A new downtown ballpark will include fountains and Crown Vision, according to new renderings unveiled by the team in a press conference Thursday afternoon. The team announced the designs with Kansas City-based global design firm Populous.
The fountains were vital to the renderings, according to Populous Senior Principal Earl Santee.
“They’re the center feature of the ballpark as we celebrate Kansas City and the great history of its fountains.”
The Crown Vision scoreboard will be three-dimensional, oval,
larger than the current scoreboard at Kauffman Stadium, and fans will be able to walk through the bottom chevron.
The stadium will be carved out of the existing limestone bluff, with an entrance built out of limestone. The main entrance will be in the north of the stadium, with fans entering through a plaza area that leads to a view of the outfield. The outfield will feature two 360-degree concourses, with an entertainment building in right field and Royals headquarters in a building in left field. The ballpark will feature approximately 34,000 seats, plus 3,000 standing-room-only spots, 65 percent of which will be shaded by canopy. There will be 50 “unique fan experiences” planned throughout the park.
The home plate entrance will include a south plaza space. It will be at the top of the upper deck, similar to Dodger Stadium, where fans will actually walk down to their seat.
Images courtesy of Populous/Kansas City Royals
The Royals say that the ballpark is within walking distance of the Kansas City streetcar, with 9,000 parking spots within a ten-minute walk. The team will retain two existing parking garages to the north with about 4,000 spots, and the new ballpark will also feature a new parking garage in right field. President of Real Estate and Development Brooks Sherman stressed being able to walk to the ballpark, citing a study that showed Kauffman Stadium is dead last in baseball in walkability. They view the stadium as a year-round destination with concerts, festivals, and other events. When asked if the Royals had a name for the stadium, Sherman responded “that will come with time.”
Santee expressed pride to lead the effort to build a ballpark that “feels unmistakably Kansas City”
“More than a ballpark, this will be a destination where memories are made, where generations of fans can celebrate the traditions they cherish and where Royals baseball connects to the heart of downtown as the team and the city begin an exciting new chapter in our hometown.”
Kansas City-based Populous is a world-renowned sports architecture firm that has helped design Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Oracle Park, PNC Park, Yankee Stadium, Target Field and Truist Park.
The $1.9 billion ballpark will sit on 85 acres at the site of the current Hallmark headquarters near Crown Center, part of a $3 billion district. The City Council recently approved $600 million in tax increment financing for the project, although with interest, those payments will total close to $1.4 billion over time. The Royals and city leaders are anticipating some state support, with the rest of the funding coming from private investment. The Royals expect the ballpark to be open by the start of the 2030 season. Kansas City voters will decide in April if the city can fund stadium efforts, although Mayor Quinton Lucas insists it will not affect the progress of the Royals ballpark project.
