KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Efforts from Kansas lawmakers to lure the Kansas City Chiefs across the state line haven't gone unnoticed and are even appreciate by top brass from the team.
Ahead of a ring ceremony to celebrate the team's Super Bowl LVIII victory, Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt and President Mark Donovan spoke on the matter.
Kansas lawmakers hope to discuss legislation on a Professional Sports Franchise STAR Bond Project during a special session set to begin next week.
Both Donovan and Hunt said they would keep an eye on what comes of the special session and what opportunities could open up for the team.
"We really appreciate and support the folks in Kansas who are working to provide an option," Donovan said. "The potential to be able evaluate that versus other options is something that is really important to us. We're excited to hopefully get that passed on Tuesday, and then be able to look at that and evaluate that versus the other options we have to look at."
The team said it would evaluate all options on where to house the team after Jackson County voters rejected Question 1, a 3/8-cent sales tax to help fund stadium projects for both the Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.
Clark said it's too early in the process to discuss specifics on what the team moving to Kansas could look like, but doubled down on the idea that the team is open to all options.
"As I said about a month ago, we're in the period right now where we're willing to talk to anybody," he said. "We're just looking for opportunities, and obviously there's a lot going on on the Kansas side and they have a vote coming up next week. So, it's probably a little premature to talk about that option specifically, but we're open to options anywhere in the metropolitan area."
Leaders on the Missouri side like Gov. Mike Parson and Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas have said they'll do all they can to keep the team in the state.
Clark said the team has been in contact with both sides of the state line, though it's very early in the process.
"We've had conversations on both sides, but I would say at this point they're premature; they're very much at the beginning stages," he said.
The special session in Kansas is set to begin on Tuesday, June 18.
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