KC Royals owner 'working very hard' on new downtown stadium deal

NOTE: Due to a transcription error, this article was originally published with an incorrect quotation. The correct quote from Royals owner John Sherman is "We're working very hard, and when we get a deal that's buttoned up and we're ready to talk about it, we're looking forward to being able to do that."

Spring training is underway, but Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman is excited for more than just this season. On February 17, Sherman spoke with reporters in Surprise, Arizona, about the future of the Royals and their hopes to build a new downtown stadium, with the team's lease at Kauffman Stadium due to expire after the 2030 season.

"I think this is going to be a very exciting thing for our community," said Sherman. "It's about economic development, it's also about securing the long-term home for the Royals."

The Royals teamed up with the Kansas City Chiefs last April on a ballot measure that would have replaced an expiring 3/8-cent tax with a new, extended agreement at the same rate. The measure failed, with 58% of Kansas City voters rejecting the agreement to fund new building plans for the two pro franchises.

While there's no plan to announce quite yet, Sherman states they're "working very hard."

"When we get a deal that's buttoned up and we're ready to talk about it, we're looking forward to being able to do that."

Sherman still sees KC Royals future stadium downtown

Though plans for a Crossroads district stadium were scuttled by voters last April over concerns of displacing small businesses and lack of parking, Sherman's team has now suggested an alternative location north of Crown Center. This location in Washington Square Park — near Crown Center and east of Union Station — has the support of Mayor Quinten Lucas.

In August, the Kansas City Star reported Mayor Lucas had floated the possibility of a financial incentive structure that would bypass the sales tax extension rejected by voters which would be one of the most significant financial missions in the city's history.

Royals and Chiefs may try separate tax measures

In January, chairman of the county legislature DaRon McGee told FOX4 that splitting the ballot measure into two separate ballots — one for the Royals and one for the Chiefs — was the likely path forward. However, the county legislature voted 5-4 last year to reject a proposal that would have placed a Chiefs-only sales tax on the November 2024 ballot.

Should the county legislature move ahead with separate ballot measures in 2025, the Royals may still find themselves in limbo. First District legislator Manuel Abarca told KCUR in August, "It was clear that the main issues were taxation, but also the unknowns surrounding the Royals."

Shifting public perception will be an important step for Sherman and his team should they return in 2025 with a new ballot measure to fund their plans.