(kcroyals) The Kansas City Royals made official what has long been the vision surrounding their franchise on Tuesday: They are planning to leave Kauffman Stadium and have started exploring downtown ballpark options for the future.
Royals owner John Sherman wrote an open letter to Royals fans and the Kansas City community, and in it, he outlined the franchise’s plan for a move and the thinking behind it, noting that staying at the current Kauffman Stadium is not a long-term solution. The K opened as Royals Stadium in 1973 and is in the Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County, about 20 minutes outside of downtown. The Royals share a parking lot with the Kansas City Chiefs’ home stadium, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Staying there, Sherman said, is not viable with the renovations required.
After over a year of consulting with outside firms, Sherman stated that a new ballpark “would be a far better investment, both for local taxpayer dollars already supporting our facility, and for the Kansas City community.”
It is unclear yet what sites the Royals are looking at, but a spokesperson said they would be revealed soon. The Royals plan to have several community events open to the public to listen and give input.
The Royals’ current lease with Jackson County is set to expire after this decade, and it’s not known yet when they would like to be in a new ballpark.
