Royals eliminate potential site as new stadium search moves closer to resolution

The Kansas City Royals’ search for a new baseball home has been a winding road in recent years. The debate over how, where, and when still rages on, but most Royals fans agree on one thing: the team needs to stay in the Kansas City metro area. That “where” part had a rare update on Tuesday, and it came from the Royals themselves.

A team spokesperson said the club is not considering a move to the Aspiria campus in Overland Park, Kansas, after an “affiliate” bought the site’s mortgage in May 2025. The location has been a popular option since that purchase was announced, but the Royals do not believe the “site meets our criteria for a stadium.”

The Royals are moving on from a prospective stadium location in Kansas

“As stated when the Aspiria mortgage was acquired, the investment was made to maintain the site as an option for a new Kansas City Royals stadium," the spokesperson said. "We continue to evaluate opportunities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area to create a world-class ballpark district.”

The location drew even more attention in December 2025, after T-Mobile said it would leave its campus if the Royals built a stadium there.

"We love Kansas City and have been proud to call Overland Park home for nearly four decades," a company statement said on Dec. 10, 2025. "Our campus supports over 3,500 T-Mobile employees, with plans for growth, and cannot accommodate both our workforce and a stadium. With our lease running through mid-2029 and our extension request denied, we’ll explore new locations, preferably within the city and state, if the Royals proceed while continuing to work with the City and community leaders on a solution."

Community members voiced similar displeasure with the idea of a stadium at 119th Street and Nall. Whether it was traffic, safety, infrastructure, or the ripple effects of building around a ballpark, a sizable forum of residents gathered last year to speak out against a Royals move to that location.

“I'm just grateful that the Royals and John Sherman recognized the residents' concerns,” Overland Park resident Marsha Friedman said to KMBC reporters. “They obviously did their own research, and they determined that we were correct. This was not the place to have a stadium in this area, and we're appreciative of that.”

So what comes next? Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas further nudged the conversation back downtown with a Tuesday statement.

“Nothing changes for Kansas City with today’s news,” Lucas said. “Kansas City will continue to work diligently and expeditiously with other public stakeholders, our community, and the team to ensure Kansas City remains the home of the Royals in a new transformational downtown facility that is a responsible investment for our taxpayers, our region, and our team.”

Aspiria falling out of the running is real movement, but it does not bring fans much closer to the finish line. For now, it is one more location crossed off a list that still does not have a definitive next stop.