After years of speculation, false starts, and several proposed locations, the Kansas City Royals have finally announced where they want to build their new stadium — near Crown Center.
At first glance, this location makes far more sense than some of the earlier proposals.
The failed Jackson County ballot plan would have moved the Royals from the Truman Sports Complex into the Crossroads, but that proposal came with major concerns about displacing a strong small business district and limited onsite parking.
Just weeks ago, the city turned attention to a stadium in Washington Square Park, a site that never seemed realistic given its size, terrain, and the steep drop near the rail lines.
The Crown Center location feels far more practical.
One of the strongest advantages is parking. Unlike the previous downtown proposal, this site already has significant parking infrastructure. With 9,000 existing spaces, including large multi-level garages and surface lots, fans can realistically attend games without creating complete chaos for nearby neighborhoods.
The design also appears smarter because it works with the land instead of against it. By building into the site’s natural slope — nearly 90 feet of elevation change — the stadium can avoid becoming an overwhelming concrete wall towering over the surrounding community. That matters. A stadium should enhance a neighborhood, not dominate it.
Even more important is location.
The Kansas City Royals have long wanted a stadium connected to the life of the city — a place where fans arrive early, stay late, and spend money nearby. A game should be part of a full evening out, not a standalone trip to the parking lots of the Truman Sports Complex.
Near Crown Center, fans could combine baseball with dinner, entertainment, shopping, or even a ride on the expanded streetcar to the Power and Light District, the River Market, or the Plaza. That creates real economic activity for the city and gives both residents and tourists another destination.
A stronger Crown Center could also help revive an area that has slowly lost momentum over the years. What was once one of Kansas City’s premier destinations has been challenged by newer, more active districts. This project could help restore energy there.
Still, the devil is in the details.
The financing, ownership structure, surrounding development, and especially the community benefits agreement must be right. This project cannot simply benefit wealthy investors like the Hall family and ownership groups. It must create real opportunities for neighborhoods, Black businesses, Black workers, and communities that too often get promises instead of results.
Kansas City should welcome the location.
Now it must demand the right deal.
