Why KC Royals owner John Sherman feels ‘urgency’ regarding stadium decision
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- Mayor Lucas champions a downtown stadium site to keep Royals in city limits.
- Sherman cites urgency and is evaluating Kansas and multiple Missouri sites.
- Officials expect a proposal after a location pick and hope to finalize terms soon.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has made it abundantly clear that he hopes to keep the hometown Kansas City Royals inside the city limits.
In his State of the City address, Lucas said he plans to get a stadium deal done that is considered fair and transparent for taxpayers and the Royals.
Word got back to Royals owner John Sherman. On Monday, Sherman addressed Lucas’ speech and offered his takeaway.
“I appreciate him wanting to do that,” Sherman said. “And I appreciate that he is working very hard at that. I appreciate the work he is doing. You know, we’re not settled yet anywhere, but I would tell you, I don’t think we are that far away.”
The Royals have long been interested in moving their stadium downtown. That yearslong desire to build a new stadium has generated discussion among multiple stakeholders.
At the moment, the Royals say they are considering locations in both Missouri and Kansas. Lucas has championed Washington Square Park near Crown Center. The Royals have also shown interest in both Jackson and Clay County.
However, the Royals are facing a critical juncture. There’s urgency to make a decision about where the next stadium will be located. Sherman admitted as much when he met with reporters in Surprise, Arizona, amid the team’s first full squad workout.
“Time is not our friend,” Sherman said. “You know, when the Chiefs made their announcement in December, there was a whole new wave of enthusiasm on the Missouri side. And I don’t mean that they weren’t working hard, but you know now, from the governor on down, there’s a lot of effort being put forth. We are still evaluating Kansas and we’re evaluating multiple locations in Missouri.”
Ultimately, the Royals want to select a stadium location soon.
“These are complicated processes,” Sherman said. “None of them are short, by the way. If you look at history, they’re always long. They’re multi-jurisdictional, public-private partnerships. They’re complicated. But I think it’s time to get on with it. I know our fans have stadium fatigue or deal fatigue. And we’ve got that too. But this is a generational decision. It’s very strategic, and we’ve got to get it right.”
The question remains … how soon?
Sherman said the decision will come sooner rather than later. When asked if a decision would come before the 2026 season concludes, Sherman gave a decisive answer.
“I would think way ahead of that,” Sherman said.
Last week, The Star spoke with Jackson County Interim Executive Phil LeVota. He mentioned that a proposal will be available once the Royals select a location. While he didn’t delve into specifics, he believes the team will be comfortable with its contents.
“Once they pick that location, we have a proposal from the state, from the city and the county, that the Royals, I believe, will be comfortable with,” LeVota said. “And we’ll get the deal done.”
Both LeVota and Lucas told The Star they hope a stadium deal can be reached by the end of spring training.
The Royals hold the keys to such a discussion. Missouri officials have signaled a renewed push to keep the team within state lines. The Royals are weighing their options in the meantime.
“I still have a bias for baseball being in the heart of the city, in the cultural center of our city, and to have the ability to make it better,” Sherman said. “I think if that happens, that’s going to be best for the community and the city at large. But we have to make sure we make the right long-term decision for our club as well.”
For now, it seems the Royals have a window of opportunity of their own creation. There’s state and county interest and the availability to make a choice.
Time is dwindling and Sherman is hopeful to get things rolling.
“I think we have an opportunity to make a good decision and get the support for it here,” Sherman said. “And that’s what’s got me with urgency. … When I’m talking about urgency, that’s to me a business tenet that I think you should always employ in any organization. When you have a window of opportunity, you better run through it because those windows close. I feel the same way about the stadium.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Why KC Royals owner John Sherman feels ‘urgency’ regarding stadium decision."
