Chiefs Leaving Missouri for Kansas Just Got More Likely
By Joe Summers
The state of Kansas took a massive step toward poaching the Kansas City Chiefs and/or the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday as the Kansas state legislature passed a plan to potentially issue billions worth of bonds to entice the two Missouri teams to cross the border.
After Jackson County voters denied a measure to extend a 3/8th-cent sales tax to finance renovations for GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and a new ballpark for the Royals, the gloves came off and Kansas lawmakers wasted no time in trying to get the Chiefs and Royals over to the Sunflower State.
Kansas can now use its Sales and Tax Revenue, called STAR bonds, to finance new stadiums up to 70% of the total cost, without going to the public for a vote. For those in Jackson County hoping the teams would come back to the table with a new, "better" deal for voters, this news essentially ends that pipe dream.
Kansas Legislators Pass Measure to Finance Chiefs and/or Royals Stadiums
BREAKING: The Kansas Legislature has passed an aggressive plan to court the Chiefs and Royals away from Missouri, paving a path to issuing billions in bonds to finance new stadiums for one or both teams#ksleg https://t.co/z8c8TdF8xO
— Jonathan Shorman (@jonshorman) June 18, 2024
There were rumors that one of the teams could leave the Kansas City metro entirely but the most likely outcome was always that one, or both, of the teams would cross state lines and go to Kansas instead.
On the one hand, the teams stay in Kansas City. On the other, all of the tax benefits that once went to Jackson County would now go to Johnson County instead. It's hard to overstate how much of a fumble this would be from Jackson County legislators, who now must compete with Johnson County to give the Chiefs and/or Royals the most advantageous deal for them.
The Kansas City Star writes that, "The Chiefs and Royals have not promised to come to Kansas if the bill becomes law. But they have made positive comments about the legislation, describing it as an 'option' as they evaluate where to head after their leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in 2031."
This was always the most likely outcome once Jackson County voters turned down the initial proposal. Kansas' STAR bonds give it a funding resource that Missouri simply doesn't have and didn't properly prepare for, so now we'll wait and see what the response will be from legislators in Jefferson City.
At this point, it looks more likely by the day that the Chiefs will soon play in Kansas and not Missouri. There's no love in war and politics, after all. For a state that already lost the St. Louis Rams, these last few months represent a catastrophic mistake.
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