KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
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The Missouri Senate adjourned its 2025 session Wednesday without voting on a proposal to redirect state money to help professional sports teams fund qualifying stadium renovations or replacements.
The proposal introduced Tuesday was designed to help the Royals relocate to a new stadium and the Chiefs renovate GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals also could have qualified for state aid under the proposal.
The Missouri House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 80 Tuesday and sent the bill to the Senate for review.
The bill met resistance among some Republican Senators who did not want to give the teams money without first giving citizens tax relief.
“I don’t want the Chiefs to leave. I don’t want the Royals to leave. I want them to stay in Missouri. I’d love for them to stay right where they’re at. But our people are hurting in Jackson County. Until we get some property tax relief in our county, I’m a no. That’s where my stance is on it,” explained State Senator Joe Nicola, a Republican from Jackson County.
Without the support of all Republicans, the caucus needed Democrats to support the bill. Democrats spent Wednesday negotiating. They wanted Republicans to change a part of House Joint Resolution 573 - which placed a new question about abortion rights on the November 2026 ballot.
State Senator Maggie Nurrenbern said there was a framework to adjust the ballot language for the 2026 question, but an agreement did not come to fruition.
“I want to be abundantly clear, there was a path today to get that stadium financing done. We had a very clear path to get that done. It was the Republican supermajority that chose not to go down that path. It is because of them that the priority of the governor is not completed today,” said Nurrenbern, a Clay County Democrat.
Governor Mike Kehoe hinted he might call a special session for the legislature to reconsider SB80.
The bill, named the "Show Me Sports Investment Act", would have redirected sales tax revenue generated at the stadium, income tax withholding from stadium employees and a state income tax on non-resident professional athletes and entertainers back to the teams to pay off construction loans for up to 30 years - and only up to 50% of a total project’s cost.
