KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Kansas City officials advanced a funding plan Tuesday for a downtown Royals stadium and ballpark district that team executives said will benefit the city for generations.
The Kansas City Council finance committee approved the measure after a meeting that drew more opponents than supporters during public testimony. Royals president of business operations Brooks Sherman said the project will be a great economic development project for Kansas City.
“We look very much forward to the continued process,” Sherman said. “We’ll continue our work with (city manager) Mario (Vasquez) and his staff toward an agreement as was put forth in the ordinance today.”
Mayor Quinton Lucas defended the proposal, saying it would keep the team in the city without requiring taxpayers to foot the bill. He said the plan would result in a city-or government-entity-owned ballpark.
“That’s an important part of what the end transaction is,” Lucas said. “And frankly, I think that gives us even more potential community benefit long term.”
Lucas said the primary funding source of up to $600 million would come from revenue generated at the stadium itself, not from the city’s general fund. He said the money is largely generated at Kauffman Stadium and would continue to be targeted toward baseball.
“This isn’t money that’s coming from a general fund source somewhere else,” Lucas said. “Instead, this is money, largely in our contemplation, generated currently at Kauffman Stadium.”
The mayor said the structure means residents who never attend games would not pay for the stadium.
“If I never go to the ballpark, I’m not paying for this team,” Lucas said, describing what taxpayers could say about the arrangement.
Lucas was asked whether the Royals would do enough public engagement to gain community support, even without a public vote. He said he has confidence in the team’s community involvement, pointing to the Urban Youth Academy and investments by Royals owner John Sherman.
The finance committee approved the measure despite more people testifying against it than for it. Lucas said he heard from organized labor groups representing multiple agencies, and many labor members chose not to speak in opposition.
“I think that what I’ve heard by and large from a whole heck of a lot of Kansas Citians is support for this, is support for making sure the Royals stay in Kansas City,” Lucas said.
Lucas said he does not believe the charter requires a public vote on the matter. He said the legislation is a normal legislative incentive authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract.
“It’s my view that this legislation, if passing on Thursday and signed by the mayor, is effective from the moment it happens,” Lucas said.
He said the arrangement is different from the Jackson County sales tax vote that failed in 2024.
Lucas said he expects positive news soon about state funding for the project. He said conversations with Gov. Mike Kehoe and others have not been happening in silos.
“I expect us to be able to really have some positive news to share from that state front,” Lucas said.
The mayor said the city owns the T-Mobile Center, and the Port Authority owns CPKC Stadium. He said the new ballpark would follow a similar model.
Lucas said about 1,000 people work at the stadium every game, and keeping those jobs in Kansas City is important.
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