Royals Owner Weighs Future Ballpark Options

Team faces deadline to decide on new stadium location by 2031 season

Mar. 30, 2026 at 8:32pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring fragmented geometric shapes and planes in shades of blue, representing the complex considerations around a professional sports team's stadium plans.The Royals' search for a new home stadium reflects the evolving landscape of professional sports facilities.Kansas City Today

Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman says the team is narrowing down its choices for the future home of its new ballpark, with a sense of urgency to determine where the team will play beyond the 2031 season.

Why it matters

The Royals' current home, Kauffman Stadium, opened in 1973 and is one of the oldest ballparks in Major League Baseball. As the team looks to build a new stadium, the decision on its location will have major implications for the team's long-term future in Kansas City and the surrounding community.

The details

The Royals' lease at Kauffman Stadium expires in 2031, putting pressure on the team's ownership to finalize plans for a new ballpark in the coming years. Sherman acknowledged that the team is considering multiple potential sites within the Kansas City metro area, but did not provide specifics on the leading options.

  • The Royals' current lease at Kauffman Stadium expires in 2031.

The players

John Sherman

The owner of the Kansas City Royals baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“There's a sense of urgency in where we're going to play beyond 2031.”

— John Sherman, Royals Owner

What’s next

The Royals organization will continue evaluating potential sites for a new ballpark over the next several years, with a goal of finalizing plans and breaking ground on construction before the team's current lease expires in 2031.

The takeaway

The Royals' search for a new home stadium highlights the challenges facing aging sports facilities and the need for teams to plan well in advance to ensure their long-term viability in a community.