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Governor Kehoe Calls Special Session to Prevent Team Relocation

Community support for Kansas City sports teams amid funding discussions.

News Summary

Governor Mike Kehoe has announced plans for a special session of the Missouri Legislature to discuss a funding plan to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from relocating to Kansas. This follows a failure to secure stadium funding during the regular session. The session aims to propose state incentives to support new stadiums, amid challenges in financing similar projects in Missouri. A sense of urgency surrounds the discussions as Kansas’s funding plans are set to expire soon.

Kansas City, Missouri – Governor Mike Kehoe has officially announced plans to call a special session of the Missouri Legislature to discuss a funding plan aimed at preventing the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals from relocating to Kansas. This announcement follows a previous failure to secure stadium funding during the regular legislative session.

The special session is intended to propose state incentives that would support a new stadium for the Chiefs and a new venue for the Royals. Recently, Kansas passed a law permitting state bonds to cover up to 70% of costs associated with new stadium construction, presenting a significant incentive for teams considering relocation.

Funding strategies in Kansas include revenue generated from sports betting, lottery ticket sales, as well as new sales and alcohol taxes. However, efforts in Missouri to secure similar financial backing have encountered obstacles. Jackson County voters turned down a recent sales tax extension that would have been critical for funding new stadium projects.

The Chiefs and Royals have taken residence in Kansas City for over 50 years, and their current stadium leases extend until 2031. Governor Kehoe has termed the proposed funding plan a “huge economic development package,” reflecting its perceived importance to the local economy.

The Missouri House had previously passed a bill that would allow state bonds to cover 50% of the construction costs for new stadiums, in addition to tax credits that could reach up to $50 million. Despite this progress, the Missouri Senate did not act on the funding bill, resulting in frustration among many lawmakers.

As discussions move forward, skepticism persists among some legislative members regarding the effectiveness of state incentives for financing professional sports venues. Governor Kehoe has indicated the special session might be scheduled for early June, shortly after the General Assembly’s regular session concluded without advancing the proposal.

The funding proposals set several stipulations, including a cap on state funding at 50% of the total project costs. Both proposed stadium projects must have a minimum construction cost of $500 million and accommodate more than 30,000 spectators. Estimates suggest that building a new stadium for the Royals could exceed $1 billion, while a stadium for the Chiefs might reach as high as $3 billion.

Political backing for the funding proposition is mixed, as some lawmakers have expressed the need for more public input and consideration of taxpayers’ interests. Additionally, the Missouri plan requires local government contributions to fulfill funding obligations, adding another layer of complexity to the proposal.

Time is an essential factor, as the Kansas plan for stadium financing is set to expire at the end of June, creating a sense of urgency for the teams as they weigh their options. In recognition of this urgency, Governor Kehoe is aiming to secure bipartisan support for the funding, striving to ensure the Chiefs and Royals remain in Missouri for the foreseeable future.

The upcoming special session is expected to stimulate significant legislative activity as the governor seeks to rally support for a plan that could solidify the future of professional sports in Kansas City.