Missouri governor says he'll bring lawmakers back to get a plan for keeping the Chiefs and Royals

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Missouri's governor said Friday that he will call the Legislature into a special session to consider incentives aimed at keeping the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from moving to Kansas after lawmakers failed to pass a plan during their regular, annual session.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe wants his state to help with a renovated or new stadium for pro football's Chiefs and with a new home venue for baseball's Royals. A Kansas law enacted last year authorizes state bonds for 70% of the cost of a new stadium, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, Kansas Lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes.

Voters in Jackson County, Missouri, where the teams are located, encouraged Kansas officials to make a play for the teams by turning down a sales tax extension last year that would have helped finance a new, $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals and an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs and Royals have played for more than 50 years in side-by-side stadiums in eastern Kansas City, drawing fans from both states of the split metropolitan area. Their stadium leases run until 2031.

“This is a huge economic development package,” Kehoe told reporters during a news conference livestreamed from the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City. “I’d like to see us make sure we can solidify our offer with legislative approval.”

The GOP-controlled Missouri House approved a Kehoe-backed bill Tuesday that would have allowed the state to issue bonds for up to half the cost of the stadium projects and allow tax credits of up to $50 million. But the Republican-controlled Senate abruptly ended its regular-session work Wednesday after a contentious fight over an anti-abortion measure, without taking up the stadium financing measure.

At least a few Kansas and Missouri lawmakers from both parties are skeptical of state incentives. Many economists contend that public funding for stadiums isn’t worth it, because sports tend to divert discretionary spending away from other forms of entertainment rather than generate new income.