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New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Missouri governor signs package to help finance Chiefs, Royals stadium projects
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a legislative package Saturday intended to persuade the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals to remain in the state amid ongoing discussion of the teams' futures along the Missouri-Kansas state line. The Chiefs and Royals have played in side-by-side stadiums on the east side of Kansas City (Mo.) for five decades and shared a lease at the Truman Sports Complex that runs through Jan. 31, 2031. As the expiration date nears, legislators in Missouri and Kansas have battled to present the best financial framework to attract the teams to their respective sides of the state line. The Chiefs are considering renovating Arrowhead Stadium or building a state-of-the-art venue, likely a dome. The Royals, who play at Kauffman Stadium, intend to be in a new ballpark before the lease ends. Advertisement The new legislation from Missouri, approved by lawmakers at a special session last Wednesday, authorizes the state to cover up to 50 percent of stadium construction costs through state-issued bonds, and it authorizes the use of up to $50 million in tax credits for each stadium. Local governments would also have to provide an unspecified amount of aid to help finance stadium projects that both teams have voiced interest in. Last year, the Chiefs and Royals put forward a plan to voters in Jackson County, Mo., agreeing to remain in the county for at least the next 25 years if voters agreed to an extension of a three-eighths-cent sales tax to help finance a renovation of Arrowhead Stadium and the construction of a new downtown ballpark. However, voters rejected the extension of the sales tax, further raising questions about the teams' futures in Kansas City. Then, legislators in Kansas added pressure by approving state bonds last summer that would cover up to 70 percent of new stadium costs in their state. The bonds expire June 30, an unofficial deadline for both franchises to decide their futures, but could be renewed for another year. In a statement to The Associated Press, the Chiefs described the recent Missouri legislative vote as a 'significant step forward' that enables the team to continue exploring options to remain in the state. Kansas City (Mo.) Mayor Quinton Lucas, a lifelong Chiefs fan, said in August he believes the teams will remain in Missouri. 'The way that we do our stadium obligations in Missouri is that they are publicly owned as compared to what you see in Kansas,' Lucas said in August. 'That makes a very big difference (in) tax implications long term. If you look at the economics, if you look at the plans the teams have said before, both teams will be in Kansas City, Mo., for years to come.'
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Missouri governor signs off on financial aid for Chiefs, Royals stadiums
June 15 - Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed off on legislation that could provide millions of dollars for stadium upgrades for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. Under the bill approved in a special session Wednesday by Missouri lawmakers, the state agreed to authorize bonds to pay for up to half of the cost to build or renovate a stadium, as well as offer tax credits. Local governments also would provide unspecifed assistance. The two teams play at the Truman Sports Complex, with their stadiums side by side. Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972 as the home of the Chiefs, with the Royals moving into what now is called Kauffman Stadium the following season. Though still esthetically pleasing, the two stadiums are among the oldest in their sports. In the NFL, only the Chicago Bears (Soldier Field, built in 1924) and Green Bay Packers (Lambeau Field, 1957) play in older venues. In Major League Baseball, only the Boston Red Sox (Fenway Park, 1912), Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field, 1914), Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodger Stadium, 1962) and Los Angeles Angels (Angel Stadium, 1966) have stadiums with a longer life span. The signed bill in Missouri applies to any assistance for any NFL or MLB team that wants to undergo a stadium renovation or build of at least $500 million. That means the St. Louis Cardinals also could get financial aid should they want to improve Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006 amid a wave of new stadiums. The Chiefs and Royals have a looming deadline, however. In an effort to lure the teams to Kansas, that state last year authorized the issuance of bonds for as much as 70 percent of the cost of new stadiums. That offer is scheduled to expire June 30. Kansas City, Mo., tucked in the northwest corner of the state, sits right on the border with Kansas. Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. are separated by just four miles, for example. Neither team has discounted a move to Kansas. The Chiefs previously unveiled renderings for a proposed multimillion dollar renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have said they want to move from Kauffman Stadium, preferably to a new ballpark downtown. In April 2024, voters in Jackson County, Mo., rejected a sales tax measure that would have helped to pay for Arrowhead renovations and a stadium for the Royals. The teams' leases for their existing stadiums expire in January 2031. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Missouri governor signs stadium aid package intended to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the state
Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates with teammates after their baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates with teammates after their baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates with teammates after their baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a legislative package on Saturday, approved by Missouri lawmakers earlier in the week, that includes hundreds of millions of dollars of financial aid intended to persuade the Chiefs and Royals to remain in the state. Kehoe, a Republican, had called lawmakers into special session and they approved of the package Wednesday. Advertisement The Chiefs and Royals currently play at the Truman Sports Complex on the east side of Kansas City, where Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking facilities. But their leases with Jackson County, Missouri, expire in January 2031, and the two franchises have been trying to decide the best route forward for the past several years. Last year, Jackson County voters defeated a sales tax extension that would have helped finance an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium — the home of the Chiefs — and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City. The slow movement by those on the Missouri side of the state line in supporting the franchises prompted lawmakers in Kansas to authorize bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums in their state. The Royals have bought a mortgage for property in Kansas, though the team also has continued to pursue other possible sites in Missouri. The offer from Kansas is scheduled to expire June 30, and both teams have indicated they will hope to have a plan formulated by then. Missouri's legislation authorizes bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments. Advertisement If they choose to stay in Missouri, the Chiefs have floated plans for a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have insisted all along that they intend to build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium. The stadium subsidies already were a top concern in Missouri when a deadly tornado struck St. Louis on May 16, causing an estimated $1.6 billion of damage a day after lawmakers had wrapped up work in their annual regular session. Disaster relief tied to stadium funding had widespread support. On Wednesday, Democratic state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins described to lawmakers how she had witnessed the tornado rip the roof off her house and damage her St. Louis neighborhood. 