A group representing low-wage workers submitted thousands of petition signatures in an effort to force a public vote on Kansas City’s new Royals stadium plan.
In April, the Kansas City Council approved a funding plan that would dedicate $600 million in public money to helping the Royals build a $1.9 billion stadium at Crown Center. Because the package would use new sales and earnings tax revenue within a stadium district to pay off city-backed bonds, it is not subject to a public vote.
Almost immediately, the nonprofit Missouri Workers Center announced it would launch a campaign against the deal.
On Friday afternoon, the group brought 4,500 signatures to the Kansas City Clerk’s office. If verified, it would trigger a process to “place a citizens' initiative on the ballot” that would give Kansas City voters final say over the financial commitment.
“Where we’ll be able to vote on what happens with our tax dollars, regardless of what the project is or what’s going on in our city, we should have a say on what our tax dollars get spent on,” Wise said.
However, Kansas City Council would still need to approve the measure to appear on the ballot.
Terrace Wise, a leader for the Missouri Workers Power, said the stadium funds would be better spent on improving the living standards of residents.
“Think about the issues here in Kansas City,” said Wise. “The low wages, affordable houses, the list goes on and on. If you ask me or anyone walking the street, would a billion-dollar stadium help fix any of those issues, and the answer would be no.”
The group modeled its approach after a citizens' petition in 2017 that led to a ballot question to approve construction of the new Kansas City airport terminal.
Voters around Kansas City already rejected public funding for a stadium once. In April 2024, Jackson County residents overwhelmingly voted against a 3/8th-cent sales tax extension that would have paid for a new downtown ballpark for the Royals and renovations at the Truman Sports Complex.
The Kansas City Chiefs announced in December 2025 that they would move across state lines, building a $3 billion domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and a headquarters in Olathe. A few months later, in April 2026, the Royals said they reached a deal with Hallmark Cards for a ballpark district in Crown Center.
“While the Royals and Crown Center redevelopment, including necessary binding agreements, are already well underway, we will continue to look forward to engagement with all members of our community to ensure good-paying jobs are a key part of the project,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a statement responding to the petition.
