KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson called for a meeting Thursday to extend a key incentives deadline for sports stadium projects.
Masterson cited a June 26 letter from the Kansas City Chiefs in support of extending the deadline.
It’s the first detailed example of ongoing negotiations between the club and Kansas officials.
LINK | Read the letter
“Together, we have the opportunity to bring the National Football League to Kansas, anchored by a world-class domed stadium, new team headquarters, a state-of-the-art practice facility and a vibrant mixed-use and entertainment district,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Masterson. Several other legislative leaders from both parties were also copied on the letter.
The Chiefs released a statement after requesting an extension to the STAR bond legislation in Kansas, which reads below.
We would like to thank the Kansas Legislature and the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) for our constructive conversation Wednesday, and we appreciate their willingness to convene on July 7 to provide an extension to Kansas’s STAR Bond legislation.
We continue to make significant progress toward a mutually beneficial agreement. However, these projects are complex and require due diligence on both sides. The LCC confirming to meet soon about an extension enables us to continue finalizing large pieces of the puzzle that would be required for this project in the State of Kansas.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas released the following statement regarding the Chiefs' extension request and the future of the Royals.
"The Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals are making generational decisions for their franchises and our community. Kansas City, their longtime home, understands the teams’ needs for sufficient time to evaluate border-state opportunities in Missouri and Kansas and among local governments. Great regions have healthy urban cores, however, and most of the strongest franchises in professional sports reside in their core cities.
Kansas City has assembled and shared with the Royals a unique, comprehensive, and unmatched offer to secure the future for the Royals Downtown in what would be one of the finest and most beautiful facilities and districts in baseball. Kansas City continues its work with the team to create long-term real estate and development success for the Royals and the City, aligning the franchise with the transformation of Kansas City’s Downtown over the past generation.
Kansas City also will continue its active engagement to support the Hunt Family’s strong legacy as stewards of one of the great venues in all of sports and to ensure necessary financing and development support to provide a first-class facility for Chiefs football, practice, and entertainment for fans year-round within the boundaries of Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City plans to resolve for both the teams and our region the long stadium discussion in our community and to allow the eyes of our region to turn back to the on-field success of our teams in their longtime home of Kansas City, Missouri.”
The Royals presented their statement on the ongoing stadium saga as well Thursday.
“We appreciate the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council’s focus and time on these multi-faceted opportunities. The Kansas City Royals are continuing our active discussions in both Kansas and Missouri in pursuit of the best future home for our fans, our organization, and the regional community. We look forward to continuing these important discussions and are grateful for the LCC’s efforts in support.”
Last year, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed an incentives bill passed by legislators that used STAR bond incentives to sweeten the pot to attract sports stadium developments.
The legislation set a deadline of June 30, 2025, before the incentive package was set to expire.
On Thursday, Masterson said he is calling a meeting of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council for 2 p.m. on July 7 to discuss extending the deadline. Legislators say they are able to retroactively extend the deadline.
The Chiefs say the “complexity and scale of the project--and the importance of crafting a structure that works for all stakeholders” make it clear that more time is needed.
“The letter from Mark Donovan indicates that the drive to bring this historic project to Kansas is moving down the field,” Masterson said. “Now that we are in the red zone, this extension will provide stakeholders sufficient time to ensure the ball crosses the goal line.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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