The Kansas City Royals have teamed up with Hallmark Cards to move forward with plans to build a new stadium in downtown Kansas City, unveiling a sweeping proposal centered in the Crown Center district. The stadium initiative will be financed largely by the team and private partners, with additional support from the city and Missouri’s ‘Show-Me Sports’ Investment Act.
The project calls for a “world-class ballpark” surrounded by an 85-acre mixed-use development, anchored by a park-like central plaza featuring fountains. Plans also include redesigned headquarters for both organizations. Backers estimate the development will bring in more than $2 billion in private investment—making it the largest project of its kind in the city’s history—and generate over 20,000 construction jobs.
Royals CEO and chairman John Sherman said in a statement: “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 Royals have played at Kauffman Stadium since 1973, but their lease runs through 2031, prompting long-term planning for a new home. The current stadium sits next to Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs also play, though the Chiefs have separate plans for a new venue in Kansas.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said: “Today’s announcement reinforces that the State of Missouri is not just where the Kansas City Royals play, but where they belong. This decision by the Royals to invest in our state is more than just a commitment to Kansas City, it is a commitment to communities and fans across Missouri.”
Hallmark executive chairman Don Hall Jr. emphasized the symbolic significance of the location, noting the return of a familiar design element to its origins: “When the new Royals stadium opens at Crown Center, something proud will come full circle. The iconic Royals crown that Hallmark created will return to the very neighborhood where it was conceived. Every time a fan walks through the stadium doors, they’ll be standing in a place shaped by Kansas City and Hallmark’s creative spirit.”
City leaders say the downtown move would dramatically improve access and walkability, connecting the ballpark more closely to surrounding neighborhoods and transit options, including the streetcar line. Officials also see the public-private partnership as a long-term investment in keeping Major League Baseball rooted in Kansas City for decades to come.
Editorial credit: Logan Bush / Shutterstock.com
