Where would new Royals stadium be? Who’s paying for it? Your top questions, answered
On Tuesday, the Royals held their first stop on a “listening tour” regarding a potential downtown stadium district that would replace Kauffman Stadium.
The event, which was held in front of a few hundred community members, involved an hour-plus-long presentation from Royals officials and partners, followed by a question-and-answer session that lasted about 45 minutes.
The Star had several reporters in attendance, including Lynn Worthy, Vahe Gregorian, Blair Kerkhoff, Sam McDowell and Kevin Hardy. The Royals did not take questions from media at the event — only from community members — but they did address a number of topics related to the potential stadium.
Here is what we learned surrounding 10 of the biggest questions about the downtown ballpark project.
Where would the new stadium be?
The Royals say they have not yet decided on a location, but that they have looked at 14 potential sites around downtown. Owner John Sherman concluded the night by committing to keeping the team in Kansas City, Mo.
That being said, expect the new stadium to be in or near downtown. The Royals have said they want to explore that area and build a stadium inside an entertainment district.
What is the timeline for a new stadium?
The Royals currently lease Kauffman Stadium from Jackson County under an agreement that runs through the end of the 2030 season. At this point, the Royals have not given an exact timeline, but a stadium could go to a vote as early as Aug. 2023 in Jackson County, per Brooks Sherman, Royals COO.
How much will the project cost?
The complete stadium district will cost an estimated $2 billion.
Is that all for the stadium?
No. For the first time, the Royals broke out the cost of the stadium vs. the cost of the entertainment district.
The Royals estimate it will cost $1.005 billion for a new stadium, essentially splitting the approximate $2 billion price tag between the stadium and district.
Who is paying for all that?
John Sherman said the $1 billion district will be entirely privately funded. He added that private capital will take care of a “major part” of the stadium, and the Royals continue to say there will not be an additional Jackson County taxpayer ask beyond what is currently the case.
Jackson County taxpayers are currently paying a three-eights-of-a-cent sales tax as part of a 2006 ballot initiative to fund renovations of both Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums.
Why do the Royals need a new stadium?
The Royals say it would cost more to renovate Kauffman Stadium, just over $1 billion, than it would to build a new stadium. Populous representatives also said 70 percent of Kauffman Stadium would need to be replaced, including the entire lower bowl, if it remains the Royals’ home for the next 50 years.
Lynn Worthy’s story provided more specifics on what the Royals say are issues with “The K.”
How many people would the new stadium hold?
The first stadium-specific details emerged on Tuesday, as representatives from Populous said a new stadium would hold around 38,000 fans, with 34,000-35,000 being in permanent seats, plus standing room for about 3,500 others.
Is there enough parking downtown?
It’s complicated.
The Royals say there will be, though that could involve building an additional parking structure. The Royals also believe many who would attend games would already be working and/or living downtown, and thus those people wouldn’t require additional parking.
Earl Santee, global chair and founder of Populous, said the Royals would need around 10,000-11,000 parking spaces, while noting the greater downtown has about five-times that amount. (Many of those spots are currently occupied. But proximity of unoccupied spots will be dependent on the stadium location.)
Santee also said the top priority for all stadiums is getting people to the games easily.
Why downtown?
The Royals cited a lack of development at the Truman Sports Complex, while Sarah Tourville, Royals senior vice president of business operations, noted Downtown Kansas City is younger, more diverse and growing faster than anywhere else in the KC Metro.
John Sherman also said the Royals view it as a better investment to move into a new stadium with an energized district surrounding it.
What don’t we know?
A lot. The Star’s Sam McDowell wrote about the biggest questions that remain coming off the stadium town-hall event, and Vahe Gregorian added why the Royals deserve to be treated with a cautious, open mind.
The Star’s Kevin Hardy also tackled the details of what we know — and don’t — about the community-facing aspect of the project, including affordable housing.
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 1:23 PM.