Explore how the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s new expansion will honor its legendary history and enhance visitor experiences.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, recently received a $2 million grant from the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation to support its $30 million expansion efforts.
The museum plans to triple its current square footage by creating a Negro Leagues campus. Museum President Bob Kendrick says the campus will feature new, state-of-the-art facilities and exhibits, classrooms, a rooftop event space and on-site accommodations for visitors in addition to the existing Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center.
This ambitious expansion project will not only enhance its tribute to Black baseball history but also introduce a 100-unit hotel and up to 200 new apartments, transforming the surrounding area into a cultural and residential hub.
Positioned at 18th and Paseo, just north of the YMCA—soon to become the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center—the expanded campus will cement its ties to an area steeped in history. The YMCA building itself holds significance, as it was here that Andrew “Rube” Foster and other team owners established the Negro National League on February 13, 1920.
Projected at a cost of $25–$30 million, the 30,000-square-foot facility will sit on 2.8 acres and remain committed to the 18th and Vine district. Bob Kendrick, President of NLBM, emphasized the importance of honoring the museum’s roots. “Buck O’Neil would roll over in his grave with the thought of us moving this museum somewhere else,” he said, reinforcing the project’s commitment to revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood.
The collaboration between developers Grayson Capital LLC and Corbella LLC is set to add a premium edge to the site. The future Negro League Baseball Museum Hotel will include dining options, a rooftop bar, retail spaces, and features designed to complement rather than overshadow the museum’s historical narrative. According to Michael Collins, CEO of Grayson Capital, construction is expected to significantly progress within the next 14 to 15 months.
The project marks a significant milestone for the NLBM, preserving history while paving the way for a vibrant future in the heart of Kansas City.
This expansion is designed to further NLBM’s mission of preserving and celebrating the rich history of African American baseball and its impact on social advancement in America.
Learn more about the Negro League Baseball Museum’s “Pitch for the Future” expansion plan at NLBM.com.
Read more about the $2 million MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation grant at FOX4 News Kansas City.
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