KC’s stadium plans include Crown Center. What that means is less clear
Ahead of a key vote over a proposed Kansas City Royals stadium this week, Mayor Quinton Lucas signaled that Crown Center is likely to play a major role in a district surrounding a stadium at Washington Square Park.
What, exactly, that would look like — and what parts of the five-decade-old, 85-acre shopping center would be included in the district — is less clear. The mixed-use center is home to a wide variety of shops and businesses, including Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center.
“I think it’s fair to suggest that when we speak of Crown Center and Washington Square Park, Crown Center … is a contemplated part of what that district is,” Lucas said on Tuesday when asked what a Royals stadium district would include.
He pointed to the fact that the land Crown Center sits on qualifies for tax breaks through the city’s Land Development for Redevelopment Authority, which focuses on redevelopment in blighted areas.
The comments from Lucas came two days before city officials on Thursday approved an ordinance authorizing City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate with the Royals a deal of up to $600 million for a $1.9 billion new stadium near downtown. The ordinance specifies that the project would include the “Washington Square Park/Crown Center area.”
While the vote on Thursday marked a major step in the city’s push to secure a stadium near downtown, it also left a dearth of answers about what city officials have planned. The Royals, for their part, have also not publicly announced a move to the proposed site.
A spokesperson for Crown Center, when asked Wednesday to weigh in on its potential role in a future Royals stadium, recited a prepared statement that offered no specifics.
“Our statement at this point is just, we believe it’s important for Kansas City to be the home of the Royals and we support their efforts to bring their ballpark downtown,” the spokesperson told The Star. “We want to continue cheering for our boys in blue for generations to come.”
Crown Center, owned by the real estate arm of Hallmark Cards, is also home to the headquarters of two of Kansas City’s most prominent law firms, Shook, Hardy & Bacon and Lathrop GPM.
In interviews with The Star this week, city leaders had few details about Crown Center’s role in the city’s plans. More information about that role could be fleshed out as negotiations between Vasquez and the team continue.
Council member Wes Rogers, who represents the northern parts of the city, said it was “definitely telling” that the city’s ordinance mentioned Crown Center after previous public discussions appeared to focus solely on Washington Square Park.
“Obviously, Crown Center is a part of this project,” Rogers said. “I’m not that close enough to it to tell you exactly what that looks like.”
Meanwhile, Pat Contreras, a member of the city’s Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners — a five-member board appointed by Mayor Quinton Lucas that greenlit a portion of the project on Tuesday — was also unclear about Crown Center’s role.
“What that information was made public, that was news to me and, you know, news to a lot of folks,” Contreras said. “So, I don’t know. I wish I could speak more on that.”
As talks of a potential Royals stadium ramped up this week, the city’s plan has only increased speculation about Crown Center’s role. The lack of an announcement from the Royals — or even a firm commitment — has also raised questions about the future of the area near downtown.
Lucas, on Tuesday, did not offer specifics, but he did emphasize that the stadium and surrounding district would solely include Crown Center and Washington Square Park. He cautioned that future projects — such as residential housing — would be separate from the city’s stadium plans.
“For now, it is Crown Center plus Washington Square Park,” he said. “That’s the entirety of what you have.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
