According to reports from MLB.com and the Kansas City Star, the Royals are set to announce their plans for a new stadium in Kansas City’s Crossroads District. The team will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 2:30 pm local time to share important details about this exciting project. Renderings, economic data, and progress towards lease and community benefits agreement will be revealed.
The targeted site for the new stadium is said to be in the approximate area of the former Kansas City Star Press Pavilion. While the specific financing plan has not been disclosed yet, the team is seeking public funding through a 40-year sales tax that will be up for a vote in early April. This tax plan will allocate funds between the Royals for their new facility and the NFL’s Chiefs for renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.
The Royals’ current home, Kauffman Stadium, was opened in 1973 and is currently the sixth-oldest park in MLB. If the Royals secure a new ballpark, it would place Toronto’s Rogers Centre, which opened in 1989, among the five oldest home stadiums in the sport. The team’s owner, John Sherman, expressed hope last summer of having a new park ready for the 2027 or ’28 seasons.
Under Sherman’s ownership, the Royals have faced challenges on the field, including a rebuild after their consecutive pennants and 2015 World Series win. Last season, the team tied a franchise record with 106 losses. However, they have been active in the offseason, making significant moves in free agency to turn things around. Their latest signing, franchise shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., received a team-record guarantee of over $288 million to keep him in Kansas City until at least 2030.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com