Business of Sports · MLB
Kansas City approves $537 million in bonds for Royals’ stadium project
Council votes approve public bonds and a financing district for the planned Crown Center development.
Kansas City’s council approved $537 million in public bonds Thursday for the Royals’ planned downtown ballpark development, Front Office Sports reported Friday.
The council also approved a tax-increment financing district and rezoning for the Crown Center site. The bond measure and financing district each passed 11–2, while rezoning passed 13–0.
The proposed project includes a ballpark with about 34,000 seats and an 85-acre mixed-use district developed in partnership with Hallmark. The total development is valued at roughly $3 billion, separate from the $537 million bond authorization.
The agreement calls for a 30-year lease with five possible two-year extensions. The Royals would cover stadium operations and maintenance, while the city would receive 5% of net profits from non-baseball events.
Owner John Sherman intends to open the new stadium in 2030, with groundbreaking planned for next spring. The current stadium lease runs into 2031. The approvals establish financing and land-use decisions for the project.
