The Kansas City Royals and Hallmark Cards on April 23, 2026, announced plans for a new downtown Major League Baseball stadium and mixed-use development at Crown Center, a $3 billion public-private project expected to generate tens of thousands of construction jobs and years of heavy equipment activity, according to MLB.com.
The project would replace Hallmark's corporate headquarters with a new ballpark and adjacent entertainment and commercial district near Pershing Road, Gilham Road and 25th Street. Hallmark executive chairman Don Hall Jr. said the company will relocate offices elsewhere within the Crown Center campus, according to MLB.com.
Royals' owner and CEO John Sherman said the plan follows years of evaluating site options, funding models and infrastructure needs.
"There's no straight line between Point A and Point B," Sherman said at a news conference. "Patience has given us an outcome that we could never have imagined."
Site Work, Utility Relocation Ahead
Early construction phases are expected to include large-scale demolition, mass excavation, utility relocation and extensive site grading. Contractors will need to manage tight urban conditions while maintaining traffic along major arterials.
Subsurface work is expected to include stormwater systems, deep foundations and integration with existing parking and transit infrastructure. Project planners said the stadium will leverage Crown Center's existing assets including roughly 9,000 parking spaces and proximity to Kansas City streetcar stops along Main Street, according to MLB.com.
Significant coordination with public agencies will be required to relocate water, sewer, power and communications systems. Electrical upgrades are anticipated to support stadium technology including a large Crown Vision video board, according to MLB.com.
Equipment Demand, Construction Phases
The Royals estimate construction would support approximately 20,000 jobs across earthmoving, concrete, steel erection and specialty trades. Equipment demand is expected to include excavators, crawler cranes, articulated trucks, loaders and paving machines.
The stadium is expected to require extensive cast-in-place concrete for foundations, concourses and seating bowls followed by long-span structural steel installation. Final finishes would include hardscape, landscaped public spaces and fountain features.
Financing, Schedule
At least two-thirds of the $3 billion cost is expected to be privately funded, with the remaining share coming from the city of Kansas City and the state of Missouri. The City Council recently authorized up to $600 million for a stadium project in the Crown Center area, emphasizing no new taxes and revenue redirection tied to development.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2027 with a target opening for the 2030 MLB season. The Royals' lease at the Truman Sports Complex runs through the end of the 2030 season, allowing flexibility in the transition.
Long-Term Construction Impact
The project follows earlier stadium proposals that failed after voter rejection in 2024. After reevaluating sites in Missouri and Kansas, the Royals returned their focus to downtown Kansas City, according to MLB.com.
Beyond the ballpark, the broader Crown Center redevelopment is expected to drive continued commercial, retail and hospitality construction, supporting sustained demand for contractors, skilled labor and heavy equipment well into the next decade. CEG
