Plan to incentivize Chiefs, Royals to stay in Missouri in jeopardy as Missouri Senate adjourns
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Missouri Senate adjourned for its regular session on Wednesday, cutting short Governor Mike Kehoe’s plan to incentivize the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to stay in the Show-Me State.
The last-minute effort ed in the Missouri House on Tuesday as an amendment to Senate Bill 80. The rush was then on to get it through the Senate by the scheduled end of session on Friday at 6 p.m. That goalpost changed Wednesday when Senate Republicans ended the session two days early without taking the measure to a vote.
It’s the latest development in an ongoing stadium saga for both teams as they face the expiration of their leases at the Truman Sports Complex in 2031.
The plan, backed by Kehoe, applies only to stadiums with capacities that exceed 30,000 people. It would’ve allowed teams to get a bond up to their current state tax revenue. That comes out to nearly $29 million for the Chiefs and $26 million for the Royals. It also would’ve allowed a 10% tax credit up to $50 million, and only up to half of the project.
For it to be discussed again, Kehoe would have to call a special session to discuss it.
On Wednesday, the Missouri Senate overrode Amendments ed in the November election for abortion and workers’ sick leave. That action could prove to be a roadblock toward discussing stadiums again in Jefferson City.
Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, who represents Clay County, had been pushing for the funding package.
“There was a path today to get that stadium financing done. We had a very clear path to get that done,” Nurtenbern said. “And it was the Republican supermajority that chose not to go down that path. And it is because of them that the priority of the governor’s is not completed today.”
All 10 Democrat senators in the 34-person chamber gathered Wednesday to blast the move by Republicans to upend ballot initiatives ed by voters. They balked at the idea of a special session about stadiums.
“Those things are more important to me and my colleagues than the Chiefs,” said Sen. Barbara Washington, who represents southeastern Kansas City. “I love the Chiefs. There’s no doubt about it. And I’ve worked at the NFL, and I don’t think that’s a secret. But at the end of the day, we have to listen to the will of the voters also.”
Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Republican representing Eastern Jackson County, said the majority of the Republicans in the Senate seemed to the incentive package, but abortion and paid sick leave were higher priorities.
“This proposal came to us last week, and these other two things have been here all session. And quite frankly, these other two things are very, very important to Republicans,” Cierpiot said. “Sometimes things are just intractable. When both sides have certain baselines they can’t go beyond, that’s just the way it works.”
Sen. Joe Nicola, a freshman Republican who also represents Eastern Jackson County, said he would not have voted for the stadium investment package even if it had come to a vote.
“I am not going to vote for this stadium tax until we get some property tax relief,” said Nicola. “That’s got to be the priority.”
The bill came just a year after a vote failed that would’ve paved the way for a new Royals stadium in the Crossroads and allowed for renovations to Arrowhead Stadium. For the past year, the Royals and Chiefs have said they’ve begun exploring options separately, with each franchise working on its own plans and timelines.
On Tuesday, the Royals provided KCTV with a statement, noting they appreciated the efforts made by the Missouri Legislature.
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