Kansas City Royals, Hallmark Cards announce partnership for new downtown ballpark
“Royals stadium at Crown Center” coming to downtown Kansas City
YOU KNOW, I’LL I’LL GET US STARTED HERE AND JUST JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES HERE. THIS THIS. WELL, DON I, I THINK I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE’RE SHOWING UP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU’VE INVITED US TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO LET’S, IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND MAYBE TELLING US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN I’LL, I’LL CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT THE BALLPARK, IF THAT. SURE. THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM HERE. IT STRETCHES FROM 27TH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PERSHING ROAD. IT’S BANDED BY. I’M WALKING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I’M SORRY, RIGHT IN FRONT. BANDED BY GUILHERME AND MAIN STREET. SO IT REPRESENTS 85 ACRES. AND IN THOSE IN IN THAT AREA. AND I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR NEIGHBORS LIBERTY MEMORIAL, WE’VE GOT WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK RIGHT HERE. UNION STATION IS THERE, YOU KNOW, THE HOSPITAL HILL AND THE WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES THERE, BUT IT’S, IT’S PART OF THE COMMUNITY. AND, AND WE HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. YEAH. I WOULD JUST SAY FROM A BASEBALL AND A SPORT, THIS IS A, THIS IS A, THIS IS AN ICONIC SITE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DON TALKED ABOUT THE IN THE SHADOW OF UNION STATION AND THE LIBERTY MEMORIAL REALLY IN THE HEART OF OUR CITY WITH THE STREETCAR. AND THIS IS AN 85 ACRE SITE. YOU KNOW, OUR PLAN IS TO MAKE WASHINGTON PARK, WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK A PART OF AN EXPANDED DISTRICT. THERE COULD BE SOME REAL ESTATE SOUTH OF PERSHING AS WELL, BUT THIS WOULD BE A MINIMUM 85 ACRES, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE LARGEST SPORTS ANCHORED DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN, CERTAINLY IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. AND IT WOULD BE OUR OBJECTIVE TO BRING ENERGY AND VIBRANCY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT JUST THE 81 DAYS A YEAR, BUT 365 DAYS A YEAR. ENERGY, VIBRANCE AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. YOU KNOW, DON ALLUDED TO A MASTER PLAN THAT WILL WORK ON SOON HERE, BUT THERE’S JUST A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE. YOU WANT TO GO NEXT. YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE IS THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER LOOK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THE STREETCAR, THIS OUTER CIRCLE IS REALLY WHAT IS A TEN MINUTE WALK, I THINK FROM THE ISN’T THAT FROM THE CENTER OF CROWN CENTER? ROOKS. AND YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE HIGHWAY 71. I-670. YOU KNOW. I-35 OVER HERE, A LOT OF GOOD EGRESS AND INGRESS. AND, YOU KNOW, INTERESTINGLY, IT’S ONLY A MILE FROM T-MOBILE TO THE BALLPARK, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE THIS IS CREATING A LOT OF DENSITY, REALLY POSITIVE DENSITY IN THE, IN THE CORE OF OUR CITY. VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. ANYTHING YOU’D ADD TO THAT? BROOKS. OKAY. WELL, ROOKS HAS GOT TO EXECUTE ON THIS. SO. I MENTIONED EARLIER THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THERE’S SOME GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE. THE STREETCAR GOES RIGHT HERE BY IT. THERE ARE 9000 PARKING PLACES JUST HERE ON THE 85 ACRES, NOT INCLUDING SOME THAT IS IN THE AREA. WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE FROM THIS DRAWING, BUT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT JOHN AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING. AND THE RENDERING HERE IS THAT THE BALLPARK WILL FEEL LIKE IT’S PART OF THE COMMUNITY ON OPENING DAY. IT WILL FEEL LIKE THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS ABOUT BASEBALL, BUT IT’S IT’S BASEBALL’S INCORPORATED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IF YOU’RE STANDING HERE ON THIS BLUFF AND YOU DON’T REALIZE THAT THERE’S A 90 FOOT GRADE CHANGE IN LESS THAN A HALF A BLOCK THERE, IT WE’VE DISGUISED IT WELL WITH BUILDINGS TODAY, BUT WE’RE GOING TO USE THAT 90 FOOT GRADE TO OUR ADVANTAGE. THE BALLPARK IS GOING TO BE IN BELOW THAT GRADE SO THAT IF YOU’RE