KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri officials were quick to react Monday following news that the Kansas City Chiefs plan to build new sports facilities in Wyandotte County and Olathe.
“State leaders did our part in putting together an attractive and competitive package that was a good deal for Missouri taxpayers and for the Chiefs,” Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said Monday. “Unfortunately, team ownership has decided to abandon Lamar Hunt’s legacy at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium, a place that Chiefs fans have rallied around since 1972.”
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Kehoe said he joined Chiefs Kingdom “in expressing my strong disappointment with this decision.”
Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota said he was disappointed in the news but understood the decision based on the team’s financial interests.
“At the same time, it is deeply disappointing to the taxpayers of Missouri and Jackson County who have supported this team and invested in Arrowhead Stadium for generations,” LeVota said in a statement Monday afternoon.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said he received a call Monday from Chiefs President Mark Donovan and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly informing him of the team’s decision to move to Kansas.
“Although our conversations with the team extended to as recently as late last week, we understand our very fair, but very reasonable financial offer of taxpayer support was surpassed this far by an even more robust public financing package in Kansas,” Lucas said. “We are professionals and understand the Chiefs have a business to run and today made a business decision.”
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