KANSAS CITY, Kan. — While the Chiefs and Royals will continue to play home games in Kansas City, Missouri, both teams said they’ll explore how new legislation in Kansas could open doors for one or both of the teams to move to the Sunflower State.
Tuesday, the Kansas House and Senate passed HB 2001 which expands the state’s STAR bond program. The program allows developers to use sales tax generated at new attractions to pay off bonds used to pay for those developments. The program led to the Kansas Speedway and Children’s Mercy Park among other examples.
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The changes approved by the state legislature Tuesday expand the program in a way that tailors it to attracting the Chiefs and/or Royals to Kansas. Here’s what will happen next.
Governor’s signature
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has 10 days upon receipt of the bill to act on it. She can sign it into law or veto it. If she doesn’t do anything within the 10 days, the bill automatically becomes law. Her chief of staff told legislators Monday Kelly was watching the bill.
“If this bill were to land on the governors desk as it is, we don’t have concerns over the bill. Nothing that would warrant a veto,” Will Lawrence said.
Negotiation period
The new STAR bond legislation gives the state until June 30, 2025 to negotiate a deal with one or both teams. The legislative coordinating council, a group of eight legislators, will lead negotiations alongside the secretary of commerce.
The group can expand the negotiating period to June 30, 2026 if they so choose.
Public vote
So no public vote is necessary to approve a new stadium location.
Voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected a sales tax proposal to help the teams build and renovate their stadiums within the county.
Current leases
Both teams have leases to remain at their stadiums within the Truman Sports Complex through January 2031.
Teams will want to begin construction on new stadiums well in advance of their lease expiring, but they may not move to a new stadium until the current lease expires.
Location
Neither team has committed to moving to Kansas even if Governor Kelly signs the bill into law. During a committee meeting Monday reviewing HB 2001, a lawyer representing the Chiefs said any new site would require several hundred acres for a stadium, at least 20,000 parking spaces, and space for neighboring development like a hotel and retail.
“We’re not picking a particular piece of dirt. We are not picking a county. We are not picking a city. That is all very intentional. We want landowners to come forward and raise their hand. We want developers to bring forward projects. We want the cities to bring forward their projects,” said Korb Maxwell of Polsinelli Law Firm on behalf of the Chiefs.
Border War
Leaders at the state, county and city level in Missouri have said they will be "competitive" in their efforts to keep the teams in Missouri. Mayor Quinton Lucas said conversations between the city and teams will continue.
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