Stadium incentives for Chiefs, Royals and tornado relief bills sent to Missouri governor’s desk
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Missouri lawmakers wrapped up their summer special session with the age of stadium incentives and tornado relief. The bills are now on the governor’s desk, and he’s expected to sign them in the coming days.
The Show Me Sports Investment Act only benefits NFL and MLB teams, allowing them to make upgrades to existing stadiums or construct new stadiums. The plan allows 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 allows a 10% tax credit up to $50 million, and only up to half of the project.
“It would be in my mind two major steps back if we somehow let these teams leave,” said Kansas City Rep. Chris Brown.
There is a clawback trigger put in to protect Missouri. If a team relocates its headquarters or training facility to another state, the money will have to be returned.
The stadium incentives had both bipartisan and bipartisan opposition.
“It is unconstitutional. It is not within the role of government. It may or may not make financial sense, but that doesn’t outweigh the previous two, and we simply cannot afford it,” said Springfield Rep. Darin Chappell.
Lawmakers approved an income tax deduction for those hit by storms this spring. It would be no greater than $5,000 per household, a total economic impact of $25 million for the state. In addition, $100 million was allocated to St. Louis tornado victims.
A May 16 tornado in St. Louis caused about $1.6 billion in damage, but you can’t put a price tag on the emotional toll.
“For two nights, I slept in my car. Dealing with pride. Afraid to ask for help, because oftentimes I’m the one giving help. But it was me who needed help,” St. Louis City Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins said.
The entire House chamber sat quietly as Collins recounted the tornado. It ed with only two “no” votes.
“We lean on each other, we’re holding each other, we’re taking care of each other,” Collins said. “We did it before the tornado, we did it during the tornado, and we’re doing it after the tornado.”
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