City of Kansas City, MO
04/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2026 13:18
Mayor Lucas and City Council Introduce Legislation to Keep the Royals in Kansas City, Bring Baseball Downtown
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mayor Quinton Lucas and Kansas City Councilmembers Wes Rogers, Kevin O'Neill, Andrea Bough, Melissa Robinson, Ryana Parks-Shaw, Darrell Curls, Eric Bunch, and Lindsay French today introduced legislation authorizing the City to work with the Kansas City Royals on a comprehensive set of agreements to keep the team in Kansas City and bring a new downtown ballpark to the heart of the city. The legislation authorizes the City Manager to enter into a binding term sheet, lease, and development agreements for the design, construction, and operation of a new stadium, office tower, and supporting infrastructure in and around Washington Square Park and Crown Center area.
The proposed Downtown Baseball District represents a $1.9 billion investment in Kansas City's future. Under the ordinance, the City would commit up to $600 million through bonding, financed primarily through economic activity redirections from the stadium and surrounding development. The stadium site remains part of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation system. The State of Missouri is anticipated to provide support for the stadium development through the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, which can fund up to 50 percent of qualifying stadium costs.
"The new Royals Downtown Stadium is not just a stadium development. When completed, it will be the largest single economic development project in the history of Downtown Kansas City," said Mayor Lucas. "The project, with a current estimated investment of $1.9 billion into our city's workers, our businesses, and our Downtown, will deliver tens of thousands of guests to Downtown Kansas City 81 additional nights per year, and will have more than 300 days per year of year-round engagement, tourist activity, and conference, concert, and special event activation."
The Kansas City Royals have been a cornerstone of Kansas City's identity for more than five decades, playing in Kansas City (Mo.) for the entire history of the franchise and delivering two World Series championships in 1985 and 2015.
The proposed agreement includes provisions for a lease of no less than 30 years relying on traditional economic development tools, no new taxes, and incentives in a district confined to the stadium and surrounding development, not the entire city or larger subdivisions of local counties or areas within the state of Missouri. Community benefits will run to Kansas City's parks and recreation system in every corner of the city, ensuring the stadium benefits not only workers from across the city, but also kids and families seeing new playgrounds, ball fields, pools, and recreation in every end of the city.
The ordinance was introduced today and will move through the standard Council process, including review by the Finance Committee next Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners also will review authorizing legislation.
The proposed Downtown Baseball District represents a $1.9 billion investment in Kansas City's future. Under the ordinance, the City would commit up to $600 million through bonding, financed primarily through economic activity redirections from the stadium and surrounding development. The stadium site remains part of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation system. The State of Missouri is anticipated to provide support for the stadium development through the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, which can fund up to 50 percent of qualifying stadium costs.
"The new Royals Downtown Stadium is not just a stadium development. When completed, it will be the largest single economic development project in the history of Downtown Kansas City," said Mayor Lucas. "The project, with a current estimated investment of $1.9 billion into our city's workers, our businesses, and our Downtown, will deliver tens of thousands of guests to Downtown Kansas City 81 additional nights per year, and will have more than 300 days per year of year-round engagement, tourist activity, and conference, concert, and special event activation."
The Kansas City Royals have been a cornerstone of Kansas City's identity for more than five decades, playing in Kansas City (Mo.) for the entire history of the franchise and delivering two World Series championships in 1985 and 2015.
The proposed agreement includes provisions for a lease of no less than 30 years relying on traditional economic development tools, no new taxes, and incentives in a district confined to the stadium and surrounding development, not the entire city or larger subdivisions of local counties or areas within the state of Missouri. Community benefits will run to Kansas City's parks and recreation system in every corner of the city, ensuring the stadium benefits not only workers from across the city, but also kids and families seeing new playgrounds, ball fields, pools, and recreation in every end of the city.
The ordinance was introduced today and will move through the standard Council process, including review by the Finance Committee next Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners also will review authorizing legislation.
City of Kansas City, MO published this content on April 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 09, 2026 at 19:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]