After years of debate, Missouri’s legislature has approved a way forward for new home venues for the state’s professional sports teams in the form of a stadium funding bill.
Missouri’s legislative body passed the bill on Thursday night, green-lighting efforts by the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals to renovate their current stadiums or build new ones with public funds. The new financing measures could pave the way for both teams to remain in Missouri for decades to come.
Before the approval of this bill, the fate of the Chiefs’ and Royals’ futures in Missouri was unsure, and further complicated by attempts by the state of Kansas to attract the franchises across state lines. After voters in Missouri rejected a ballot initiative to partially fund the new stadiums with public tax money, the Missouri legislature became the next best hope for the teams to stay in the state.
Plans for new and improved stadiums
Two of Kansas City’s premier franchises are in need of updated home stadiums. The Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972, and the Royals’ Kauffman Stadium was built in 1973. Arrowhead is the third-oldest stadium in the NFL, and Kauffman is the fifth-oldest stadium in MLB.
The Chiefs currently have plans to conduct an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium featuring new video boards, end zone and sideline club seats and suites, upgraded TV and WiFi systems, new concourses, and more.
The Royals, even after the initial stadium funding bill was rejected by voters last spring, continued to push forward with plans to construct a new stadium in downtown Kansas City. The organization plans to build a $2 billion, 34,000-seat stadium complex in time for the 2028 season opener. This proposed move would greatly improve the gameday experience for Royals’ fans, as Kauffman Stadium’s current location is largely isolated from restaurants, bars, and other pre- and postgame entertainment. The success of downtown stadiums such as Oracle Park, Coors Field, Nats Park, Target Field, and others has contributed to the push to turn the Royals’ game day experience into something more compelling than endless parking lots for tailgating.
Bottom line
There’s still work to be done with this process, as both teams must commit to new stadiums in Missouri. But the general consensus is that the Chiefs would like to have the Truman Sports Complex to themselves, and that the Royals’ first choice is a downtown stadium in Kansas City. This new legislation clears the way for both to become a reality. But stay tuned, as these processes have a way of taking crazy turns.
