Kauffman Stadium

Home-plate entrance to Kauffman Stadium, Sep-2011.

Looking at the seating bowl through the famous fountains,. Aug-2005.

The fountains and video board (new in 2009) distract attention from I-70.

Chronological Tour: Stop 33

• Location: Harry S Truman Sports Complex, I-70 at I-435, Kansas City, Mo. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1973 as Royals Stadium
• Additional names: Kauffman Stadium (1996)
• Home team: Kansas City Royals, American League (1973-present)
• Capacity: 40,529

Rating: 4 baseballs

The Royals played at Municipal Stadium, home of the A’s, from 1969-72 before moving into this ballpark, which is adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL’s Chiefs. The park’s distinctive outfield fountains stretch across right field, and an additional fountain has been added to flank the video board in left field.

My first visit was on a Monday night in 1992, a “Royal Night” with reduced admissions. I returned and took the above photos in August 2005, during a Royals losing streak which reached 19 games before they snapped it in Oakland two weeks later.

Significant renovations took place prior to the start of the 2009 season; I revisited the park in 2011 and posted two of the above photos.

With the park out in the far eastern suburbs, the sports complex succeeds in extorting parking patrons, to the tune of $30 a car as of 2021. (Discounts are available for pre-purchasing parking.)

There is a proposal on the board to move the club back into downtown Kansas City; stay tuned.