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Kansas City Unveils Ordinance to Finance and Pursue Downtown Royals Stadium

The step begins negotiations toward a 30-year lease without a public vote.

Overview

  • Kansas City introduced the ordinance Thursday, sending it to the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee for review.
  • The plan outlines a $1.9 billion ballpark and district with about $600 million from the city through bonds, appropriations, and tax-increment financing, a tool that uses new tax revenue from the project to repay costs, and state support remains undecided.
  • The measure instructs staff to seek a 30-year lease for a Washington Square Park site with a goal of opening in 2030.
  • The Parks and Recreation Board would retain ownership and serve as landlord, a setup the mayor compared to Chicago’s Soldier Field arrangement.
  • County leaders and some council members are pushing for transparency and a possible public vote, while the Royals thanked city leaders and said detailed talks will continue following the failed 2024 tax measure and the Chiefs’ planned move to Kansas.