KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the return of the Royals Rally at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday, Kansas City Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman sat down with media members to discuss the future of the team's stadium as negotiations continue.
While the Royals recently decided to take the Aspiria site located at West 119th Street and Nall Avenue off the table, Sherman said that the team still has "good options on both sides of the state line."
According to Sherman, one of those options includes Clay County.
Extending the lease at Kauffman Stadium, which expires in 2031, is another option. However, that alternative would be "kicking the can down the road," according to Sherman.
Sherman's ultimate preference would be to put the team "in the heart of the city." Reports describe Washington Square Park as the frontrunner for the Royals.
Sherman said he likes what cities such as Atlanta, San Diego and Pittsburgh have done with their MLB ballparks, which all have various shops and restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
"We're pursuing a site where we can put a ballpark and develop a mixed-use project around it," Sherman said.
With possibilities abound, Sherman remained optimistic about the progress being made.
"I feel good about where we are," Sherman said.
A decision will be announced "sooner rather than later," Sherman told reporters.
And as far as moving out beyond Kansas or Missouri, Sherman stressed that it is not a part of the plan.
"This process is about making sure we fulfill Ewing Kauffman's promise that the Royals are Kansas City's forever."
—
