Kauffman Stadium

Even the poorest-drawing baseball teams can attract more than 1 million fans in a year, far more than any football stadium. As Kansas and Missouri continue their border war over Kansas City sports teams, should they be focused on courting the Royals over the Chiefs?

Taxpayers in Kansas and Missouri still don't know if they'll be asked to help fund the stadiums for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs. The lack of transparency and public participation from the teams has some people questioning if a deal is in their best interest.

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce hosted an online presentation downplaying the border question days before teams must decide on Kansas stadium offer.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals are weighing competing incentive packages offered by Missouri and Kansas to help fund new stadiums. There's a wave of professional sports teams that are seeking upgraded homes.

The bill is a response to action from Kansas, which passed legislation offering to pay 70% of the cost of building new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. While the teams called Missouri’s plan competitive, neither has committed to staying.

The Missouri House closed the special session Wednesday with votes to finance professional sports stadiums in Kansas City and disaster relief.

Bills that would help fund new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals and provide $100 million in storm relief for St. Louis passed out of committees. If the House does not make any changes, the bills could pass the entire legislature on Wednesday.

The stadium funding plan now goes to the Missouri House. While Kansas has offered to pay 70% of the cost of new stadiums if the Kansas City teams move, Missouri's offer would cover about half the cost.

The legislation aimed at the Chiefs and Royals is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Missouri would pay up to half the cost of total project costs for building a new stadium or renovating an old one, and would have a clawback provision if the teams leave the state.

The heaviest lift appears to be passing legislation that would allow the state to help fund new stadiums or improvements for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.

A big incentive package from Kansas is expiring soon, the Royals are investing in properties across the metro and lawmakers are already fighting among themselves. Will Missouri's General Assembly be able to reach an agreement and end the drama over stadium funding?

The governor's plan to convince the Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri hit a wall of resistance in the Senate. It now appears to be dead after Republican lawmakers cut off debate and forced through measures to ban abortion and repeal paid sick leave.