Royals Unveil Renderings of New Downtown Kansas City Ballpark

In late April, the Kansas City Royals announced plans to build a new downtown stadium. Discussions about a new ballpark had been ongoing for some time. The team announced Crown Center in Kansas City as the proposed location in partnership with Hallmark Cards.

On Thursday, new renderings of the stadium were released. The ballpark will feature limestone construction and a Crown Vision scoreboard. Additional fountains will highlight Kansas City's identity as the "City of Fountains." The stadium will hold approximately 34,000 fans across four seating decks and offer panoramic views of the downtown Kansas City skyline.

The global architecture and design firm Populous will serve as the official architect for the new $1.9 billion downtown stadium.

“We could have searched the world over for the leading sports architecture firm in the world, but it's right here in Kansas City,” Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman said on Thursday. “We selected Populous because we wanted the best design, the best fan experience, and the best pedestrian experience in Major League Baseball.”

Royals President of Real Estate and Development Brooks Sherman praised Populous' work on Thursday.

“We think of Populous as our hometown design team, but they are also the world's leader in sports architecture,” Sherman said. “Kansas City and Royals fans deserve the best, and we're proud to help provide it.”

Groundbreaking is expected to take place in June 2027, with the ballpark scheduled to open for the 2030 MLB season. This is a significant development for Kansas City and the Royals as the team prepares to bring baseball downtown.