Royals

Royals hang a ‘sold’ sign on site for new home. Is Crown Center the right move?

Renderings of the Royals proposed new ballpark revealed on April 22, 2026.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways

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  • Royals unveil plans for 85-acre stadium district in Crown Center & Washington Square Park.
  • Kauffman Stadium is in its 54th season as the longtime home of the Royals.
  • Chiefs and Royals will no longer be next-door neighbors after both announced new homes.

More than three years after announcing the quest for a new home for the Royals, the team unveiled plans for a ballpark in downtown. They’ll create an 85-acre stadium district in Kansas City’s Crown Center and Washington Square Park.

In this special edition of SportsBeat KC, the weekly sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), columnist Vahe Gregorian shares his thoughts on the Royals’ forthcoming new digs.

Kauffman Stadium, in its 54th season, has been a popular home for the Royals. Did principal owner John Sherman get it right with Crown Center?

And now both of the Truman Sports Complex tenants have announced new homes. With the Chiefs moving out of Arrowhead to a site in Wyandotte County, how much will we miss the franchises’ current status as next-door neighbors?

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:54 — The downtown ballpark dream has come true.

10:15 — Why parking situation is on all our minds

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.

Blair Kerkhoff
The Kansas City Star
Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989. He was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
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