Kansas City Royals announce move to Crown Center

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Royals are moving back to the inner city.

On Wednesday, the team announced that it had partnered with Hallmark cards to bring a "world-class" ballpark and mixed-use developments to Crown Center.

"Today is a narrative of community, of trust, of courage and vision, and a passion for doing something special for the city we love," said Royals CEO and Chairman John Sherman. "Together, we will rethink, reimagine, redefine, and redevelop Crown Center into an 85-acre-plus setting here that will instantly become the largest sports anchor downtown development of its kind."

The new development is expected to cost approximately $2 billion and will be the largest public-private investment in the city's history. The project will be funded mostly by the Royals as well as several other private investors. Funding will also be supplemented by the city courtesy of Missouri's Show-Me Sports Investment Act.

The city expects to break ground on the new district in 2027, and will create more than 20,000 jobs in the construction phase alone.

“For over 50 years, Crown Center and the Kansas City Royals have created memories that last a lifetime for the people of our region,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “The public-private partnership between Hallmark, the Royals, Kansas City and our state ensures we connect our neighborhoods, keeps our downtown vibrant and maintains big league baseball in our city for generations to come."