A committee in Kansas has pushed back the deadline for the Chiefs and Royals to use a state stadium financing plan.
On Monday, the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council approved the extension that allows the teams to utilize bonds for 70% of a new stadium’s cost if they choose to move to Kansas. The new deadline is set for June 30, 2026, but the committee wants an answer from the teams by December 31 of this year.
Chiefs president Mark Donovan asked for this extension in a letter to Kansas Senate president Ty Masterson late last month. The Royals also asked for an extension around that same time. Although the original deadline was June 30, it was retroactively extended on Monday.
In his letter to Masterson, Donovan said, “We have the chance to bring the National Football League to Kansas with a top-notch domed stadium, a new team headquarters, a cutting-edge practice facility, and an exciting mixed-use entertainment area.”
For over fifty years, the Chiefs and Royals have played at the Truman Sports Complex on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri. Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking spaces there. However, their leases with Jackson County will end in January 2031, and both teams have been working on future plans for some time.
Last year, voters in Jackson County rejected a sales tax extension that would have funded an $800 million renovation for Arrowhead Stadium—home of the Chiefs—and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City.
Recently, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe called lawmakers to a special session to approve a stadium financing plan that also included disaster relief for St. Louis, which suffered severe tornado damage.
The new law allows bonds to cover up to 50% of costs for new or renovated stadiums in Missouri, along with up to $50 million in tax credits for each stadium and additional support from local governments.
If the Chiefs decide to remain in Missouri, they are considering a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile, the Royals have consistently stated their plans to build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has always expressed his love for Arrowhead Stadium, which his father and team founder Lamar Hunt built. However, he is also very aware of the potential money that could come from creating a new domed stadium. This includes the opportunity to host major events like the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and other big sports competitions.
On Monday, Donovan shared his thoughts about the Chiefs’ upcoming stadium decision.
“We’re really getting down to the final details and making sure everyone agrees on what needs to happen, and that we have everything in place,” he told reporters. “Our job is to go to the Hunt family and present them with two options; both of them make sense.”
