Missouri state lawmakers are facing a Friday deadline to approve a plan to keep the Kansas City Royals’ new ballpark on the Missouri side, with potential sites in downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City.Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas met with Royals owner John Sherman to discuss a downtown plan, which includes Washington Square Park as a possible location for the ballpark.”There is real progress. These are not chats,” Lucas said.The discussions center around a $400 million city sales tax incentive to aid in the ballpark’s construction.”That’s what Kansas City is estimating. We expect for there to be state help. And I think ultimately that means we’ll be able to get something good done,” Lucas said.Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte is advocating for the North Kansas City site and plans to visit Jefferson City to promote it.A bill already approved by the state Senate proposes $300 million in funding for the ballpark, allocating $15 million annually over 20 years.The state House must approve the plan by 6 p.m. Friday to advance it to Governor Mike Kehoe.”We just have the readiness here and we are such a good location,” Nolte said. “We’ve had deadlines, they’ve come and gone and the situation has changed. Any number of times.”Lucas said that any state assistance should benefit all Missouri metro counties, not just Clay County.”I think that is something that not just Kansas City would be interested in, but I imagine the Royals would as well,” Lucas said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Missouri state lawmakers are facing a Friday deadline to approve a plan to keep the Kansas City Royals’ new ballpark on the Missouri side, with potential sites in downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas met with Royals owner John Sherman to discuss a downtown plan, which includes Washington Square Park as a possible location for the ballpark.

“There is real progress. These are not chats,” Lucas said.

The discussions center around a $400 million city sales tax incentive to aid in the ballpark’s construction.

“That’s what Kansas City is estimating. We expect for there to be state help. And I think ultimately that means we’ll be able to get something good done,” Lucas said.

Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte is advocating for the North Kansas City site and plans to visit Jefferson City to promote it.

A bill already approved by the state Senate proposes $300 million in funding for the ballpark, allocating $15 million annually over 20 years.

The state House must approve the plan by 6 p.m. Friday to advance it to Governor Mike Kehoe.

“We just have the readiness here and we are such a good location,” Nolte said. “We’ve had deadlines, they’ve come and gone and the situation has changed. Any number of times.”

Lucas said that any state assistance should benefit all Missouri metro counties, not just Clay County.

“I think that is something that not just Kansas City would be interested in, but I imagine the Royals would as well,” Lucas said.