Royals

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 Kansas City Royals need to get moving if the team wants a new stadium by 2031. Decision makers in Jackson County, Clay County and North Kansas City do not want to repeat the mistake of working out details after it’s been placed on a ballot.

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.

Missouri state Sen. Rick Brattin stepped down as chair of the Missouri Freedom Caucus just days after voting in favor of a Kansas City stadium funding deal. The conservative group criticized the plan as a "handout to billionaire sports team owners."

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.

As Missouri lawmakers prepare to debate a counter offer to keep the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City, economists say Kansas’ proposal to use STAR bonds may not be financially feasible. “You are not going to generate enough net revenue to cover one of the facilities, let alone two,” one expert says.

The Senate Freedom Caucus is demanding tax cuts in exchange for not blocking stadium funds for the Royals and Chiefs, while Democrats retaliated for slights during the regular session by derailing the routine work of signing bills. The tensions don't bode well for next week's special session.

The Royals confirmed their interest in the Aspiria complex near 119th Street and Nall Avenue — once the Sprint World Headquarters campus — while also emphasizing that they "continue to explore all options throughout our community to develop a new stadium."

Gov. Mike Kehoe said Friday that he will call back lawmakers for a special session to consider a counteroffer that would keep both Kansas City teams in Missouri. He called it an economic development package.

It's the first time in more than 70 years that the House has adjourned early. The session had been scheduled to end on Friday.