Kansas City Royals unveil renderings for stadium plans in East Village, Northland

The potential look of a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals became clearer Tuesday as the team unveiled renderings showing what the stadiums and associated entertainment districts would look like.

As part of the announcement, the Royals released images of what the new stadium would look like in both the East Village area in downtown Kansas City and in North Kansas City, the two remaining sites under consideration.

The team has estimated the entire development would cost nearly $2 billion, split evenly between the stadium and a surrounding ballpark district, the latter funded by private investment.

Opening Day 2028

Update 3:55: As the Royals look for a new place to call home, Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations, said Tuesday the team wants to be there by Opening Day 2028.

The five-year target would mean leaving Kauffman Stadium before the lease expires in 2031. Sherman said the team will honor its lease agreement with the county as negotiations continue between leaders in Clay and Jackson counties.

“It would be our desire to have a new location up and running Opening Day 2028,” Sherman said.

Will it be called Kauffman?

Update 3:45: Long known as The K to Royals fans, team officials were asked whether the new ballpark would keep its name.

The ballpark is named after Ewing Kauffman, the team’s founder and first owner. Kauffman Stadium is currently in the minority of MLB ballparks without a corporate logo for a name.

“We honestly haven’t gotten that far in there,” Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations, said Tuesday.

“But you can bet there’s certainly a way to honor him and we will do everything we can to do that. But there’s economics that can go into things there too. And you’ve seen that throughout the league.”

‘Goal’ to pick site before October

Update 3:35: While officials say both ballpark sites are still being seriously considered, team leadership wants to decide on one by the end of September.

“That is our goal,” said Sarah Tourville, executive vice president and chief commercial and community impact officer.

She added that there are additional factors relative to the public and private financing, but said the hope is to pick between the North Kansas City and the downtown area sites by then.

Economic boost for region

Update 3:15: The one-time construction impacts of the new stadium and ballpark district is expected to spur at least 20,000 jobs over the the construction period, including those created through ripple effects, according to information from the Royals.

In all, those jobs are expected to generate $1.4 billion in total income. The total economic output generated from the construction and labor income is expected to be $2.8 billion.

The new ballpark district is expected to provide an ongoing economic boost as well through increased spending across the Kansas City metro area.

The Royals estimated that in the first year of stadium’s operation, the ballpark district has the potential to provide $185 million in new regional economic output. That consists of $117 million in increased economic activity from higher revenue from the new game day experience and other events, as well as $68 million in increased spending from visitors traveling to the games.

The ballpark itself will generate $150 million in revenue in its first year from food and beverage, merchandise and ticket sales. That is based off of 2023 dollars.

The Royals contend that the ballpark district can spur office development that would create an estimated 2,200 onsite office jobs, $200 million in annual labor income from the new jobs and a $500 million annual economic output from the district operations.

Seating capacity, features

Update 2:50: The new stadium will have 34,500 to 35,000 fixed seats with space for another 3,500 fans for a standing room only experience, the Royals announced. That would give the stadium a total capacity of around 38,000.

Other features of the proposed stadium would include 32 suites at three pricing levels, 2,750 club seats at five price points, 150 space parking garage for administration and players, 250 person beer garden, 75,000 square feet of administration office space, 30,000 square feet for a home clubhouse, 7,000 square feet for sports book, 10 party suites and two tailgate roof pavilions.

‘Time for a new one’

Update 2:25: The K, as Kauffman is often called, has been home for the Royals for 50-plus years and it’s been a great home, Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations said.

“But it’s time for a new one,” Sherman said. “A new ballpark that will serve our fans players well together with the surrounding ballpark district to enhance our community in may ways and generate revenues that can be invested back into the team and put us in a better position to stay competitive with our MLB peers.”

The district will become a catalyst to connect people and businesses, integrates neighborhoods and stimulate social impact, Sarah Tourville, executive vice president and chief commercial and community impact officer, said.

“We will remain committed to a best in class philanthropic program with the object of creating great opportunity for even more people,” she said.

Royals release vision of its future

Update 2:07: With the press conference underway, The Kansas City Royals tweeted out videos and a link for fans to learn more about he stadiums and the economic impact of the ballpark district.

“We’re excited to share the future of Royals baseball,” the Royals said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

For more information and images of the ballpark district in both East Village and North Kansas City, people are urged to go to the kcballparkdistrict.com website.

Royals to unveil renderings, economic data

The Kansas City Royals will unveil renderings and economic data Tuesday for the two ballpark and entertainment district sites being considered for the team’s new stadium, the club announced.

Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations, and Sarah Tourville, executive vice president and chief commercial and community impact officer, will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Hall of Fame suites at Kauffman Stadium.

Sherman and Tourville are expected share the team’s criteria for selecting a site and their progress towards that goal, as well as other information.

The Royals previously announced that the organization was considering the East Village area in downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City for the new stadium.

The team has estimated the entire development would cost $2 billion, split evenly between the stadium and a surrounding ballpark district, the later funded by private investment.

Need to get caught up on the stadium issue? Read The Star’s coverage here:

• ‘Get us out of purgatory.’ Inside the Royals’ faltering push for a downtown stadium

• MLB created this economic problem but expects Royals, KC to pay a $2 billion solution

• John Sherman says ‘no one’ is waiting on Royals for new stadium. But some say they are