The Kansas City Royals’ lease at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri expires after the 2030 MLB season, which is why the club is exploring future options. Owner Joel Sherman delivered an update on Saturday, via KMBC 9 News Kansas City’s Jackson Kurtz.
“Sherman said the team is still exploring stadium options on both sides of the state line [Kansas and Missouri],” he reported. “He said the team is focused on finding a place to develop a mixed-use site for year-round entertainment.”
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“Sherman also said Clay County is still in play to be the home of the Royals,” he continued.
Clay County is a separate part of the Kansas City metropolitan area from Kauffman, which is in Jackson County. The stadium is part of the Truman Sports Complex, which also includes the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.
However, the Chiefs are already set to move to Kansas for the 2031 NFL season. The state’s Lieutenant Governor David Toland confirmed that on Jan. 15, via FOX 4 Kansas City.
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11). © Denny Medley-Imagn Images
While the Royals still don’t know where their new stadium will be, Sherman said that they’re “no longer considering” the Aspiria campus in Overland Park, Kansas. Aspiria is a corporate campus and was formerly the Sprint World Headquarters.
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Kansas City, Missouri mayor Quinton Lucas has pushed for the Royals to stay in Missouri, saying back in May that the city offered more than $1 billion to help the team build a new downtown stadium or renovate Kauffman, per KSHB 41 Kansas City. A Kansas City stadium measure could come down to a public vote, although Lucas said it could be done without one, per FOX 4 Kansas City.
Kauffman Stadium was opened in 1973 as Royals Stadium and was renamed Kauffman Stadium on July 2, 1993. It is named after Ewing Kauffman, who founded the team and was its first owner.
The Royals played their first playoff game at the park in 1976 and hosted their first World Series contest there in 1980. They won their first championship after their 11-0 World Series Game 7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at the stadium on Oct. 27, 1985.
Although their time at Kauffman Stadium is likely running out, the Royals could make more deep playoff runs before they move. They have a roster headlined by two-time All-MLB First Team shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., 2025 All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia, veteran catcher and 2015 World Series MVP Salvador Perez, and veteran first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.