The Kansas City Royals on Wednesday announced plans to build a new baseball stadium at Crown Center in partnership with Hallmark Cards.<\/p>\n
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Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman unveiled the roughly $1.9 billion stadium \u2014 part of a $3 billion mixed-use development \u2014 alongside Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe during a press conference at The American restaurant at Crown Center. The announcement ends the team\u2019s half-decade search for a new home.<\/p>\n
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Here is a recap of The Kansas City Star\u2019s coverage.<\/p>\n
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Royals announce stadium move to Crown Center<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Royals announced in a press release Wednesday morning their intentions to move to Crown Center<\/a>, a sprawling, 85-acre mixed-use shopping district near downtown Kansas City as part of a joint partnership with Hallmark Cards.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The stadium footprint is not expected to sit in Washington Square Park, a shift from what many expected.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOur founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City\u2019s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible,\u201d Sherman said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The move is not expected to require a public vote, instead relying on local and state administrative tools. Council member Johnathan Duncan has vowed to hold the Royals to a standard of transparency.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sherman said construction could begin in 2027.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Royals shared initial concept renderings of the new ballpark<\/u>,<\/a> including fountains and the crown video board \u2014 two features Sherman has said he wants in the new stadium.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The renderings are not final and are expected to be updated by the Kansas City architectural firm Populous. The team said the ballpark \u201cwould push from the bottom into the top 10 in walkability among Major League Baseball teams.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maps and renderings<\/u><\/a> show Hallmark\u2019s headquarters and part of its visitor center would be removed to make way for the stadium, while the Ice Terrace and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish would remain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe just told our employees that the Hallmark building will be coming down<\/a>, and we\u2019ve got to now go to work and try to figure out where we will stay,\u201d Hall Jr. told reporters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It remains unclear what would happen to Crown Center amenities like Kaleidoscope, Sealife aquarium and Legoland.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Washington Square Park would be included in the stadium district in some capacity. The site would be accessible via U.S. 71, I-35 and I-70, along with streetcar service along Main Street.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Residents and businesses near Crown Center<\/u><\/a> expressed a mix of hope and concern about the stadium:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The century-old Catholic church Our Lady of Sorrows sits just southeast of home plate<\/u><\/a> in the new renderings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bishop James Johnston said the diocese \u201clearned most of the details along with the rest of the community\u201d and was not involved in planning before the announcement. The diocese said it views the stadium as \u201cprimarily an enhancement that could attract new people to worship and experience the beauty of our Catholic faith.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crown Center president Stacey Paine sent a letter reassuring tenants<\/u><\/a>, saying the complex will conduct \u201ccomprehensive planning\u201d through 2026 and into 2027 but there would be no immediate disruption.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCrown Center and the people that you are used to dealing with are still here,\u201d Paine wrote. Hallmark Cards will relocate its headquarters to a new location within Crown Center.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The family behind one of the biggest greeting card companies in the country is helping bring the Kansas City Royals closer to downtown.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don Hall Jr., executive chairman of Hallmark\u2019s board, is the grandson of company founder Joyce C. Hall<\/u><\/a>, who came to Kansas City in 1910 with a shoebox full of cards and a rented YMCA room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Hall Family\u2019s net worth was listed at $2.8 billion in 2015 by Forbes. Hallmark had $3.5 billion in revenue for 2025, and the Hall Family Foundation had over $47 million in charitable disbursements in 2024.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Missouri Workers Center said it is exploring \u201call legal and political options\u201d to force a public vote<\/u><\/a> on whether to allow public financing for the stadium.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe oppose this project,\u201d the group said, \u201cso long as it depends on public financing that bypasses the democratic process.\u201d The progressive labor advocacy group argued the city and state should have more pressing priorities, like affordable housing and public transit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Despite the celebration, key questions remain unanswered<\/u><\/a> about how much Missouri will contribute, who will own the stadium and when it might open.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe are so far away from a done deal,\u201d council member Duncan said. Council member Wes Rogers was more optimistic, calling Crown Center \u201can even better site than it already was.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gov. Kehoe was noncommittal about Missouri\u2019s exact financial contribution<\/u>,<\/a> saying public funding would make up about one-third of overall costs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sherman said the team plans to put $800 million toward the $1.9 billion stadium. Kansas City has authorized up to $600 million in bonds and tax increment financing. Missouri faces a projected $2 billion general revenue shortfall in fiscal year 2027.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jackson County officials have been largely silent on the stadium move<\/u>.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Interim County Executive Phil LeVota said he\u2019s \u201cproud\u201d the Royals will remain in the county, calling it \u201ca big win for our community.\u201d He declined to say whether the county will contribute financially.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The county recently launched a 15-member task force to plan the redevelopment of the Truman Sports Complex.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The news of the new stadium has seeped down to coaches and players<\/a>, who may or may not be in it when it opens. Manager Matt Quatraro is in favor of the upgrade.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like an incredible location and a nice piece of land,\u201d Quatraro said before Wednesday\u2019s game. \u201cA huge boost to the ability to walk (to) the games. The views are going to be incredible. Obviously, those renderings are always amazing<\/a> when you see them and how great they look. And it\u2019s really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kansas City metro natives Noah Cameron and Carter Jensen both have childhood memories of coming to Kauffman Stadium to watch games. They both said they\u2019re embracing the new stadium, while holding onto their childhood nostalgia for The K.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful. I mean, it\u2019s home for me,\u201d Park Hill alum Jensen said before the game. \u201cI have a special place for it in my heart. In my opinion, it\u2019s my favorite ballpark in the league, just because of the special ties I have with it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Royals have been working to get out of a losing rut in the 2026 season<\/a>. They\u2019ve lost nine of 10 overall, including an 8-6 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday. Jensen hit a solo home run in that game; he leads the team with six this year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nCrown Center stadium renderings released<\/h2>\n
![\"Here](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/sports\/spt-columns-blogs\/for-petes-sake\/xkjqcl\/picture315495801\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/Rendering%201%20-%20Gold.jpg\" "\\"Rendering")
![\"Hallmark](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/6are79\/picture315498133\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_031.JPG\" "\\"KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_031.JPG\\"")
\u2018Going to see change\u2019: Neighbors & tenants react<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/og8k0v\/picture315497354\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_Stadiumannounce042226TL0257f-2copy2.JPG\" "\\"KCM_Stadiumannounce042226TL0257f-2copy2.JPG\\"")
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![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/z0a4qh\/picture315487751\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_003.JPG\" "\\"KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_003.JPG\\"")
Who owns Hallmark?<\/h2>\n
![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/1x2c38\/picture315498033\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_029.JPG\" "\\"KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_029.JPG\\"")
Opposition group wants public vote<\/h2>\n
Key questions remain unanswered<\/h2>\n
![\"Bob](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/6rxh3y\/picture315498084\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_025.JPG\" "\\"KCM_CrownCenter_042026_EJC_025.JPG\\"")
What do Royals players think?<\/h2>\n
![\"Kansas](\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/public\/latest-news\/i2mptj\/picture315500631\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/KCM_DSC_6064.JPG\" "\\"KCM_DSC_6064.JPG\\"")
What do Royals fans think?<\/h2>\n