Kansas City Royals Release Images Of Proposed New Stadium

The Kansas City Royals are hoping to build a brand new stadium facility in downtown Kansas City, replacing one of the oldest stadiums in Major League Baseball. 

Kauffman Stadium opened more than 50 years ago in 1973, and while it's received several updates and renovations throughout its lifespan, the design and facilities are unquestionably out of date. When unveiling the renderings, Royals owner John Sherman said a new stadium will allow the team to "sustain" itself in Kansas City.

"We're the second-smallest city with both an NFL franchise and Major League Baseball club," Sherman said, "and we want to sustain ourselves as a major-league city. We want these franchises to thrive here for another 50 years."

The renderings show a state of the art new ballpark that incorporates some of the water features that have come to be associated with Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Interior view of a packed Kauffman Stadium during the MLB game between the Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals on August 13, 2021.  (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Royals Stadium Still Has Hurdles To Overcome, But Looks Promising

The team said it hopes to open the new building in 2028, with a connection to the nearby T-Mobile Center. Capacity would be lowered to around 34,000 seats, roughly 3,000 fewer than Kauffman. 

Both the Royals and Chiefs had previously expressed frustration with the city, threatening to look for other sites in the area. 

READ: Kansas City Chiefs And Royals Set To Look To New Cities For Stadiums

But the architectural firm behind the project said that it believes this is right site at the right time.

"The fact of the matter is, we've always been cognizant of this site. It never went away," said Earl Santee, founder of architectural firm Populous. "We looked at other sites over time, and this is my 23rd major league ballpark site, and it's timing that leads you to the end, and this is the right timing for this site."

The team will use some public funding, while committing more than $1 billion in private financing to construct the stadium. While most reactions were positive, some fans questioned the lack of a crown-themed scoreboard, a hallmark of the existing building. Royals ownership would also need to negotiate buyouts with existing property owners, but assuming the details get ironed out, it's an exciting day for Kansas City baseball fans.