'Homes are crumbled and leveled,' said Collins, adding: 'It hurts me to my core to see the families that have worked so hard, the businesses that have worked so hard, to see them ripped apart.' Advertisement The Chiefs, in a statement to The Associated Press, described the legislative vote this week as a 'significant step forward' that enables the team to continue exploring options to remain in Missouri. The Royals described the legislation as 'a very important piece of our decision-making process' but made no site-specific commitment. 'Our focus remains the same: to prioritize the best interests of our team, fans, partners and regional community as we pursue the next generational home for the Kansas City Royals,' the team said in a statement to the AP. Though they have no specific plans in the works, the St. Louis Cardinals also would be eligible for stadium aid if they undertake a project of at least $500 million. They built their existing Busch Stadium nearly 20 years ago. 'We have the chance to maybe save what is the symbol of this state,' said state Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis County. Advertisement The legislation did face some bipartisan pushback from those who described it as a subsidy for wealthy franchise owners. Others raised concerns that a property tax break for homeowners, which was added in the Senate to gain votes, violates the state constitution by providing different levels of tax relief in various counties while excluding others entirely. 'This bill is unconstitutional, it's fiscally reckless, it's morally wrong,' Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin said. ___ Associated Press writer David Lieb contributed to this report. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Consider KC stadium funding if subsidies are fair and can improve our quality of life
Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City Monday to begin a special session with a limited but highly important agenda on their desks. The centerpiece of the session: a proposed financial support blueprint for stadiums in Missouri for the Royals and the Chiefs. Some lawmakers, from both the right and the left, will oppose any public support, of any kind, for stadium projects here or anywhere else. They think sports stadiums are not essential to a community or state, and provide little economic benefit. We respect that judgment. But let's also be clear: public subsidies for private industries have been a part of Missouri's political structure for decades. Missourians paid tens of millions of dollars over three decades to build a domed stadium in St. Louis, for example. Missouri currently pays for upkeep at the Truman Sports Complex. The Cardinals are reportedly eyeing state help for repairs and upgrades at their stadium. Missouri provides assistance for job training expenses. It offers a long list of tax credit programs designed to boost businesses. It authorizes cities to offer subsidies for construction, housing, business and other industries. Much of downtown Kansas City has been built with taxpayer help. We have long been skeptical of these programs, and others, but we don't reject them as a matter of principle. Instead, Missourians must look closely at the details and goals of public subsidies to determine if they're fair, and can reasonably be expected to improve the quality of life in the state. We hope lawmakers will use those guideposts in their discussion of state help for Kansas City sports stadiums. Here's how: The subsidies should be as low as possible. They must reflect the direct impact of the teams on the state's economy and tax structure. Also, the teams should pay for a significant portion of their new or rehabbed facilities. They should do so in public, with firm commitments (including coverage of cost overruns) before the state disburses any money for the projects. On this score, we remain deeply disappointed at the lack of public engagement by the Chiefs and Royals over the past year. Basic questions remain unanswered. If the teams want billions in subsidies, they should ask the people first. Other shoulds: The teams' patrons should contribute significant money to the building projects. The package under consideration requires a local government commitment to the projects in order to qualify for state funds. That's not only a good idea — it should be reinforced by voters: The General Assembly could require a local vote, for example, before local taxes are spent on stadiums. The Royals and Chiefs must show a real commitment to local and state benefit agreements, signed before taxpayer dollars are allocated. At minimum, it should include inclusive hiring and job training opportunities on the projects. Kansas City's new airport terminal project could be a model for these agreements. Meeting these and other goals during the special session will be extraordinarily difficult. Relationships among members of the legislature are at an historic low. There are a hundred reasons to vote against these projects and only one reason, really, to vote yes: Professional sports franchises are important in Missouri. That fact is often forgotten in the blather surrounding this subject. We don't buy — nor should you — the notion that sports franchises are unique drivers of economic development. They aren't. Instead, the Royals and Chiefs provide a different value. They unite our often splintered community, making this a better place to live. That benefit is significant, and can't be quantified in dollars and cents. We think it's an added value lawmakers should fully consider. That could lead them to approve an aid package that is fair, targeted, low-cost, transparent and helps everyone who lives and works in Missouri. If the people of St. Louis need additional resources to rebuild following May's devastating tornado, legislators should provide that help. The starting offer of $25 million for emergency housing aid seems astonishingly low for a storm that may have caused more than $1 billion in damage. States, including Missouri, must get ready for these kinds of spending decisions, since President Donald Trump has said he would limit or end the federal government's role in disaster response. When the storm hits, apparently, we're on our own. Lawmakers must also consider and approve a list of state building projects, including, potentially, more than $48 million allocated for a 200-bed mental health hospital in Kansas City. The project is part of a massive capital spending bill that collapsed in the closing days of the regular session. These projects deserve a vote. Lawmakers should provide it.
