Kauffman Stadium

Kauffman Stadium
“The K”
Kauffman Stadium in 2017
Kansas City is located in the United States
Kansas City
Kansas City
Location in the United States
Kansas City is located in Missouri
Kansas City
Kansas City
Location in Missouri
Former namesRoyals Stadium
(19731993)
Address1 Royal Way
LocationKansas City, Missouri
Coordinates39°03′04″N 94°28′48″W / 39.051°N 94.48°W / 39.051; -94.48
Public transitBus interchange KCATA: Route 47[1]
OperatorJackson Sports Complex Authority
Capacity37,903 (2012-present)
37,840 (2010-2011)
40,785 (2005-2009)
40,793 (2003-2004)
40,625 (1973-2002)
Record attendance42,633 (ALCS Game 2, October 9, 1980, vs. New York Yankees)[2][3]
Field sizeLeft Field
330 ft (101 m)
Left-Center
385 ft (117 m)
(1973-1994)
375 ft (114 m)
(1995-2003)
385 ft (117 m)
(2004-2008)
387 ft (118 m)
(2009-present)
Center Field
410 ft (125 m)
(1973-1994)
400 ft (122 m)
(1995-2003)
410 ft (125 m)
(2004-present)
Right-Center
385 ft (117 m)
(1973-1994)
375 ft (114 m)
(1995-2003)
385 ft (117 m)
(2004-2008)
387 ft (118 m)
(2009-present)
Right Field
330 ft (101 m)
Backstop – 60 ft (18 m)
(1973-present)
SurfaceKentucky bluegrass / Perennial ryegrass (1995–present)
AstroTurf (1973–1994)
Construction
Broke groundJuly 11, 1968 (1968-07-11)[2]
OpenedApril 10, 1973 (1973-04-10)
Renovated2007–2009
Construction cost$70 million
($480 million in 2023[4])

$250 million
(2007–10 renovations)
($349 million in 2023[4])
ArchitectKivett and Myers
[HNTB] Populous
(renovations 1997, 2009)
Structural engineerBob D. Campbell & Co. Structural Engineers[5]
General contractorSharp-Kidde-Webb JV[6]
Tenants
Kansas City Royals (MLB)
(1973–present)
Website
www.mlb.com/royals/ballpark/

Kauffman Stadium (/ˈkɔːfmən/), often called "The K", is a baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the ballpark to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). It is part of the Truman Sports Complex together with the adjacent Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium is named for Ewing Kauffman, the founder and first owner of the Royals. It opened in 1973 as Royals Stadium and was named for Kauffman twenty years later on July 2, 1993. Since its last major renovation in 2009, the listed seating capacity is 37,903.

Kauffman Stadium was built specifically for baseball during an era when building multisport "cookie-cutter" stadiums was commonplace. It is often held up along with Dodger Stadium (1962) in Los Angeles as one of the best examples of modernist stadium design. It is currently the only stadium in the American League to be named after a person and is also one of eight stadiums in Major League Baseball that does not have a corporate-sponsored name. The stadium is the sixth-oldest stadium in the majors and has hosted the 1973 and the 2012 MLB All-Star Games, along with Royals home games during the 1980, 1985, 2014, and 2015 World Series. Between 2007 and 2009, Kauffman Stadium underwent a $250 million renovation, which included updates and upgrades in fan amenities, a new Royals hall of fame area, and other updates throughout the facility.

In 2022, the Royals announced intentions to build and open a new stadium before the team's lease agreement with Jackson County expires at the end of the 2030 MLB season.[7][8] In 2024, the team announced their intention for the stadium to be located in downtown Kansas City's Crossroads district.[9] A financial analysis of the new stadium plans estimates that the cost to taxpayers would be between $4.4 billion to $6.4 billion.[10]

  1. ^ Cronkleton, Robert (April 3, 2015). "Fans can take Metro bus to Kauffman Stadium". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "History of Kauffman Stadium". KansasCity.Royals.MLB. Kansas City Royals. 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  3. ^ "Kansas City Royals 3, New York Yankees 2". Retrosheet.
  4. ^ a b 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Everly, Steve (January 13, 1991). "Engineering Firm's Founder Has Retired". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "New Stadium for Royals in 1972 a Question Mark". St. Joseph News-Press. August 19, 1971. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Truong was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Downtown was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dailey was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Secret memo reveals 'staggering' cost of new Royals stadium for Jackson County taxpayers". Kansas City Star. 2023.

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