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Kansas City, Missouri (KMIZ)
Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman announced the team’s official plans to leave Kaufman Stadium for a new $2 billion stadium and entertainment complex.
The team has yet to identify a location, but Sherman said his team will start looking for an eventual destination.
Kaufman Stadium, also known as “The K”, has been home to the Royals since 1973. The stadium has hosted four World Series games and two All-Star games since opening. As of now, Kaufman Stadium is the sixth oldest stadium in the major leagues, after Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and others.
“As you probably already know, maintaining K has become increasingly challenging,” Sherman wrote in an open letter to fans. “When its current lease with Jackson County ends at the end of this decade, it will be 60 years old. To achieve our goals, the renovations required at K Field will far outweigh the price tag of developing a new course”
Sherman added that he didn’t just want to build a new stadium, but a whole new experience for Royals fans. He said he wanted to build a venue that could host concerts and other events to boost the local economy.
The new precinct is expected to be a mix of public and private investment, including from Crown organisations. Sherman said he envisions providing Kansas citizens with options for stores, restaurants, office space, hotels and even affordable housing.
The Royals also plan to enshrine the team’s history in a new stadium.
“We also envision incorporating the Kansas City fountain, the Royals crown and our franchise’s rich tradition and history into a new ballpark precinct,” he said.
The project is expected to cost $2 billion, and construction could create more than 20,000 jobs in the region. Once open, Sherman said, his team expects the district to generate about $185 million more in economic output than District K’s current economic output.
No timetable has been announced for when the new stadium will be completed.
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