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Kansas City Royals no longer considering Aspiria Campus stadium at 119th, Nall
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- Kansas City Royals no longer considering Aspiria Campus stadium at 119th, Nall
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals confirmed to FOX4 on Tuesday that the team is no longer considering the option for a new stadium at the Aspiria Campus at 119th and Nall in Overland Park.
The team said the site, once viewed as a potential option for a future ballpark, no longer meets its needs after further evaluation.
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"As stated when the Aspiria mortgage was acquired, the investment was made to maintain the site as an option for a new Kansas City Royals stadium. After significant evaluation, we do not believe this site meets our criteria for a stadium," a spokesperson for the team said.
The Royals added that they are continuing to evaluate other locations across the Kansas City metropolitan area as they pursue plans for a new stadium and surrounding ballpark district.
"We continue to evaluate opportunities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area to create a world-class ballpark district," the spokesperson added
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"As always, we hear and appreciate the input of our fans throughout the region. We remain hard at work toward the best solution for our team, fans, partners, and community."
Welcome to the City: More Kansas City Royals news on FOX4
No alternative sites have been announced by the team at this time, and the Royals did not say when a final decision could be made.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has publicly stated he wants the Royals to go to Washington Square Park just east of Union Station.
"You know we are interested in ensuring that the Kansas City Royals remain in Kansas City, Missouri," Lucas said. "We've always said it's about putting our best foot forward. Sites may come and go, but we want to make sure we're focused on what Kansas City needs to do to get it right."
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Lucas emphasized a careful approach to negotiations, saying the city has continued conversations while keeping taxpayers in mind.
"Slow and steady is what we've been," Lucas said. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch. We need to make sure what we lay out is responsible for taxpayers and something that works well. Ultimately, the city council would have to approve any type of arrangement with the team."
Jewish Community Campus Board Member Scott Slabotsky has been opposed to the Royals building at the northwest corner of 119th and Nall for months.
"To say that we were ecstatic would be completely an understatement," he said in a Zoom interview with FOX4 Tuesday when asked what his reaction was to the news that the Royals are no longer interested in building their stadium at that intersection.
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Slabotsky also gave us insight into the news that FOX4 broke Tuesday morning.
"We received a call from the City of Overland Park letting us know that the Royals have decided to pursue other locations," Slabotsky said.
Slabotsky is a board member of the entity that owns the ground that the Jewish Community Center, better known as The J, is on. Slabotsky got the call Monday afternoon.
"I couldn't get the smile off of my face," he said when asked what his reaction was to the Monday call. "2025 was a long year worrying about something that could seriously devastate a campus that I've been involved in for four decades."
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Tuesday, Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog couldn't do an interview with FOX4.
"Overland Park supports our hometown teams," he said in a statement sent to FOX4. "We know the Royals belong in the Kansas City region and will do everything in our power to keep them here."
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The northwest corner of 119th and Nall is in the Overland Park city limits, but the northeast corner is in Leawood.
"I was very excited to hear that," Angela Bertocchini said when speaking about her reaction to Tuesday's news. "That is great news for our community, yes."
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Bertocchini and her husband Tony first talked to FOX4 back in August of 2025. We talked to her again after the Royals' announcement Tuesday. Bertocchini told us that in the last five months, no one she's talked to wanted the ballpark at that intersection.
"At least a hundred," she said when asked how many people she's talked to about this stadium possibility.
The Royals' lease at the Jackson County owned Kauffman Stadium ends in January of 2031.
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