{"id":2385204,"date":"2026-04-23T02:05:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T02:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2385204"},"modified":"2026-04-23T02:05:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T02:05:40","slug":"stakeholders-cheer-final-decision-after-long-winding-road-to-new-royals-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/stakeholders-cheer-final-decision-after-long-winding-road-to-new-royals-stadium\/","title":{"rendered":"Stakeholders cheer final decision after long, winding road to new Royals stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"

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KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. <\/i>Share your story idea with Tod<\/u><\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

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After nearly 3 1\/2 years of speculation and handwringing, the Kansas City region finally got a definitive answer about where the Royals\u2019 future lies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The team announced Wednesday morning that the sprawling Hallmark headquarters, located roughly south of East 25th Street between Gillham Road and Grand Boulevard, will be razed to make way for a new downtown ballpark<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Stakeholders cheer final decision after long, winding road to new Royals stadium<\/p>\n

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Washington Square Park had become the focus<\/a> in recent weeks as the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council passed an ordinance authorizing City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate a lease agreement and term sheet for a new stadium.<\/p>\n

Instead, the park is expected to become part of an 85-acre entertainment district, modeled in some ways after the Atlanta Braves\u2019 Battery Park.<\/p>\n

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Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n<\/div>

Conceptual renderings of the Kansas City Royals ballpark plan for Crown Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The exact boundaries of a TIF district, from which $600 million in new city tax revenue anticipated from the stadium and ancillary development in the Crown Center area will be drawn over the next 30 years, have yet to be approved.<\/p>\n

But combined with roughly $400 million from the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, which will divert state taxes in the TIF district toward stadium financing, the plan calls for roughly one-third of the expected $3 billion redevelopment investment to come from public dollars.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Rendering<\/p>\n

Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n<\/div>

Conceptual renderings of the Kansas City Royals ballpark plan for Crown Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The remaining $2 billion will be privately financed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe site itself comes from the bigger idea of wanting to make a difference for Kansas City to ensure that the core of Kansas City remains healthy and strong,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n

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KCMO City Manager Mario Vasquez talks downtown ballpark stadium<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s been a long journey to Wednesday morning, but stakeholders cheered the final decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is transformative for the city,\u201d City Councilman Kevin O\u2019Neill said. \u201cI am so excited to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kevin O’Neill KCMO City Council says the new stadium is a win, win for the city<\/p>\n

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After initially naming East Village<\/a> and North Kansas City<\/a> as finalists for a future home, the Royals put forth a site in the Crossroads Arts District to a countywide vote, which was overwhelmingly rejected in April 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There were also flirtations with Kansas, including the Aspiria campus in Overland Park<\/a>, before Washington Square Park became the focus in recent months.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Drone<\/p>\n

Mark Feuerborn\/KSHB<\/p>\n<\/div>

An aerial vantage point above Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Royals never publicly commented on the park site \u2014 an 11-acre plat that included the former Blue Cross Blue Shield headquarters \u2014 but obviously had set their sights on the general Crown Center area.<\/p>\n

Royals legend George Brett is excited for the announcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen the effects of Camden Yards, what it had in Baltimore,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen the effects of Cleveland, what it\u2019s done when they built a new stadium. I think it\u2019s going to be great for the city, and that\u2019s the most important thing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Royals Hall of Famer George Brett: ‘They’re going to build something very special’<\/p>\n

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Councilman Crispin Rea said he has faith that the city will manage the financing responsibly and touted the project\u2019s transformative promise.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrown Center has been in need of some new energy for a while, and this is the opportunity to deliver that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Crispin<\/p>\n

KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>

Crispin Rea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After temporarily relocating to nearby office space, Hallmark will build a new headquarters in the area. The Royals will also build a new team headquarters as part of the project, but a formal master plan has yet to be developed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great day for downtown,\u201d said Bridgette Williams, the executive director of the Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City. \u201cIt\u2019s going to help grow and expand the momentum and excitement of downtown Kansas City.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bridgette Williams talks about the impact on construction, workers and business related to the downtown stadium<\/p>\n

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People will still complain about parking and traffic, but city officials believe the Royals’ decision will strengthen the spine of the city for generations to come<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest part of this is economic development,\u201d Councilman Wes Rogers said. \u201cAnything that\u2019s going to bring millions of people downtown that otherwise wouldn’t be downtown is a massive win for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n \"Wes<\/p>\n

KSHB 41<\/p>\n<\/div>

Wes Rogers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That\u2019s not to say the club’s current home won\u2019t be missed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to miss Kauffman Stadium,\u201d Brett said. \u201cThat\u2019s where I spent 20 years of my life, 21 years of my life, but I\u2019m looking forward to the new one. I really am.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n \"Tod<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n