Story by
Fans react to potential downtown Kansas City Royals stadium
- Story by
- Fans react to potential downtown Kansas City Royals stadium
KANSAS CITY, MO — As the future of the Kansas City Royals' next stadium remains uncertain, downtown Kansas City is once again emerging as a potential landing spot.
Royals name Circa as new sports betting partner after parting ways with Underdog
Advertisement
The renewed conversation comes after the Royals announced they will not move forward with plans at the Aspiria campus in Overland Park . At the same time, Clay County officials have declined to place a stadium tax on the April ballot, narrowing the team's options and refocusing attention on Missouri-side locations.
Washington Square Park, near Union Station, remains on the Royals' short list of possible stadium sites. Some believe the location could become the front-runner, depending on what Kansas City and the state of Missouri are able to put together in terms of financing and infrastructure.
Longtime Kansas City resident Frank Zilm said a downtown stadium could offer an experience unlike any other in the metro.
"You could go down and have dinner on the Plaza, jump on a streetcar and come up and do a baseball game, and it would just be fabulous," Zilm said.
Advertisement
Missouri lawmaker wants public vote on Royals stadium
Fans gathered near Union Station echoed that sentiment, pointing to the potential economic boost a centrally located stadium could provide. Zilm, who has lived in Kansas City for 40 years, said while Kauffman Stadium is widely seen as one of baseball's best, it's not going to bring the impact a downtown stadium might.
"Kauffman is a great stadium," Zilm said. "But you don't see the kind of adjacent areas blooming as a result of that. And I think a stadium near Union Station would be fabulous in terms of stimulating commerce, retail, and more."
Still, Zilm acknowledged challenges tied to the Washington Square Park site, including reworking the current space.
Advertisement
"Do you have to span the railroad tracks? Are you sure you're going to have enough parking to deal with the vehicles and access in and out?" Zilm said.
Meanwhile, leaders in Clay County say no to an April vote on tax . During a recent interview with FOX4's Johnathan Ketz and Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington, the commissioner said they have done their part.
"We as a county have met every single deadline the Royals have put before us the last 36 months," Withington said. "If they wanted to be here, they would be here."
Get free admission to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in February
Advertisement
Another longtime Kansas City resident, Billy Thomas, said the Chiefs' decision to pursue a move to Kansas should serve as a wake-up call for Missouri leaders and city officials to rally around the Royals.
"I feel like if we have a counterbalance with the Royals, that it could give us a nice mixture for the metro area," Thomas said.
Thomas added that a downtown stadium could draw even more locals into the area.
"It would generate a lot of interest in the local population to come in, even more," he said.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
