Kansas extends deadline for Chiefs, Royals to take stadium funding

A Kansas legislative committee has prolonged a deadline for the Chiefs and Royals to benefit from a stadium financing plan from the state.

The Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council on Monday unanimously accredited the extension to make use of bonds to cowl 70% of a brand new stadium’s value if the groups determine to relocate to the state. The brand new deadline is June 30, 2026, though the committee indicated it’s searching for a solution from the groups by Dec. 31 of this yr.

Chiefs president Mark Donovan requested the extension late final month in a letter to Kansas Senate president Ty Masterson. The Royals verbally requested an extension across the similar time. The deadline expired on June 30 however was retroactively prolonged Monday.

“Collectively, now we have the chance to deliver the Nationwide Soccer League to Kansas, anchored by a world-class domed stadium, new staff headquarters, a state-of-the-art follow facility, and a vibrant mixed-use and leisure district,” Donovan wrote in his letter to Masterson.

The Chiefs and Royals have performed for greater than 5 many years on the Truman Sports activities Advanced on the east facet of Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, the place Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking amenities. However leases with Jackson County are as a result of expire in January 2031, and the 2 franchises have been making an attempt to plot a course ahead for years.

Final yr, Jackson County voters defeated a gross sales tax extension that will have helped to finance an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium — the house of the Chiefs — and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas Metropolis.

Final month, nonetheless, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe referred to as lawmakers right into a particular session to approve a stadium financing deal that included catastrophe aid for the St. Louis space, the place a collection of devastating tornadoes prompted widespread harm. The laws authorizes bonds protecting as much as 50% of the price of new or renovated stadiums in Missouri, plus as much as $50 million in tax credit for every stadium and unspecified help from native governments.

In the event that they select to remain in Missouri, the Chiefs have floated plans for a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have insisted all alongside that they intend to construct a substitute for Kauffman Stadium.

Chiefs proprietor Clark Hunt has lengthy professed his affinity for Arrowhead Stadium, which was constructed by his father and staff founder Lamar Hunt. However he is also keenly conscious of the income streams accessible by constructing a brand new domed stadium, together with the prospect to host the Tremendous Bowl, the Last 4 and different marquee sporting occasions.

Donovan commented Monday on the Chiefs’ looming stadium resolution.

“Now, it is actually getting right down to the ultimate factors and ensuring that everyone’s in settlement on what we have to do, and that now we have all of the items lined up,” he advised reporters. “As a result of our job is to go to the Hunt household and counsel, ‘Listed below are your two choices; they each make sense.'”

Data from The Related Press was used on this report.