those players. Profit.
You sound mad and they haven’t done anything wrong
I would sound mad if my front office executive went like this: ““Well, where you gonna go?” said Castellini about Reds fans having no choice but to support this franchise. “What would you do to this team to make it more competitive? It would be to pick it up and move it somewhere else. Be careful what you ask for.””
He was talking about the Royals. This post is about the Kansas City Royals. He’s not mad about what a Cincinnati Reds executive said a few years ago.
Everyone but the most casual fan realizes these free agent signings are trade bait for the deadline.
It can serve multiple purposes, it’s not either/or. Those signings likely made it more enticing for BWJ to sign his extension. The Royals are trying to at least be competitive in 2024, and these FA signings give you a chance to do exactly that especially in this division. But if they’re out of contention by the end of July then yes you can absolutely trade those contracts and players to help bolster a farm system that only has 1 top 100 prospect. It’s been an A+ offseason as far as I’m concerned.
The Central division is terrible. If the breaks role their way they could win it the division in 2024. Some of these acquisitions can’t play until 2025. You might be the casual fan.
As much as i hate it. It will pass cuz the chiefs are the darling of kc right now and they using them to get half the money…
Honest question because I’ve never been to Kaufmann Stadium. Wouldn’t it make more sense to invest in the current stadium and the area around it? Just like the White Sox wanting to relocate it sounds like a full portapotty that they don’t want to empty just start somewhere new.
The new owners want a stadium closer to downtown. Personally I love the location of Kauffman Stadium. I love the huge parking lot at the stadium and easy access to the interstate. I could care less about bars and restaurants near the stadium.
They aren’t staying put. That would be madness. They want a stadium where you can park in the suburbs and ride public transportation to reach. That will make more money allowing them enough revenue to build a winning team. Kaufman was a a great stadium for the 20th century
.That’s over now. That and it would be nice to have someplace nearby to eat after the game. It also would be nice to not have to pay 20 dollars for nachos that are glorified lunchables because you can’t go anywhere else but the stadium .
Sherman bought the team for a billion. Previous owner paid less than 100M for them in 2000. Sherman paid way too much and needs to add revenue streams to make money.
It’s only fitting that the Royals and White Sox share a new stadium. Build it halfway between Kansas City and Chicago on the Mississippi river state line between Hannibal, MO. and East Hannibal, IL.
Who needs Las Vegas? Incorporate the new stadium into the worlds largest river boat casino for the ultimate entertainment venue.
The Royals and White Sox can parlay naming rights bids among the casinos. Bally Ball would be appropriate!
Until then, I’ll roll with Field of Nightmares!
They should hook up with the A’s and share a ballpark.
Meanwhile, the “Las Vegas” A’s…
No idea about Kaufmann’s condition. Please share if you’ve been or are familiar with the park.
Kauffman is fine. Ownership doesn’t want a new stadium, they want a new stadium surrounded by a bunch of hotels and retail junk to make even more money off of.
Another comment being angry about something that hasn’t happened lol
Why do you defend mediocre / poor condition outdated stadiums? You’re not the only one, it’s certainly the popular take here. Just trying to understand why. It does not have the Wrigley or Fenway charm.. it’s just old and needs to be replaced.
Next y’all are going to say the Oakland Colosseum is fine. It’s horrible. It’s a reason why the team is leaving the city lol
People also leave out that part of the charm of Wrigley and Fenway is the thriving commercial scenes surrounding the ballparks, that enhance the game day experience for the fans. Nothing wrong with trying to replicate that and also attract more visitors.
That said, I’ve never been to Kauffman Stadium and I think I’m gonna bucket list going now before it’s gone. Seems like a worthy baseball pilgrimage to catch those waterfalls in person.
Poor and outdated are your definitions. They aren’t the general beliefs about Kauffman stadium. It’s also much easier to say when it involves others personal history and not your own.
The K is Ana amazing outlier for the time and very convenient for the fan base that drives up to 4 hours to a game. It’s why they had the turf so long. To avoid rain outs for people who made those trips. KC is a true regional team.
Teams used to demand new stadiums now they are asking for whole neighborhoods.
