As the Royals near a long-awaited decision about where to pursue building a new ballpark, even team ownership has grown weary of the lengthy process.
“I think it’s time to get on with it. I know our fans have stadium fatigue, or deal fatigue, and we’ve got that, too,” Royals owner John Sherman said at the club’s spring training complex in Arizona. “But this is a generational decision. It’s very strategic, and we’ve got to get it right.”
As has been increasingly expected, Sherman reiterated that a decision on the ballpark plan is near, and likely arriving well before the end of the 2026 MLB season. Scrutiny on the Royals has increased significantly since the Chiefs reached a deal in December with Kansas officials to build a domed stadium and a separate training complex in the Sunflower State.
While several parcels remain under consideration, focus has grown around Washington Square Park, near Kansas City’s downtown Union Station. The Royals recently eliminated a suburban parcel in Kansas from consideration, while officials in Clay County, Mo., located north of the city, said they will no longer “engage in a bidding competition with other jurisdictions” regarding a potential ballpark deal.
“We’re not settled yet anywhere, but I would tell you that I don’t think that we’re that far away,” Sherman said. “I’ve got a great sense of urgency on this. Time is not our friend. When the Chiefs made their announcement [to move to Kansas] in December, there was a whole new wave of enthusiasm on the Missouri side. And don’t mean they weren’t working hard [before], but from the governor on down, there’s a lot of effort being put forth.”
To that end, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said last week in his annual State of the City address that Kansas City officials “will get a deal done” this year for a downtown Royals stadium.
“We will get a deal done in 2026 that’s fair and transparent for our taxpayers, our future, and our team,” Lucas said. “As part of our growth, our retention of the Kansas City Royals in the only home they’ve ever known, Kansas City, is a must.”
A site decision would end an active consideration that’s run for more than three years, and included a stinging rebuke in April 2024 by Jackson County, Mo., voters.
Bigger Thinking
While local politics and the ongoing rivalry between Missouri and Kansas play a significant role in the Royals’ consideration, the club remains intent on surrounding a new ballpark with a large mixed-use development. That concept, popularized to a significant degree by the Braves, has been embraced by many other teams, most recently the Rays.
Sherman also professed a preference for an urban setting, if possible, which lends further weight to the possibility of the downtown site.
“I still have a bias for baseball being in the heart of the city, in the cultural center of our city, and to have the ability to make it better,” Sherman said. “If that happens, that’s going to be best for the community and the city at large, but we have to make sure we make the right long-term decision for the club as well.”
The club’s current lease for Kauffman Stadium expires after the 2030 stadium, and having a new facility ready then will require beginning a new project in the coming months.
