Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s plan to cover up to half the cost of building a new stadium for the Royals and renovating Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs faced sharp bipartisan opposition in the state Senate on Tuesday evening.

Are stadiums more important than a hospital?

The proposal had passed the House of Representatives earlier that day by a vote of 108 to 40, despite never being introduced as a formal bill or receiving a public hearing. Instead, it was added as an amendment to a bill about college athletes. When the plan reached the 34-member Senate — just three days before the legislative session ends — a bipartisan group of senators declared it dead on arrival.

Senators expressed frustration over being asked to vote on a stadium funding plan worth hundreds of millions of dollars with little notice, and at the very end of the legislative session. They also criticized the House for approving this measure shortly after rejecting a $500 million spending package for healthcare, education, and public safety. They wouldn’t spend $1.2 million on a rural hospital in Pemiscot County — that was too much, said Senator Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield. And now they want to spend hundreds of millions on stadiums? That’s hypocrisy.

Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican from Arnold, said that with so little time left in the session, lawmakers shouldn’t be wasting hours on money for special interest groups. After six hours of debate, the proposal was set aside. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn Friday at 6:00 p.m.

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What do the plans include?

Both the Chiefs and the Royals have publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas after voters in Jackson County rejected a sales tax extension to fund a new downtown stadium for the Royals and renovations to Arrowhead. In response, Kansas lawmakers expanded their tax incentive program to try to lure one or both teams across the border. Both teams’ stadium leases expire after the 2030 season.

Kehoe’s plan would have the state cover up to 50% of the cost of the Royals’ new stadium and the Chiefs’ renovation, though no specific cost estimate has been provided. The state’s share would be tied to the annual tax revenue the team generated the previous year. Teams could also receive up to $50 million in tax credits for investing in their facilities. If a team moved its stadium, headquarters, or training center out of Missouri, a clawback provision would require repayment. Missouri would retain all new tax revenue generated by the teams for the life of the program. While a previous proposal focused on helping the Royals relocate to Clay County, Kehoe’s plan would allow the team to choose any location within Missouri.

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A special session still possible?

Kehoe unveiled the plan Tuesday morning during a private meeting with House Republicans. A two-page handout shared with lawmakers said the Chiefs generate $28.8 million in annual tax revenue for Missouri and $572.3 million in economic activity in Jackson County alone. Kehoe argues the stakes are high and that Missouri must act now — or call a special session later this year.

This is an economic development proposal... Whenever there’s been a major investment, whether it’s Boeing, GM, or Ford, governors of both parties have called special sessions, Kehoe said. I believe this proposal for the western part of the state is equally important.

According to Senator Hough, using the Chiefs’ $28.8 million annual tax contribution to repay bonds over 30 years would cost the state roughly $900 million. The Chiefs previously estimated that renovating Arrowhead would cost around $800 million, with team ownership willing to cover $300 million of that.

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No one wants to lose teams

Senator Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City, pointed out that Arrowhead Stadium would remain publicly owned. She added that its benefits extend beyond football — the venue will host concerts and events like the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Still, even Washington, who supported the plan, expressed frustration that she had not been briefed beforehand, despite representing the district where the stadiums are located.

Representative Keri Ingle, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit, said during the debate that while she shares the concerns about the legislative process and rejected investments, she hopes it won’t lead to losing the city’s professional teams. House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, also a Democrat from Kansas City, agreed. We’re being asked to vote on something that some of us just saw 12 hours ago, and others only 3 hours ago. That’s hard. It’s a really tough decision, she said.

© Mike Day