Kansas City Council Approves $600M Funding Package for Royals Stadium

The City of Kansas City has passed a $600 million funding package to build a Kansas City Royals stadium near Washington Square Park. Photo credit: Will Crow.

Posted April 16, 2025

The City of Kansas City has approved a $600 million funding package to aid the development of a new Kansas City Royals stadium in around Washington Square Park and Crown Center.

On Thursday, the City Council voted 11-1-1 on the ordinance. Councilman Nathan Willett was the only member to vote no, while Councilman Crispin Rea abstained.

The plan to build a new stadium near Washington Square Park was first introduced last week during the City’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee held on April 14. The plans were approved for review by the City Council.

The project is estimated to cost around $1.9 billion. In addition to the stadium, the development will also include the construction of around 20,000 parking stalls, office buildings, and infrastructure improvements that could support large-scale events. The KC Streetcar will be accounted for in transportation options and will run adjacent to the stadium.

Approval of the ordinance allows the City Manager, Mario Vasquez, to move forward with negotiating and executing a term sheet, lease, and development agreement with the Royals, according to a release.

“The ordinance lays out a comprehensive list of duties for us to execute. There’s a lot of work left to be done, ” Vasquez said in the release. “We will engage with residents, and we will work to ensure that we can forge partnerships that will deliver long term benefits to Kansas City. That is what matters.”