Royals to build $1.9B downtown KC ballpark as part of $3B project with Hallmark Cards
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- The Kansas City Royals announced a $3 billion partnership with Hallmark Cards to build a new downtown ballpark in the Crown Center area, moving from their longtime home at Kauffman Stadium.
- The $1.9 billion stadium will be part of an 85-acre mixed-use development, with two-thirds of funding from private sources and one-third from public partners, including state-allocated stadium funds.
- The stadium is planned to break ground next year, located just south of Washington Square Park, which will be integrated into the development, and will feature convenient access to public parking and nearby highways.
- The move follows the Royals' lease expiration at Kauffman Stadium in 2031 and comes after failed joint stadium plans with the NFL’s Chiefs, who are relocating to Kansas City, Kansas.
- Officials emphasize the project’s potential economic impact on Missouri, citing similar successful public-private partnerships like Atlanta’s Truist Park and its surrounding mixed-use development.
