Big events leading up to KC’s plan to finance downtown Royals stadium

KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

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Almost 3 1/2 years after Royals owner John Sherman released a letter to fans announcing the team would search for a new stadium to call home, the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council introduced an ordinance to finance a stadium near Crown Center.

TIMELINE | Big events leading up to Kansas City’s plan to finance downtown Royals stadium

Here’s a timeline of big events that led up to this moment:

• Sept. 14, 2021: Sherman announced the team was exploring several sites — including downtown — for a new ballpark.
• Nov. 15, 2022: In a letter addressed to fans and the Kansas City community, Sherman announced the Royals would leave Kauffman Stadium. The letter said the team would begin looking for a final location for a $2 billion stadium and entertainment district.
• June 15, 2023: The Royals said the North Kansas City and East Village sites were the final contenders for the team’s move.
• Dec. 18, 2023: Jackson County legislators introduced an ordinance to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax for 40 years to help fund a new Royals stadium and renovations at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
• Jan. 5, 2024: The Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs told the community they would remain in Jackson County if voters approved the 3/8-cent sales tax measure on the April 2024 ballot.
• Feb. 12, 2024: The Royals said they prefer building a new ballpark in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.
• April 2, 2024: Jackson County voters rejected the 3/8-cent sales tax to help fund a new Royals stadium in the Crossroads and a renovated Chiefs stadium.
• June 18, 2024: The Kansas Legislature passed a bill to lure a professional team across the state line using STAR Bonds. Three days later, Gov. Laura Kelly signed the bill.
• May 29, 2025: Conversations around the Royals building a new stadium in Johnson County grew after the team announced a group affiliated with the Royals purchased the mortgage on the Aspiria campus.
• June 14, 2025: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, a counterproposal to Kansas’ STAR Bonds.
• Dec. 22, 2025: The Chiefs announced their decision to move to Kansas, which limited the Royals’ options to build in Wyandotte and Johnson counties.
• Jan. 27, 2026: The Royals confirmed they were no longer looking to build a new stadium on the Aspiria campus.
• Jan. 28, 2026: The Clay County Commission released a statement saying the Royals missed a deadline for a stadium measure to go on the county’s April ballot.
• March 30, 2026: On the day of the home opener at Kauffman Stadium, Sherman said, “We’re kinda zeroing in on an opportunity downtown.”
• April 9, 2026: The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council introduced an ordinance to finance a stadium near Crown Center at Washington Square Park.

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