Royals could be looking at ballpark sites in Johnson County

According to Bob Fescoe of 96.5 The Fan, the team has looked at a few sites.

After Jackson County voters rejected a ballot measure to build a new downtown ballpark at the Kansas City Star printing press site last April, the Royals have looked at alternate sites in the metro for a new home. Some of those sites may be on the Kansas side, particularly after lawmakers there approved a financing program to lure the Royals and Chiefs across the state line.

According to Bob Fescoe of 96.5 The Fan, the Royals are looking at sites in Johnson County, Kansas. In particular, they are looking at two particular locations - one at the Brookridge proposed development at I-435 and Antioch Road, and another at the site of the former Sprint Campus at 119th and Nall.

The Brookridge site has been proposed for redevelopment since 2014, and ground was broken in 2023 for a project that includes 2,000 apartments, offices, hotels, retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues. But despite $200 million in public tax incentives, the project has hit financial snags, requiring Overland Park city officials to extend timelines. The site would have convenient access to I-435 and could connect to hotels and restaurants on Metcalf Avenue to the east, but is also surrounded by several residential neighborhoods to the north and west

The former Sprint Campus site is now occupied by T-Mobile, who merged with Sprint in 2020, requiring less office space at the site for the telecommunications giant. Now known as the Aspiria Campus, it was rezoned to become a mixed-use district with plans for hotels, restaurants, retail, and entertainment spaces. It sits a few blocks south of 435 and is just west of Town Center Plaza.

The Royals are also reportedly looking at building a ballpark at Washington Square Park, between Union Station and Crown Center in downtown Kansas City. City leaders have explored the feasibility of building a ballpark there, possibly without a public vote.

Back in June, the Royals said they would keep Kansas in mind as they explored all options. Today’s report has elicited a reaction from Jackson County legislator Manny Abarca IV.

The Chiefs have said they would like a stadium plan finalized by the end of the year, but any negotiations for a new football stadium have been kept quiet.