Kansas Lawmakers Pass Stadium Plan for Chiefs, Royals in Potential Move from Missouri

The state of Kansas has eyes for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.

According to the Associated Press, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed a proposed plan to fund new stadiums for the NFL and MLB teams.

The proposal, which passed on June 18, would "authorize state bonds for stadium construction and pay them off with revenues from sports betting, the Kansas Lottery and additional tax dollars generated in and around the new venues."

"I've wanted to see the Chiefs in Kansas my whole life, but I hope we can do it in a way that is enriching for these communities, rather than creating additional burdens for them," Democrat Rep. Jason Probst told reporters.

The teams currently have a stadium complex lease through Jan. 2031, but Missouri voters turned down a proposed sales tax extension to pay for stadium maintenance in April. State lawmakers, meanwhile, want both organizations to devise plans for either new stadiums or renovations to be ready by the time the current leases run out.

Missouri lawmakers reportedly will push just as hard to keep both franchises, as the threat from their cross-state rival looms.

"They're sources of great pride," Missouri state Rep. John Patterson, a Republican, told reporters regarding the two franchises.

Sports franchises often cite the economic benefits of adding stadium complexes to a community, though most economists and studies have found that subsidizing stadiums are a poor investment for cities and their inhabitants.

But that won't stop Kansas lawmakers from attempting to poach the Chiefs and Royals while citing the supposed benefits of such a plan.

"You've got this asset and all the businesses that move there as a result, or are created there," Kansas state Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Republican, told reporters. "You'll get commerce out of that area every day."