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The Kansas-Missouri stadium border war surrounding the NFL’s Chiefs and MLB’s Royals is set to continue, at least for a few more months, extending and heightening the drama around one of the most-watched facility deliberations in sports.
A bipartisan group of Kansas lawmakers voted unanimously Monday to keep in place a framework for stadium bonds, called Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds, that was originally passed last year. Those bonds had been set to expire on June 30, but the vote now legally extends the deadline by a year, to the same date in 2026. Kansas officials, however, have said they want a decision from the teams by the end of this year.
The Kansas funding, aimed at turning the state into a “professional sports powerhouse” in the words of Gov. Laura Kelly, would provide up to 70% of the cost of the stadiums for one or both of the teams.
“Although I don’t like having to extend the statute for this, I feel in fairness to the teams, it’s incumbent on us to make sure that we do things that are fair and above-board,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins.
Broader Considerations
The Chiefs, the NFL’s most-watched team on television and still an on-field power, are at the center of the Kansas bond deliberations as discussions continue with the state about the team potentially relocating across the border from Missouri to Kansas to build a new, domed stadium. Such a facility would be capable of hosting major events such as the Super Bowl and Final Four in addition to housing Chiefs games.
As the original expiration of the Kansas bond structure approached, the Chiefs asked state officials for more time as they determine their facility future and whether to leave Missouri. A large-scale renovation of the team’s current stadium, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., is also an option, and Missouri officials recently approved their own funding mechanism that would aid in such an effort.
“The complexity and scale of the project—and the importance of crafting a structure that works for all stakeholders—make it clear that more time is needed to bring the effort to full fruition,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan recently wrote in a letter to Kansas legislators.
The Chiefs previously had said they wanted to make a stadium decision “by summer at the latest,” but the recent moves in both states will extend that timeline.
“It’s literally getting down to the final points and making sure that everybody’s in agreement on what we need to do, and that we have all the pieces lined up,” Donovan said of the forthcoming stadium decision.
The Royals, meanwhile, are continuing their own ballpark deliberations separate from the Chiefs, but more definitively plan to build a new facility to succeed Kauffman Stadium. Where that will be, though, remains an open question.
“Our focused discussions continue as we seek the best option for the future generational home of the Kansas City Royals,” the club said. “The extension of the Kansas STAR bond legislation enables us to continue our pursuit of the right choice for our fans, our organization, and our regional community.”
