Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Kansas City Royals have picked Legends Global as the owner’s representative for their new downtown ballpark at Crown Center in the heart of Kansas City.
MLB.com said the approximately 34,000-seat, open-air ballpark anchors an 85-acre mixed-use development in partnership with Hallmark Cards that will bring transformative economic activity and millions of new visitors to the Crown Center site.
Legends Global’s owner’s representation team will act as an advocate for the Royals throughout the project, protecting the team’s interests in ballpark budgeting, construction schedules, quality and risk control, while serving as a liaison to the project’s builders, architects and design partners.
Royals president of real estate and development Brooks Sherman said, “Legends is the best in the business with baseball stadium expertise and diligence that will help provide our fans the world-class experience they deserve.
“There is no precedent for a sports-anchored project of this size in any city’s downtown, and we’re thrilled to have Legends on our side to maximize what this project can do for Kansas City.”
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri (US). The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League Central Division.
The Royals currently play at the 40,793-seat Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri (US).
The new stadium project forms part of a proposed $3 billion redevelopment of the Crown Center area, with the ballpark itself estimated to cost $1.9 billion. The Royals are targeting an opening for the 2030 season, with construction expected to begin in 2027.
Legends Global president of owner’s representation Chris Nations said, “Legends Global is honored to partner with the Royals on a project that will reshape downtown Kansas City.
“Our team will serve as the Royals trusted advocate from design through closeout, helping deliver a world class ballpark that fans and the community can be proud of for generations.”
The selection follows a series of recent milestones for the project, including the Kansas City Council’s approval of a tax increment financing plan and bonds to support the City’s $600 million commitment.
The majority privately funded development is expected to bring new investment, thousands of jobs and year-round activity to downtown Kansas City, with groundbreaking targeted for 2027.
Legends Global currently serves as owner’s representative on new venue projects in professional sports for the Tampa Bay Rays, the Dallas Mavericks, the recently opened Buffalo Bills’ Highmark Stadium, the multi-year renovation of the Toronto Blue Jays’ Rogers Centre, as well as the Starlight Theater in Kansas City and David Booth Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas.
Populous was last month chosen as architect of record to design the new ballpark for the Royals.
A Mortenson | McCownGordon joint venture will serve as Construction Manager at Risk for the 1.25-million-square-foot open-air stadium.
JE Dunn will partner in shaping the surrounding live-work-play neighborhood across the broader 85-acre district, the largest sports-anchored downtown development in baseball.
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