Been to a few stadiums in my travels and Kauffman is a nice experience especially since the upgrade. But not much around the stadium and that probably is the rub. Things are getting out of hand with stadiums now. Seems most teams want a new one every 20-30 years but these things are built to last 100 years or more. They are not good use of taxpayer money and study after study shows they do not have a good ROI in regards to their economic impact.
Never been to Kaufman. But I’ve also only heard good things. This whole idea seems like a waste of resources and effort
Nah it’s crap. It’s 60 years old. Looks like it. And is surrounded by absolutely nothing. Def a bottom 5 ballpark.
Surrounded by Missouri, it’s not ‘nothing‘ to me but I dislike cities and sameness.
Not to mention Missouri so called baseball fans haven’t a clue in understanding the game of baseball
Those people are on the east side of the state.
Are you seriously saying Cardinal fans don’t know much about baseball? Fans of one of the most storied franchises in American sports? Fans who have literally been labeled by others as the “Best Fans in Baseball” (their words, not mine)?
In Kc, sure. But most of Missouri are Cardinal fans.
Bottom 5? Come on, man. The debate is subjective so you’re welcome to your opinion, not do I know how many MLB parks you’ve been to in order to classify it as a bottom 5 park. I’ve been to almost every park and it’s one of my favorites.
Too bad, I love Kaufman Stadium. Easy to get to, easy to park…. Easy to watch.
Yeah and half an hour from a restaurant if you don’t want to pay 20 bucks for a lunchable version of nachos. Kaufman is nice but there is nothing at all near it.
Royals been getting it done man, I’m so excited for the future. Baseball soon boiz
I like this year’s team
Is “Big Red Machine” Phil Castellini’s burner account? Quite the first time a self-proclaimed Reds fan seemed to be the ultimate expert at judging ballpark quality and worthiness.
How about a lottery just for the sports team stadiums. Then it’s paid for by the voluntary. Once the stadiums are built you end the lottery.
Excellent idea.
The Royal Scam!
Meanwhile, I deal with 20 and 30 year olds, who don’t even have a basic command of the English language or basic world history or even simple mathematics.
Hope you all had a good time.
“Just Say No”
I remember when it opened. That was beautiful, but 50 years is a long. long time.
Wow! If you look at Angels Stadium and take your mind back to 1966. Their architect definitely had visions ahead of its time.
From what I understand Kauffman is just an updated blueprint of Anaheim stadium. Never been to Kauffman, I Wonder if it resembles Anaheim in any way
Just move the team to another city. The KC fans are the rudest fans I’ve come across.
Taxpayer money, eh?
I guess this form of socialism is the good capitalist version of socialism or something.
One reasoning for the public paying on taxes revenue is that the MLB right now have the upper hand. Manford will come out and state that if the public doesn’t pass this, the team may have to relocate, he has used this attack before. Oakland moving to Vegas, now you have Nashville, Salt Lake City, Portland, Buffalo and Charolette all looking for teams. KC will say they have only a certain amount of money to outsource to finance a ballpark, how long have they called KC a small market team.? This all plays into Manfred’s MLB. We will have to play this game soon in AZ., they have been hinting around about a new ballpark for the past 5 years.
Kaufman is a nice pretty stadium in the middle of nowhere. You can’t get to it by bus or train so you have to drive. If you have a drink or 3 while your there you need a taxi because there is no place to go sober up after the game or get a meal. There is maybe 1 hotel by it that is always full. They charge you 20 dollars to park your own car because you can’t safely park anywhere nearby. On top of that the stadium doesn’t add any extra revenue to the club so the team can’t afford to keep their stars. It boggles my mind why anyone would want a new stadium.
40 yr sales tax?!? Hell, by that time the Royals will be looking to move out of the new stadium being proposed.
Exactly. It is a forever tax, much like a local school referendum. Once it passes you get to “vote” on the issue again, but there is always a need of the money so it always seems to pass. What is funny is occasionally these don’t pass and they end up with the money for the program or what not in either case.
If they want public funding why not simply sell shares of the team to anyone that would like to buy them at a level even fans could potentially earn profit if the team and stadium complex make money. Public funding is fine as long as it does not violate consent and nearly every existing tax already violates that.