Kansas lawmakers approve major measure aimed at attracting Chiefs, Royals

In the “Game of Thrones” series, several political power players vie for control of the Seven Kingdoms and the land of Westeros.

In a real-life parallel, Kansas lawmakers took a significant step on Tuesday to try to win over the Chiefs Kingdom.

Kansas legislators approved a plan to entice the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals to move from Missouri across the state line. The measure authorizes state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams.

Governor Laura Kelly released a statement following the measure’s approval.

“I pledged to collaborate with members of both parties on policies that benefit Kansas,” she said. “The bipartisan effort to invite the Chiefs and Royals to Kansas demonstrates our commitment to keeping these beloved teams in the Kansas City metro.

“Kansas now has the chance to become a professional sports hub, with the Chiefs and Royals potentially joining Sporting KC as major league attractions. These teams would be surrounded by vibrant, revenue-generating entertainment districts, creating new jobs, attracting visitors, and boosting the Kansas economy.”

The approval came after a two-month effort to capitalize on Missouri voters’ decision not to continue a local sales tax used for maintaining the teams’ stadiums.

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas pledged to develop a plan to retain both teams.

“Today was mainly about leverage,” Lucas remarked. “And the teams are in a strong leverage position.”

The plan allows state bonds to cover up to 70% of each new stadium’s cost, to be paid off over 30 years using revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes from the districts around the new stadiums.

Both the Chiefs and Royals issued statements regarding the legislation.

“We appreciate that Kansas leaders reached out to us for input on the proposed STAR Bond legislation,” the Chiefs said, via FOX 4 KC. “We support their efforts to expand the existing program and congratulate them on passing the legislation in a special session. We look forward to exploring the options this legislation may provide.”

“We’re grateful to the Kansas Legislature for today’s bipartisan action that provides the state with a practical tool to achieve its economic development goals,” the Royals added. “The Kansas City Royals look forward to further discussions as we evaluate our future baseball venue. We will always prioritize the best interests of our fans, associates, and taxpayers in this process.”