WALKING ALONG GILLHAM ROAD, THE BALLPARK IS ONLY 30FT ABOVE GRADE. IT’S NOT ONE OF THOSE IMPOSING STRUCTURES THAT YOU SEE IN OTHER DOWNTOWN AREAS, WHICH KIND OF SAYS, DON’T COME IN UNLESS IT’S GAME DAY. THIS WILL FEEL LIKE COME IN EVERY DAY BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF OUR OUR WALK. IT I THAT WILL BE SOMETHING I THINK WILL BE INCREDIBLE. THE, THE CHURCH STEEPLE THAT IS HERE WILL BE HIGHER THAN THE, THE BALLPARK. SO IT WILL FEEL VERY PEDESTRIAN. AND PEOPLE ON THIS SIDE OF CROWN CENTER WILL FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PART OF THE. BASEBALL IS PART OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. SO IT’S NOT JUST GOING TO BE THE 85 DAYS THAT THERE’S A GAME THAT THIS IS ACTIVATED. IT WILL BE THERE 364 DAYS THAT THAT JOHN TALKED ABOUT THAT ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH. AND AND BASEBALL WILL BRING MORE PEOPLE TO THE SITE. BUT, YOU KNOW, HALLMARK IS THE HALLMARK CHRISTMAS PROGRAM THAT’S VERY, VERY ACTIVE. YOU KNOW, THE HALLMARK MEDIA. AND WE TALKED ABOUT IRISH FEST AND BOULEVARD. THERE’S A FEW. KEVIN. KEVIN O’NEILL GOT A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. HE’S JUST GLAD WE CAN STILL HAVE IRISH FEST OVER HERE. BUT. BUT ANYWAY, I THINK THAT’S AN INTERESTING YOU KNOW, THIS IS IF ANYBODY KNOWS BASEBALL PARK JUST THIS IS KIND OF LIKE DODGER STADIUM. AND THEN WHEN YOU WHEN YOU COME INTO THE BALLPARK BEHIND HOME PLATE, YOU WILL BE, YOU’LL BE ON THE UPPER LEVEL IN THE IN THE VIEWS ARE JUST EXTRAORDINARY. SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND WE’LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT IT, BUT VERY EXCITED ABOUT. NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE. YOU KNOW, I GOT. WELL, THERE’S A LOT, LOT OF THINGS WE LIKE HERE AND THAT OUR FANS LIKE, RIGHT? THE CROWN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR FANS. SO WATER FEATURE LIKE FOUNTAINS IS, YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR, I THINK WE’RE PLAYING THE CARDINALS THAT DAY. AND I THINK WE’RE WINNING. THERE MUST BE WINNING. YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR, WHEN I TELL THE GOVERNOR ONE TIME WE’RE PLAYING THE CARDINALS TODAY, I KNOW YOU’RE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE ORIGINALLY SAYS ONE THING I KNOW WHEN WHEN THE ROYALS PLAY THE CARDINALS MISSOURI BASEBALL TEAM IS GOING TO WIN ONE TODAY. GEORGE BRETT CAN TELL YOU HOW TO BEAT THE CARDINALS. SO. ANYWAY, I THINK YOU KNOW THERE’S A LOT THIS IS CONCEPTUAL. THERE’S A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT WE’RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE THAT OUR FANS LIKE. AND THOSE VIEWS, THOSE WILL BE ONE OF A KIND. I THINK IN BASEBALL THEY’RE REALLY STUNNING. ANYTHING ELSE, JOHN, THAT YOU’D ADD? YEAH, I THINK JUST THE THE FEEL WILL BE VERY INVITING. YOU SEE THAT YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE GREEN GRASS. IF YOU’RE STANDING ON THE SQUARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT’S, WHAT’S MORE INVITING THAN SEEING THE GREEN IN DECEMBER AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BASEBALL SEASON STARTING. SO THIS WILL FEEL LIKE IT’S REALLY PART OF THE COMMUNITY. JOHN’S VISION OF BASEBALL BEING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU’LL SEE THE ACTIVITY ON THE STREET. THERE’S A LOT OF STREET ACTIVITY, VIBRANCY, WHICH WILL MAKE THIS A VERY VIBRANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY. YEAH, POPULACE IS IN THE ROOM, SO THIS IS BY NO MEANS, BUT I THINK WE’RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT ROOFTOP ROOFTOP ACTIVITY. ON TOP OF THOSE ARE THE TEAM OFFICES. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE GOT ROOFTOP INTEGRATED. AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD BALLPARKS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN WATCH THE GAME IN OTHER PLACES AROUND. SO AS, AS THIS DEVELOPS, I THINK IT’LL CREATE A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY. YEAH. JOHN. THE FIREWORKS, SHE DIDN’T EXPLAIN THOSE. YOU WERE WINNING, RIGHT? YOU WON THE GAME. YOU WON THE GAME AGAINST THE
Kansas City Royals, Hallmark Cards announce partnership for new downtown ballpark
“Royals stadium at Crown Center” coming to downtown Kansas City
Updated: 12:42 PM CDT Apr 22, 2026
