The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals get a win at the Missouri Capitol.
As part of a special session of the state legislature, the Senate has passed a pitch that aims to keep the teams in Missouri. Senate Bill 3 would fund up to 50% of the costs to build or renovate stadiums for the teams.
Between the Royals planning to build a new stadium and the Chiefs considering upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium, the projects are estimated to cost a total in the realm of $3 billion. That means Missouri could kick in up to roughly $1.5 billion over 30 years.
Sen. Kurtis Gregory, R-Marshall, is the bill sponsor.
“What’s at stake if those teams go across the state line,” Gregory asked during Wednesday’s debate on Senate Bill 3. “Over $2 billion of economic activity inside the state of Missouri, over 13,000 jobs. And we just let the state of Kansas poach, you know, really the pride and joy of the western side of the state and I would say the entire state of Missouri. And then I would also say what’s next?”
He said the money generated at the stadium is what will pay for the stadium projects. Tickets to a game or jerseys purchased at the stadiums are examples of what would cover the state’s share.
“The money from Joe Burrow’s paycheck when he plays at Arrowhead Stadium, those tax dollars that are getting collected and sent to the state of Missouri is what’s being used to figure up the amount that we can bond each year to pay for this project – not the dollars that hard-working Missourians are having taken out of their paycheck,” said Gregory.
The Chiefs have said the team plans to decide this month where its future home will be located. The Royals are considering multiple sites in Missouri and Kansas.
“I also contest that the teams want to stay in Missouri because if they wanted to go to Kansas, I believe they would have already signed on the dotted line to move those teams,” said Gregory.
Kansas is offering to pay up to 70% of the costs to build stadiums for the teams. That offer expires at the end of this month.
During Senate committee hearings this week, Gregory said his bill is responsible.
“Let’s say we get 20 years in and the city of Nashville or Salt Lake City, which both I have learned over the last 24 hours, have actually made sales pitches to the Royals, makes one that they absolutely cannot turn down, and they say we’re going to move. The sports team has to pay back all the money that the state of Missouri has spent on those bond payments throughout that period of time,” he said.
The Senate proposal does not sit well with Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette.
“We knew the special session was going to happen for the Chiefs and the Royals – we knew that. But then, for it to be packaged as ‘Oh, we need to get the legislature back together because we have to help people impacted by the tornado,’ that really rubbed me the wrong way,” said McCreery.
The Missouri Legislature’s special session also includes $25 million in emergency housing aid for disaster victims, $100 million for disaster relief, and funding for several local construction projects.
“The governor was trying to package this stadium deal on the backs of people who have lost everything,” said McCreery. “That is just really offensive, quite honestly. Just be honest with what you’re trying to do. They’re trying to put together a package to help some billionaire team owners stay in the state of Missouri.”
The bills go to the Missouri House of Representatives for more work.
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