Despite the Royals standing last in the division with a 7-15 record, the franchise just secured a major victory, as Kansas City’s council greenlit funding for a new downtown stadium.

The City of Fountains is one step closer to trading 53 years of history at Kauffman Stadium for a new stadium at Washington Square. The proposal first came to light in 2020 for a potential new downtown baseball stadium.

“Kansas City has approved up to $600 million in public funding for a new downtown stadium for the Royals. The city council voted to advance the $1.9 billion ballpark project, putting the Royals in their strongest position yet to secure a finalized stadium deal,” Front Office Sports shared via X.

The Royals’ existing Kauffman Stadium needs replacement rather than renovation.

In 2022, owner John Sherman revealed the team’s interest in a new downtown stadium, saying they were willing to leave Kauffman Stadium before their 2030 lease ends. That milestone has now been reached.

“The Royals remain grateful for the work and attention of local leaders…. As always, our motivation is to find the best solution for our team, our fans, and our community. We’re excited by the possibilities this opportunity presents for our hometown,” the Royals stated after the funding was approved.

The voting was conducted last week, and it was approved by an 11-1-1 vote.

While the majority of the council members agreed that the new stadium development would bring huge private investments to the city, City Councilman Nathan Willett disagreed. According to Willett, more urgent citizen issues should have been the focus rather than allocating public funds for a new stadium.

In 2024, as well, Jackson County residents voted down the funding plan for a Royals downtown stadium.

But now, the approved plan is projected as a “Downtown Baseball District” around the new stadium.

This would include hotels, mixed-use projects, and other infrastructural activities. According to the franchise, they “expect to include one of the largest private investments in Kansas City history.”

Professional sports team-building through mixed-use development is shifting toward year-round, live-work-play districts that act as economic engines rather than just event-day venues. Key trends include integrating residential, retail, office, and entertainment spaces to create vibrant communities, increasing team valuations, and generating consistent, year-round revenue streams.

It means that the new ‘Baseball District’ will only help the metro!

“The project, with a current estimated investment of $1.9 billion into our city’s workers, our businesses, and our Downtown, will deliver tens of thousands of guests to Downtown Kansas City 81 additional nights per year, and will have more than 300 days per year of year-round engagement, tourist activity, and conference, concert, and special event activation,” noted Mayor Quinton Lucas.

The council surely hopes that while hosting at least 81 home games per season, it would connect the tourism-heavy Union Station and the Crown Center district with the Crossroads. This is why city officials have long touted Washington Square Park, situated near the city’s streetcar line and bus route, as the ideal home for the Royals.

Now, the Royals are one step closer to leaving Kauffman Stadium (Royals Stadium). The same stadium that witnessed the club’s first World Series win on October 27, 1985, in Game 7 against the Cardinals by 11-0.

But this off-field win doesn’t veil their on-field failures!

The Royals’ on-field numbers need a breather

The Yankees swept the Royals with a 7-0 win. While no Royals batter scored a run, only 4 managed to hit. And with such performance, it’s no surprise that they rank 26th in terms of team average (.218). The worst part is that they rank 30th in total runs scored (71).

Among the most hyped names in the Royals lineup, Bobby Witt Jr. is batting .280 but has yet to score a homer.

Their 30+ HR hitter from 2025, Vinnie Pasquantino, is batting .157 with 2 home runs.

The Royals’ offense is barely surviving. And their bullpen is making things worse.

Reliable names like Matt Strahm are there to equip the bullpen. Strahm finished last year with a 2.74 ERA. This year, he has a 4.05 ERA.

The Royals’ rest of the bullpen is performing just as badly as Strahm. For reference, they have already blown four saves this season. The bullpen is ranked 30th in terms of ERA (6.18) and WHIP (1.67).

The Kansas City Royals’ $145 million payroll for 2026 might not be enough to go all guns blazing. Now, as the clubhouse looks “forward to more detailed conversations as we consider solutions that are best for our team, our fans, and our community,” fans would definitely look forward to some change in their team’s momentum.