It’s the announcement Kansas Citians have been waiting for for years.On Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals announced that, in partnership with Hallmark Cards, a new downtown Royals baseball stadium is coming to Kansas City, and not just to downtown Kansas City, but to an already iconic location.Specifically, the team said the complex will be built on an 85-acre development surrounding a park-like central square with fountains.A note from the team’s news release calls this the “Royals stadium at Crown Center.””Our founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City’s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible,” Royals CEO and Chairman John Sherman said. “Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.”Officials said the plan includes a world-class ballpark, surrounding mixed-use development, and “reimagined headquarters” for both the Royals and Hallmark at Crown Center.”When the new Royals stadium opens at Crown Center, something proud will come full circle,” said Don Hall Jr., Hallmark Cards’ executive chairman of the board of directors. “The iconic Royals crown that Hallmark created will return to the very neighborhood where it was conceived. Every time a fan walks through the stadium doors, they’ll be standing in a place shaped by Kansas City and Hallmark’s creative spirit.”Sources tell KMBC 9 News that the deal has been in the works for months and came together last week. The team said that Sherman and Hall have known each other and worked together for decades and that the trust and mutual respect shared between them were “critical in creating a possibility that nobody would have imagined even a year ago.”The new stadium and complex will be built on what is currently the Hallmark corporate office headquarters.That headquarters sits where Pershing Road meets Gillham Road at East 25th Street.Hall said the new stadium will take advantage of the existing Crown Center infrastructure and will merge the city’s Washington Square Park into plans for the complex. “…building onto the original vision for Crown Center,” Hall said during Wednesday’s news conference. “The ballpark will feel like part of the community.””We’re proud to bring our crown right back to the place it was created,” Sherman said of the partnership with Hallmark.Royals, officials discuss stadium funding: In a news release Wednesday, the team said that the expected private investment of $2 billion or more would be the largest in Kansas City history.The project is expected to be funded primarily by the Royals and other private investors and supplemented by funding from the city of Kansas City and Missouri’s Show-Me Sports Investment Act.”Today’s announcement reinforces that the state of Missouri is not just where the Kansas City Royals play but where they belong,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe. “This decision by the Royals to invest in our state is more than just a commitment to Kansas City; it is a commitment to communities and fans across Missouri. I appreciate the partnership of the Royals organization, Hallmark, and state and local leaders in working together to make this project a reality.”The project, the team said, would bring 20,000 jobs in the construction phase alone.The release also says the development will enhance previous Kansas City investments, including the Streetcar, and optimize “ample parking” within a 10-minute walk.”Royals baseball would push from the bottom into the top 10 in walkability among Major League Baseball teams, lowering the cost and growing the accessibility for Kansas Citians to enjoy and connect with their team,” the release states.Earlier this month, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a now-passed ordinance paving the way to fund the city portion of the project.”For over 50 years, Crown Center and the Kansas City Royals have created memories that last a lifetime for the people of our region,” Lucas said. “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. I look forward to decades of new, treasured experiences, thousands of jobs, vibrant small business growth and millions of visitors building the beating heart of our region — our downtown — while cheering on our Royals. Play ball!” In a news conference Wednesday morning, John Sherman said to great applause, “The Kansas City Royals are staying in the state of Missouri.” Sherman went on to thank local leaders, saying, “and the Kansas City Royals are staying in Kansas City, Missouri.” Groundbreaking for the project is expected in 2027.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
It’s the announcement Kansas Citians have been waiting for for years.
On Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals announced that, in partnership with Hallmark Cards, a new downtown Royals baseball stadium is coming to Kansas City, and not just to downtown Kansas City, but to an already iconic location.
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PHOTO: Kansas City Royals, Populous
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PHOTO: Kansas City Royals, Populous
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Specifically, the team said the complex will be built on an 85-acre development surrounding a park-like central square with fountains.
A note from the team’s news release calls this the “Royals stadium at Crown Center.”
“Our founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City’s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible,” Royals CEO and Chairman John Sherman said. “Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.”
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Officials said the plan includes a world-class ballpark, surrounding mixed-use development, and “reimagined headquarters” for both the Royals and Hallmark at Crown Center.
“When the new Royals stadium opens at Crown Center, something proud will come full circle,” said Don Hall Jr., Hallmark Cards’ executive chairman of the board of directors.
“The iconic Royals crown that Hallmark created will return to the very neighborhood where it was conceived. Every time a fan walks through the stadium doors, they’ll be standing in a place shaped by Kansas City and Hallmark’s creative spirit.”
Sources tell KMBC 9 News that the deal has been in the works for months and came together last week.
The team said that Sherman and Hall have known each other and worked together for decades and that the trust and mutual respect shared between them were “critical in creating a possibility that nobody would have imagined even a year ago.”
The new stadium and complex will be built on what is currently the Hallmark corporate office headquarters.
That headquarters sits where Pershing Road meets Gillham Road at East 25th Street.
Hall said the new stadium will take advantage of the existing Crown Center infrastructure and will merge the city’s Washington Square Park into plans for the complex.
“…building onto the original vision for Crown Center,” Hall said during Wednesday’s news conference. “The ballpark will feel like part of the community.”
“We’re proud to bring our crown right back to the place it was created,” Sherman said of the partnership with Hallmark.
Royals, officials discuss stadium funding:
In a news release Wednesday, the team said that the expected private investment of $2 billion or more would be the largest in Kansas City history.
The project is expected to be funded primarily by the Royals and other private investors and supplemented by funding from the city of Kansas City and Missouri’s Show-Me Sports Investment Act.
“Today’s announcement reinforces that the state of Missouri is not just where the Kansas City Royals play but where they belong,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe. “This decision by the Royals to invest in our state is more than just a commitment to Kansas City; it is a commitment to communities and fans across Missouri. I appreciate the partnership of the Royals organization, Hallmark, and state and local leaders in working together to make this project a reality.”
The project, the team said, would bring 20,000 jobs in the construction phase alone.
The release also says the development will enhance previous Kansas City investments, including the Streetcar, and optimize “ample parking” within a 10-minute walk.
“Royals baseball would push from the bottom into the top 10 in walkability among Major League Baseball teams, lowering the cost and growing the accessibility for Kansas Citians to enjoy and connect with their team,” the release states.
Earlier this month, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a now-passed ordinance paving the way to fund the city portion of the project.
“For over 50 years, Crown Center and the Kansas City Royals have created memories that last a lifetime for the people of our region,” Lucas said. “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. I look forward to decades of new, treasured experiences, thousands of jobs, vibrant small business growth and millions of visitors building the beating heart of our region — our downtown — while cheering on our Royals. Play ball!”
In a news conference Wednesday morning, John Sherman said to great applause, “The Kansas City Royals are staying in the state of Missouri.”
Sherman went on to thank local leaders, saying, “and the Kansas City Royals are staying in Kansas City, Missouri.”
Groundbreaking for the project is expected in 2027.
Hearst Owned
Hall, Sherman show off plans for new Royals stadium.