The Kansas City Royals are finally set to bring baseball downtown.A ‘world class’ ballpark, surrounding mixed-use development and re-imagined team headquarters will built after a years-long search for Kauffman Stadium’s replacement.The Royals have confirmed their new ballpark siteGettyThe project, announced by the Royals and Hallmark Cards Wednesday, will come at a cost of nearly $2billion.Kansas City Royals announce new stadium siteIt will see the team move from Truman Sports Complex, a site they have shared with the Kansas City Chiefs for 54 years, to Crown Center.The new ballpark will be built just south of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, while the Chiefs are moving across state lines.“Our founder Ewing Kauffman wanted the Royals to be Kansas City’s forever, and he wanted the team to benefit his hometown as much as possible,” Royals CEO and Chairman John Sherman said, announcing the decision.“Joining Hallmark with this project achieves both and extends the Hall family’s critical legacy of helping Kansas City grow.”According to a release shared on the MLB website, the total project would be funded primarily by the Royals and other private investors.It will also be supplemented by public funding from the City of Kansas City, and Missouri’s Show-Me Sports Investment Act.“Today’s announcement reinforces that the State of Missouri is not just where the Kansas City Royals play but where they belong,” Governor Mike Kehoe said.“This decision by the Royals to invest in our state is more than just a commitment to Kansas City, it is a commitment to communities and fans across Missouri.“I appreciate the partnership of the Royals organization, Hallmark and state and local leaders in working together to make this project a reality.”The Royals and Chiefs are set to leave Truman Sports Complex in the coming yearsGettyThe announcement of a Crown Center site ends a long-running sage over the future of the team. Royals return to downtown after decades awayAfter years of weighing up options, public discourse and even a failed stadium tax vote, the Royals are heading back downtown.Before moving into Kauffman, the team played at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.That was located at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and E. 22nd Street, just southeast of downtown.The new ballpark site will be just a stone’s throw away from there, and Union Station, where fans gathered to celebrate the World Series win in 2015.“For over 50 years, Crown Center and the Kansas City Royals have created memories that last a lifetime for the people of our region,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Wednesday.Royals fans celebrated their 2015 World Series win at Union StationGetty“The public-private partnership between Hallmark, the Royals, Kansas City and our state ensures we connect our neighborhoods, keeps our downtown vibrant and maintains big league baseball in our city for generations to come.“I look forward to decades of new, treasured experiences, thousands of jobs and vibrant small business growth and millions of visitors building the beating heart of our region — our downtown — while cheering on our Royals.“Play ball!”Stay up to date with the latest from MLB across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.