The Kansas City Royals have unveiled plans for a $1.9 billion new ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, as part of a larger $3 billion development project in partnership with Hallmark Cards.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, April 23, 2026, confirms the team’s intention to move from Kauffman Stadium to the Crown Center area on the south edge of downtown, keeping the franchise on the Missouri side of the state line.
According to the official plans, the new stadium will be the centerpiece of an 85-acre entertainment and shopping district developed alongside Hallmark Cards, which is headquartered at Crown Center. The project’s total cost could reach approximately $3 billion when including surrounding infrastructure and amenities.
Financing for the ballpark includes $600 million in taxpayer money approved by Kansas City’s city council, an unspecified but substantial contribution from the state of Missouri, and at least $800 million from the Royals ownership group led by chairman John Sherman.
Sherman emphasized the historical significance of the move, stating, “Our founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City’s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible. Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.”
The site selection follows the rejection of a previous proposal for the Crossroads area by voters in April 2024. Subsequent evaluations considered locations in North Kansas City and Overland Park, Kansas, before officials settled on Crown Center as the preferred site.
This decision keeps the Royals in Missouri, contrasting with the Kansas City Chiefs’ recent announcement of plans to relocate to a new stadium in Kansas City, Kansas. Both teams have called the Truman Sports Complex home for over five decades, with the Chiefs moving into Arrowhead Stadium in 1972 and the Royals opening at Kauffman Stadium in 1973.
If approved through all required governmental processes, groundbreaking is scheduled for 2027, with a targeted opening date for the 2030 season. The city council’s ordinance allocating the $600 million in public funds includes provisions requiring further approvals before the deal is finalized.
The project represents one of the most significant private-public partnerships in Major League Baseball history, aiming to revitalize downtown Kansas City while securing the Royals’ long-term future in the region.
Fans and stakeholders will now await additional votes and regulatory reviews as the multi-year development process moves forward.
Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story as the Royals pursue their vision of a modern, downtown ballpark experience.
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