Royals-tied company buys property near future Crown Center ballpark site. What we know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- 2301 Real Estate Holdings LLC bought the former Blue KC site near Washington Square Park.
- Jackson County records show the sale to 2301 Real Estate Holdings closed in late June.
- The city parks board authorized working out a lease with the Royals to use Washington.
A company linked to the Kansas City Royals has purchased a property near its future stadium site that’s been the subject of speculation.
Jackson County property records show that 2301 Real Estate Holdings LLC — which has the same address as the team’s current Kauffman Stadium — purchased the former Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City site from a company tied to Crain Co., a Wichita-based housing developer.
Blue KC moved its headquarters from 2301 Main St., near Crown Center and Union Station, to another building downtown last year.
The former Blue KC building, which was built over 40 years ago, is on the same block as Washington Square Park, which city officials previously eyed for a new Royals stadium.
That was before the Royals announced plans in April to build a new $1.9 billion stadium in nearby Crown Center, where Hallmark’s headquarters currently sit, as part of a $3 billion ballpark district.
Former Blue KC building
The Crain-tied company bought the Blue KC site near Washington Square Park in fall 2025.
The sale to the Royals-tied company went through in late June, according to Jackson County records. The Kansas City Business Journal was the first to report the sale.
What exactly the Royals plan for the Blue KC building and Washington Square Park remains to be announced.
In April, the city’s parks board authorized the city to work out a lease agreement with the Royals to use the park, while Royals owner John Sherman told The Star that he envisioned the park becoming a gathering place for families and pregame festivities while mentioning the potential for residential and retail space.
A Royals spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Royals representatives filed development plans with the city late last month that offer some more details about where the stadium could go, where there could be public plaza areas and which buildings could be renovated or demolished across Crown Center.
The plans, which do not include the Blue KC building or Washington Square Park, remain under city review.