Deadline extended for Chiefs and Royals in stadium financing plan
A Kansas legislative committee has extended the deadline for the Chiefs and Royals to take advantage of a state stadium funding plan.
The Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council unanimously approved the extension on Monday. This will allow the use of bonds to cover 70% of the cost of a new stadium, in case teams decide to move to the state. The new deadline is June 30, 2026, although the committee expects a response from the teams before December 31 of this year.
Chiefs president Mark Donovan requested the extension late last month in a letter to Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson. The Royals verbally requested an extension around the same time. The original deadline was June 30, but it was retroactively extended on Monday.
Together, we have the opportunity to bring the National Football League to Kansas, anchored by a world-class indoor stadium, the team’s new home, a state-of-the-art practice facility, and a vibrant mixed-use entertainment district.
The Chiefs and Royals have played for more than five decades at the Truman Sports Complex on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri, where Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking facilities. However, the lease agreements with Jackson County expire in January 2031, and both franchises have been trying to chart a course forward for years.
Last year, Jackson County voters rejected a sales tax extension that would have helped fund an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs, and a $2 billion stadium district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City.
Last month, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe convened lawmakers for a special session to approve a stadium funding deal that included disaster relief for the St. Louis area, where a series of devastating tornadoes caused widespread damage. The legislation authorizes bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums in Missouri, in addition to up to $50 million in tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.
If they choose to stay in Missouri, the Chiefs have proposed plans for a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have insisted from the beginning that they intend to build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium.
The Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, has long professed his affinity for Arrowhead Stadium, which was built by his father and team founder, Lamar Hunt. But he is also very aware of the revenue streams available by building a new indoor stadium, including the possibility of hosting the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and other major sporting events.
Donovan commented on Monday about the Chiefs’ upcoming stadium decision.
“Now, we are literally getting to the final points and making sure everyone agrees on what we need to do and that we have all the pieces aligned,” he told reporters. “Because our job is to go to the Hunt family and suggest: ‘Here are your two options; both make sense.'”
