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, 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: https://apnews.com/sports
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Fits into the Food Dividend Stock Portfolio
The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is included among the 10 Best Food Stocks with Dividends. A wholesaler distributing peanut butter, fruit spreads and specialty spreads to a retailer. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is recognized as a strong value in the food sector, with several successful brands under its belt. Notable performers include pet food lines like Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, as well as the well-liked Uncrustables sandwich products. The company paid a premium when it acquired Hostess Brands in November 2023. To refocus its efforts, the company recently sold off some brands from its Sweet Baked Snack segment, including Voortman, to concentrate more on the Hostess portfolio. Although the transition has been challenging, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) appears to be moving in the right direction. It anticipates full-year fiscal 2026 sales to grow by 2% to 4%, despite the effects of divesting certain Sweet Baked Snack value brands. The company is also expected to deliver strong earnings and free cash flow. In fiscal Q4 2025, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) reported operating cash flow of $393.9 million, and its free cash flow was $298.9 million. During the quarter, the company returned $114.5 million to shareholders through dividends, reinforcing its commitment to investor return. This cash position enables the company to consistently raise its dividends. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) declared a 1.9% hike in its quarterly dividend on July 16. This marked the company's 24th consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes it one of the best food stocks with dividends. The company now offers a quarterly dividend of $1.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.04%, as of July 27. While we acknowledge the potential of SJM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Golden State Valkyries vs. Connecticut Sun: live game updates, stats, play-by-play
Tina Charles scored 24 points, Bria Hartley and Marina Mabrey both added 15 and the last-place Connecticut Sun rolled to a 95-64 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. The Sun (4-20) had a season high for points thanks to season bests of 12 3-pointers, 53% overall shooting (35 of 66) and 14 steals. French rookie Leila Lacan had six steals in just her sixth game.
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Knicks reserve guard could see increased role next season
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride could be the biggest beneficiary of Mike Brown being hired as the team's new head coach. Per SNY's Ian Begley, McBride could see an increased role compared to his role under Tom Thibodeau. 'We don't know how Knicks coach Mike Brown will deploy his rotation. But it's logical to think that McBride will play significant minutes with Clarkson and Yabusele,' Begley said. In the past, it would appear at times as though McBride wasn't being utilized properly in the rotation. Now with Brown, it's possible that McBride could see an increased role in the offense. McBride has the ability to play in several different types of lineups for the Knicks thanks to his ability to space the floor and defend at a high level. McBride himself spoke with Begley about sharing the second unit with new acquisitions Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele. 'Obviously (Clarkson's) a vet in this league. He's done great things,' McBride said, per Begley. 'Obviously, he can fill up the stat sheet and really score the ball at a high level. And obviously adding Geurschon as well. I think everybody's seen what he did in the Olympics and carrying that momentum into (last season), so we're really excited about him.' 'I feel like we're going to play fast, we're going to be using a lot of different guys,' he added. 'If you saw the Finals, they (Oklahoma City and Indiana) had a lot of depth on both teams, and I feel like we're all NBA guys. So if you're on the team, I feel like you're able to help out.' McBride averaged a career-best 9.5 points per game last season off the bench, and shot 37 percent from three-point range. Next year could be a breakout season for him should he get an increased role.
