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Kansas City Royals announce plan to build new stadium at Crown Center

Meby: Nick Geddes04/22/26NickGeddesNews

The Kansas City Royals on Wednesday announced their plan to build a new stadium at the Crown Center in downtown Kansas City. The Royals are teaming up with Hallmark Cards to bring a new development to the Crown Center, which includes a “world-class ballpark, surrounding mixed-use development, and reimagined headquarters for both iconic institutions.”

KMBC 9 News reported the deal had been in the works for months and came together last week. It’s an 85-acre development, and the expected $2 billion or more private investment would be the largest in Kansas City history.

“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,” Royals CEO and chairman John Sherman said. “Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.

“When the new Royals stadium opens at Crown Center, something proud will come full circle,” Hallmark Cards Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Don Hall Jr. said. “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.”

The Royals have been actively working towards building a new stadium for the last three years. They currently play their games at Kauffman Stadium, which sits roughly 20 minutes east of the new stadium site. Kauffman Stadium has been home to the Royals since opening in 1973. The team’s lease at Kauffman Stadium is set to expire at the end of the 2030 MLB season.

The stadium is the fifth-oldest in the major leagues. It has hosted a pair of All-Star Games (1973, 2012) and Royals World Series games in 1980, 1985, 2014, and 2015.

Royals CEO pens letter to fanbase after new ballpark announcement

Royals fans have made countless memories inside Kauffman Stadium over the last 50-plus years. In a letter written to the fanbase, Sherman promised more in the new ballpark at the Crown Center.

“For 50+ years, Kauffman Stadium has been more than a ballpark. It has been a place where memories were made — where unforgettable moments unfolded, friendships began, and traditions were born,” Sherman wrote. “We’ve shared two World Series Championships and countless historical moments together. These moments live on because of fans like you who stood with us season after season.

“As we look ahead, the Royals’ new home will be built on that foundation. We will continue our commitment to delivering an exceptional fan experience, enhancing what it means to be a Royals fan and Kansas Citian, and allowing us to continue building memories together. We have teamed up with Hallmark Cards on a transformative project that will include a new ballpark at Crown Center, mixed use development in the surrounding 85 acres, and reimagined headquarters for the Royals and Hallmark.

“Thank you for being part of our journey—past, present, and future. We look forward to sharing more details as plans progress and welcoming you to a new home where the next generation of memories will be made. See you at the ballpark soon.”