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It’s increasingly becoming downtown Kansas City or bust for a new Royals ballpark as two prominent options are now off the table.
Officials in Clay County, Mo., located north of the city, said Wednesday they will no longer “engage in a bidding competition with other jurisdictions” regarding a potential ballpark deal. The move ends, at least for now, talks with the team that stretched for nearly three years. The county said the MLB club missed a Jan. 8 deadline to have a finalized proposal that would be ready to go before voters in an April ballot.
“The Royals elected not to accept the county’s proposal within that timeframe. As a result, no proposal will be presented to the public for a vote,” said the seven-member Clay County Commission in a statement.
Meanwhile, the team has also abandoned a potential ballpark and mixed-use development across the state line in suburban Overland Park, Kansas. That decision follows a decision by Kansas officials not to continue talks with the club after Dec. 31, 2025. The mortgage for that land in Overland Park under consideration has been held by a Royals affiliate.
“After significant evaluation, we do not believe this site meets our criteria for a stadium,” the Royals said in a statement. “We continue to evaluate opportunities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area to create a world-class ballpark district. … We remain hard at work toward the best solution for our team, fans, partners, and community.”
What’s Next?
The Royals continue to press on, developing a new plan that would enable the franchise to leave Kauffman Stadium, their current home stadium, when their lease ends after the 2030 season.
As a result of the latest decisions, there is a renewed focus on possible site options in downtown Kansas City, even as that previously ran into political and neighborhood opposition. One potential option, however, remains Washington Square Park, located near the city’s famed Union Station. That locale has been favored by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.
Meanwhile, the Royals’ current neighbors in the Truman Sports Complex, the NFL’s Chiefs, have finalized their plan to move to Kansas and build a domed stadium. Progress continues on that project, and the Chiefs are down to two finalists to design the forthcoming facility. The football team’s forthcoming departure has also begun to galvanize city, county, and state leaders in Missouri who previously had been more divided regarding the Royals.
Like many other teams, most recently the Rays, the Royals intend to surround a new ballpark with an expansive mixed-use development. Those efforts look to replicate the ongoing success of the Braves and The Battery in Atlanta.
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