KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – As Missouri and Kansas leaders continue to battle over the future homes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, KCTV5 has confirmed that Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is expected to make a “special announcement” Monday at 3 p.m. in Topeka, though the specifics of that announcement have not been revealed.
The announcement is set to follow a Monday afternoon meeting of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC), which has become the next key step in the years-long push to lure the Chiefs – and potentially the Royals – across the state line. State lawmakers are expected to attend both the LCC meeting and the governor’s press conference, according to a source.
Kansas State Capitol, Topeka, Kan.(Isaac Deer/WIBW)
The timing comes as momentum appears to be building in Kansas.
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In July, Kansas lawmakers extended the state’s STAR bonds legislation for another year – through June 30, 2026 – at the request of officials from both the Chiefs and Royals. In doing so, the LCC set a deadline of Jan. 1, 2026, to consider a STAR bond proposal, effectively creating a window for the teams and the state to finalize any deal.
On Thursday, the Kansas Department of Commerce said it is “aggressively” pursuing the opportunity to build a new Chiefs stadium and related facilities in Kansas, calling it a potential “massive economic win” for the state and saying no final agreement has been reached.
Missouri and Kansas leaders continue to battle over the future homes of the Chiefs and Royals.(Reed Hoffmann | AP)
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, who chairs the LCC, has pointed specifically to progress with the Royals. In a statement Thursday, Masterson said he believes the Royals are “fully committed to Kansas,” suggesting the team has done enough to satisfy the LCC’s requirements for moving forward on a proposal, even though a final site and plan will not be considered this year or during the upcoming legislative session. His comments indicate the Royals are unlikely to be part of Monday’s meeting but remain in active talks with Kansas.
Masterson did not mention the Chiefs in his statement, leaving open questions about whether the Super Bowl champions will be directly involved in Monday’s proceedings. Kansas State Representative Sean Tarwater told KCTV5 he is not privy to the exact contract details, but said any actual agreement with either team would be binding – pending LCC approval – and would preclude further negotiations with other states or municipalities.
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As for deadlines, there is some disagreement among Kansas leadership about timing. House Speaker Dan Hawkins has described Dec. 31 as the STAR bond deadline and said he does not expect that to change, expressing hope both teams can reach agreements with the state by then. Masterson later clarified that, procedurally, the LCC’s deadline for action is Dec. 31, 2025.
On the Missouri side of the state line, leaders are making a renewed push to keep the Chiefs – and the legacy of Arrowhead Stadium – in Jackson County.
On Friday, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota unveiled a new stadium funding proposal, titled “Operation Save Arrowhead.” LeVota is proposing a quarter-cent (1/4-cent) sales tax beginning in 2031 – a reduction from the previously discussed 3/8-cent sales tax – to fund renovations at Arrowhead Stadium. The plan, as outlined by LeVota, would run for 25 years and include an unshared commitment from the State of Missouri and the City of Kansas City, along with $400 million from the Chiefs.
“There is simply no more iconic of a facility than Arrowhead Stadium in professional sports,” LeVota said, emphasizing that the goal is to modernize the venue while preserving its history and atmosphere.
LeVota said the plan could go before Jackson County voters as early as April, two years after county voters rejected a previous stadium tax proposal that would have funded renovations at Arrowhead and a new ballpark for the Royals. This time, the Royals are not part of the deal.
Fact Check: Chiefs, Royals proposals do not guarantee stadium commitment in Kansas
“We are attacking these two teams as separate entities, not as a package deal,” LeVota said. “(The Royals) told us they don’t want to be at the Truman Sports Complex and we have to take them for their word on that.”
LeVota acknowledged he had originally planned to roll out the new proposal early next year, but said reporting that a Kansas deal could be imminent prompted him to accelerate the announcement.
“Depending on which media outlet you listen to, the deal (in Kansas) is done,” LeVota said. “I’m here to tell you it’s not. The people need to hear from us and know we’re fighting. We’re fighting hard to keep the (Chiefs) here. I wasn’t ready for this but I think it’s time and I think everybody needs to know we’re working in Jackson County.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has backed a plan for state bonds and tax credits covering up to half the cost of new or renovated stadiums, while Kansas’ STAR bonds could cover up to 70% of a project to lure the Chiefs across the state line.
LeVota said he has been in direct conversations with Chiefs leadership, including team president Mark Donovan.
“I told Mark Donovan this directly: I hope to give you some heartburn,” LeVota said. “I hope you get some good ol’ Jackson County, Harry Truman heartburn about going across the state line to Kansas… I don’t want this to be an easy thing that the numbers were right in Kansas. I want them to feel it with their heart also, of what they’re leaving behind and the iconicness of Arrowhead and what this community, and this state and this city and county has done for them.”
Back in Kansas, details of Monday’s LCC meeting remain unclear. At last check, an agenda has not been released. KCTV5 has reached out to multiple sources in both Kansas and Missouri to clarify the exact implications and procedures tied to Monday’s meeting.
On Sunday, ahead of the governor’s planned announcement, KCTV5 reached out to the office of Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas regarding Monday’s events and the increased pressure from Kansas.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the city continues to explore what a downtown baseball facility would look like.(Mark Poulose, KCTV5)
“Kansas City, the State of Missouri, and the new executive team at Jackson County have continued negotiations with our teams through this week,” the statement read in part. “Kansas City and its partners have made compelling but responsible offers north of $1.5 billion with identifiable and backed sources of funds to maintain the legacy of Arrowhead Stadium while updating its facilities to remain among the finest in the National Football League and in the world.
“Any decision to depart from such a legacy home would have no reflection on the outstanding people of Kansas City and Jackson County who for fifty years have given their passion, energy, and public investment into building the Chiefs into one of America’s finest sports brands. We’ll reserve further comment until we hear from the Kansas City Chiefs.”
As of now, both the Chiefs and Royals have declined to publicly comment on LeVota’s new Missouri proposal or on the latest developments in Kansas.
The next major developments are expected Monday in Topeka, where the LCC convenes in the afternoon and Governor Kelly is scheduled to speak afterward.
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