Royals, Populous share new downtown ballpark design details

The Kansas City Royals and Populous unveiled six new renderings and deeper insights into the Royals new downtown ballpark in the heart of Kansas City.

Populous, the global design firm and Kansas City-based company behind some of the world’s most recognizable sports and entertainment venues, is the architect of record and has a decades-long relationship with the Royals, working together with the team throughout this process.

The Crown Center site connects the Royals to an established downtown destination, provides the scale to build a true neighborhood around baseball and brings Hallmark alongside the Royals as a generational, Kansas City-born partner.

“This new neighborhood ballpark in the heart of Kansas City will lift our hometown’s profile and create jobs and economic activity that will benefit the community and Royals fans,” Royals President of Real Estate and Development Brooks Sherman said. “We think of Populous as our hometown design team, but they are also the world’s leader in sports architecture. Kansas City and Royals fans deserve the best, and we’re proud to help provide it.”

Designed to create one of the most intimate experiences in Major League Baseball, the approximately 34,000-seat, open-air ballpark will bring fans closer to the field while connecting the game to downtown Kansas City and the surrounding community.

The new ballpark is distinctly Kansas City, drawing inspiration from the city’s character, landscape and architectural heritage. Fitting comfortably within the existing limestone bluff, its exterior architecture embraces elements that have defined Kansas City’s landmarks for decades, including Municipal Auditorium, Union Station and the Liberty Memorial.

“We are honored to lead the design of a new ballpark for the Royals that feels unmistakably Kansas City,” said Populous Senior Principal and Founder Earl Santee. “More than a ballpark, this will be a destination where memories are made, where generations of fans can celebrate the traditions they cherish and where Royals baseball connects to the heart of downtown as the team and the city begin an exciting new chapter in our hometown.”

The updated design honors the crown, fountains, the Little K and traditions that have made Kauffman Stadium a beloved home for generations of Royals fans while creating a future-ready experience. The ballpark’s entrance features limestone framed by a layered screen of light-colored materials, metal and terracotta. Above, a lightweight fabric canopy preserves the tradition of open-air baseball while helping manage Kansas City’s summer heat by shading approximately 65% of seating during late-afternoon conditions.

In the outfield, the right-field entertainment building and left-field Royals headquarters building will connect to the ballpark through two continuous 360-degree concourses, opening the seating bowl to views of Kansas City while creating a distinctive setting for the iconic Royals fountains and CrownVision scoreboard.

Founded in Kansas City more than four decades ago, Populous has shaped modern ballpark design, designing some of the most recognizable ballparks in the country, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Oracle Park, PNC Park, Yankee Stadium, Target Field and Truist Park. Over forty years, Populous has helped reconnect baseball with the urban setting, designing ballparks that reflect their communities and contribute to the revitalization of city centers. In total, Populous has worked with 29 of 30 Major League Baseball clubs in some capacity.

The history between Populous and the Royals includes multiple projects and renovations at Kauffman Stadium and the design of Surprise Stadium, the Royals spring training home in Arizona. Approximately 90% of the design team for the new ballpark will be based in Kansas City.