Kauffman Stadium has been the home of the Kansas City Royals since it opened on April 10, 1973, as Royals Stadium. Part of the Truman Sports Complex alongside Arrowhead Stadium, it was designed by Kivett and Myers specifically for baseball at a time when most new venues were being built as multipurpose facilities shared with football teams.
The ballpark was renamed Kauffman Stadium on July 2, 1993, in honor of Royals founder Ewing Kauffman. A major renovation completed in 2009 modernized the facility with a massive new video board while preserving the stadium’s signature outfield water feature, keeping it one of the most distinctive settings in Major League Baseball.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Kansas City Royals (MLB)
- Location: Kansas City, Missouri
- Opened: April 10, 1973 (as Royals Stadium)
- Renamed: July 2, 1993, for Ewing Kauffman
- Capacity: about 37,900
- Playing surface: Natural grass (Kentucky bluegrass/ryegrass, since 1995)
- Notable feature: 322-foot outfield fountain and waterfall display
- Architect: Kivett and Myers
The Ballpark Experience
Kauffman Stadium is best known for the fountains and waterfalls that stretch across the outfield behind the right-center field wall, often cited as the largest privately funded fountain display in the world. The cascading water became a signature backdrop for home runs and is illuminated for postgame shows, giving the ballpark an identity distinct from any other stadium in the league.
Beyond the fountains, the stadium’s crown-shaped scoreboard structure in center field echoes the Royals’ logo. Built from gold interference-coated stainless steel with LED-lit spheres, the crown flashes and glows after home runs, adding a dramatic visual signature to night games.
Renovation and Modern Upgrades
Kauffman Stadium underwent a roughly $250 million renovation between 2007 and 2009 that widened concourses, added new club and suite levels, and installed a state-of-the-art scoreboard measuring 85 by 105 feet, which was among the largest high-definition displays in sports at the time it debuted.
Despite the modernization, the Royals and Truman Sports Complex Authority preserved the ballpark’s baseball-only layout and open-air fountain views, distinguishing it from the cookie-cutter multipurpose stadiums that were common when it originally opened in 1973.
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Kauffman Stadium FAQs
When did Kauffman Stadium open?
It opened on April 10, 1973, originally under the name Royals Stadium, before being renamed Kauffman Stadium on July 2, 1993.
What is Kauffman Stadium’s seating capacity?
The stadium seats approximately 37,900 fans following its 2007-2009 renovation.
What is Kauffman Stadium most famous for?
It is best known for its 322-foot outfield fountains and waterfalls, widely regarded as the largest privately funded water feature in professional sports.
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Photo: Chibears85 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.