Sadly, Chiefs at Center of Distracting Stadium Uncertainty

Kansas and Missouri have never really liked each other. In politics, they’ve been at odds for more than a century and a half. In sports, both the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri, which have mascots named after Civil War-era groups, have been battling since 1891.

Now, Missouri doesn’t want to lose the beloved Chiefs to Kansas. And as a result, the most successful franchise in professional sports since 2019 has to navigate forward in the league’s third-oldest facility with plenty of uncertainty. Anyone who's ever been inside the visiting locker-room facilities at the stadium, understand that the Chiefs need a change.

The Chiefs are awkwardly and unnecessarily caught in a tug-of-war without the unwavering support they should have. They've earned it more than any other NFL team, based on what they’ve done on the field and in the community.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe is doing his best. He said Friday he’s planning to call lawmakers into a special session to review incentives that would keep both the Chiefs and Royals in Missouri. At its annual session, the legislature couldn’t pass that plan that would provide significant funds toward either renovating or replacing the teams’ existing homes.

"This is a huge economic development package," Kehoe said at a press conference Friday. "I'd like to see us make sure we can solidify our offer with legislative approval."

That legislative approval didn’t happen last week. While the Missouri House of Representatives approved the bill, which would use bonds to cover 50 percent of new stadiums along with up to $50 million in tax credits, the state Senate never got to discuss it. Missouri senators halted their session unexpectedly on Wednesday after heated discussion on another topic.

Kansas would love nothing more than to lure the Chiefs across the border. Last year, lawmakers in that state authorized bonds that would cover 70 percent of a new stadium for Patrick Mahomes and the four-time Super Bowl champions. Lottery sales, alcohol taxes and revenues from sports betting would repay the bonds over the next three decades.

Kehoe wants to keep the Chiefs, but he’s handcuffed by voters in Jackson County, where Arrowhead Stadium has stood since it opened in 1972. They spoke loudly last year, turning down a measure that would’ve simply extended a sales tax until it provided $800 million to give Arrowhead another facelift and another $2 billion for a Royals ballpark district in downtown. That’s when Kansas made its move.

The stadium leases for both facilities expire in 2031.

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