Kansas City Royals

The workers’ rights group who brought forward the petition to have citizens vote say a “for” vote will force city leaders to put the planned Royals stadium in front of voters. The mayor disagrees.

The Kansas City Royals celebrated Denny Matthews’ 8,000th game behind the mic during last week’s matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. An inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Matthews has been "the voice of the Royals" since the team first began 57 years ago.

Kansas City's plan to pay back the $600 million it will borrow for or spend on the Royals stadium at Crown Center relies on tax revenue that wouldn’t exist without the new ballpark.

Passed during a special session of the Missouri legislature in 2025, the law allows the state to help pay for new stadiums or renovations for professional teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.

The 11-page "community impact partnership agreement" commits at least $55 million to Kansas City over 30 years — approximately 9 cents back for every dollar the city is investing. Here’s what the public gets and how it compares to other deals.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the city council's $600 million funding package for a new Royals ballpark, what he'd like to see in the city's next police chief, the future of the Country Club Plaza and more.

The Kansas City Council voted 11-2 to commit $600 million to the Royals for a new ballpark. Here’s a look at the political and financial math behind the deal.

Public funds from city and state sources would contribute 60% of the cost for the Crown Center stadium, possibly through tax-exempt bonds. The Royals will have "no obligation to repay or otherwise support payment of” those bonds, leaving the city to cover any shortfalls.

Kansas City could approve a deal with the Royals within the next two weeks. But the public still doesn’t know where the $600 million will come from or whether the city was successful in negotiating community benefits.

A city council committee pushed back discussions on bonds and lease agreements for a downtown Royals stadium. Critics say that still isn’t enough time to learn about the financing deal, and have turned in thousands of signatures to force a public vote.

The Kansas City Plan Commission unanimously approved the rezoning in an Aug. 5 meeting, making way for a $3 billion Royals ballpark district. Planning officials said the zoning request will be the first step in the redevelopment process.

A community engagement meeting Monday descended into shouting as the Kansas City Royals seek city approval on their rezoning plans. The stadium would require some changes to nearby bike lanes and roads.