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Missouri Supreme Court rejects lawsuit over Royals and Chiefs stadium funding bill

A graphic shows a gate where people will enter a baseball stadium.
Populous
This is the south entry to the proposed Royals ballpark downtown, which officials said will offer visitors one of the most intimate experiences in major league baseball.

The judges ruled that two state lawmakers and a lobbyist lacked the right to file suit over the legislation. The tax bill authorized matching funds to help Kansas City build or renovate stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals.

A lawsuit challenging a wide-ranging tax bill passed during a special session in 2025 will not move forward.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled 5-2 on Tuesday that two state lawmakers and a lobbyist lacked the right to file the case, a legal term known as standing. The decision preserves programs to build sports stadiums and provide relief to victims of the May 2025 tornado.

The tax bill was one of three pieces of legislation approved during a special session of the Missouri General Assembly in June 2025. It was mainly meant to help Kansas City retain the Chiefs and Royals by authorizing matching funds to cover annual bond payments up to the amount the team currently generates in tax.

But the legislation also included a tax credit for insurance deductibles for disaster victims, extended the expiration of a tax credit for amateur and collegiate sporting events, and language around property tax increases.

That prompted state Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, and state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, R-St. Genevieve, along with lobbyist Ron Calzone, to file suit alleging the bill violated language in Missouri's Constitution that bills must contain a single subject.

A lower court ruled earlier in February that none of the men had standing, and dismissed the case. Tuesday's decision upheld that ruling.

The suit had led the Missouri Department of Revenue to wait to issue the disaster tax credit. A spokesperson did not immediately say when the process would begin.

Copyright 2026 St. Louis Public Radio

Rachel Lippmann covers courts, public safety and city politics for St. Louis Public Radio.
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