Overview
- Kansas City leaders introduced the ordinance Thursday and sent it to the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee, with a full council vote possible as soon as next week.
- The plan pegs the project at about $1.9 billion and calls for roughly $600 million in city-issued bonds, while a Missouri law could allow the state to fund up to half the cost.
- The proposal instructs the city manager to negotiate a 30-year lease and targets Opening Day 2030 for a new ballpark, with construction eyed for early 2027 if deals are finalized.
- The Parks and Recreation Board must approve any changes to Washington Square Park and, under the mayor’s model, would keep ownership of the site and act as the team’s landlord.
- County and city officials demanded more transparency and raised the prospect of a public vote if county dollars are sought, as the Royals thanked leaders and kept talks open after the 2024 tax defeat and the Chiefs’ decision to build in Kansas.