Missouri’s governor promised a Chiefs, Royals stadium plan. He’ll soon leave office without one
When Kansas lawmakers passed an aggressive bonding plan last year to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals across the state line, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson made clear that there needed to be a response.
By the end of the year, Parson told reporters in June, he thought Missouri would “have something in place to be able to say where we’re going and to hopefully be able to say what I believe the state should do.”
That self-imposed deadline passed last week. Now, as Parson prepares to leave office next week, he has not released any publicly available funding plans related to keeping the Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.
While officials express confidence that both teams will remain in the state, the lack of a clear plan looms over the upcoming legislative session, which begins on Wednesday. It is also likely to put pressure on Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who will be sworn in to succeed Parson next week.
Local and state officials say they continue to meet with each other and representatives from the teams. However, it still remains unclear what a plan would look like, who would present it (state or local governments) or whether there will be a response at all from the Missouri side of the metro.
The lack of a plan has vexed Missouri lawmakers, including the incoming Republican and Democratic leaders of the Missouri House, who are both from the Kansas City-area.
“I wish we had a plan set in place right now,” said Missouri House Speaker-designee Jonathan Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican. “But I think what we’re finding is that — finding homes for two major sports franchises is more challenging than we had expected.”
Patterson said he planned to meet with Parson regarding the Chiefs and Royals this week. However, he said that any type of funding plan would have to come from local governments first.
“If the state is needed, we’ll just have to really put our heads together, especially with a new governor, and see what we can come up with,” he said.
Incoming House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said she was “definitely frustrated” with the absence of direction. She agreed with Patterson that local and state governments needed to be on the same page.
“It’s almost like we are all waiting for Kansas City to tell us what they need or what they would like to do,” Aune said. “It’s hard to be proactive about this right now without really knowing what the big picture is.”
A spokesperson for Parson declined comment for this story. While Kehoe has said he supports keeping the teams, his spokesperson did not respond to questions about any specific incentives plans.
Teams silent on negotiations
Few issues in Missouri politics could loom larger than the effort to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the state
The teams’ leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in 2031. While several years away, any move for one or both teams would be a massive undertaking that would have to get underway soon.
Jackson County voters in April rejected a stadiums sales tax that would have ensured both teams stayed in the county and helped fund a move by the Royals into the Crossroads. After the vote, Kansas quickly mounted an effort to court the teams.
The Kansas Legislature last spring passed a bill allowing a super-charged bonding plan to finance stadiums for one or both teams — a powerful incentive potentially worth billions of dollars. Missouri leaders have promised to respond, but no such plan has been made available.
The Chiefs and Royals, for their part, have not shared publicly what they want from Missouri and local officials.
“We are exploring all options available to us, and when we have a plan we will share it,” said Sam Mellinger, a spokesperson for the Royals.
Chiefs CEO and chairman Clark Hunt, as well as team president Mark Donovan, have repeatedly said they are exploring options on both sides of the state line. They have not provided specifics.
Kansas City and Jackson County weigh in
Even with no clear plan coming from the state, local officials continue to express confidence that the teams will stay in Missouri.
Reid Day, a spokesperson for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, said the mayor has spoken with both Parson and Kehoe about keeping the Chiefs and Royals. He said he expects both teams will play in Kansas City and Missouri “for decades to come.”
“The Mayor continues to work closely with all parties, including the teams, to explore options for the future of the Royals and Chiefs and looks forward to working with Governor-elect Kehoe, his administration, and legislators to retain both teams,” Day said in an email.
Lucas has told The Star that the city’s conversations with the Royals have focused exclusively on a site at Washington Square Park. In Kansas, the Royals are also exploring a site at the former Sprint Campus near 117th Street and Nall Avenue.
Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr., in an emailed statement, said keeping the teams was a top priority. However, he said that any agreement would have to be fair to Jackson County residents.
“Historically, and even today, Jackson County has shouldered the overwhelming majority of taxpayer funding for these teams, providing well over 90% of the public investment in their success,” White said, reiterating that any new agreement would have to be fair.
White said he has had “thoughtful discussions” with Parson and plans to continue those conversations with Kehoe.
In terms of the teams, White said much of Jackson County’s conversations have been with the Chiefs, adding that the county has “respected the City of Kansas City’s publicly stated desire to take the lead in conversations with the Royals.”
Moving forward, White said that it’s essential that all parties work together “to develop thoughtful, collaborative solutions.”
“Ultimately, I will support additional taxpayer funding only if, and when, an agreement is reached that is fair, equitable, and delivers tangible benefits to Jackson County residents,” White said “This process is about honoring the proud legacy of the Chiefs and Royals while building a future that strengthens our community and addresses the broader needs of our residents.”
As the Missouri General Assembly prepares to start the legislative session in Jefferson City this week, the future of both teams is likely to be on the minds of Kansas City-area lawmakers.
“I would like to see Kansas City, as a locality, determine what it is that they need, and the state can say here’s how we can help,” Aune said. “I do think that there needs to be a solid plan on the local level first and I haven’t seen that yet either.”
The Star’s Sam McDowell contributed to this story.
