KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is pledging to strike a deal with the KC Royals to keep them in the city limits.
That was one of the highlights of his State of the City Address on Wednesday. He’s pledging to get an agreement done on a downtown stadium sometime this year.
Mayor Lucas says that keeping franchises in the city limits is not about sports, but it’s about economic development.
Pitcher Kris Bubic wins arbitration case vs. Royals
“Retaining thousands of union jobs in Kansas City, enhancing activity in our urban center, and ensuring Downtown Kansas City is forever a place that people, businesses, and visitors want to be and want to invest,” he said during his address.
An hour before, union leaders were calling out Port KC, arguing that they’re giving jobs to workers outside of the city when developers go through their entity.
“Port KC has two resolutions being considered by our commission which would be transformative and broadly beneficial to labor, workforce and quality jobs in Kansas City,” Port KC President & CEO Jon Stephens said in a statement to FOX4 Tuesday.
“These resolutions directly address concerns about prevailing wage, project labor agreements, workforce and apprenticeship programs. These two incredibly important items were specifically asked to be held for a future vote at yesterday’s Port KC Board of Commissioners meeting by our Vice-Chair and current Kansas City Councilman Kevin O’Neill.”
One entity upset with Port KC is the Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council. They held the bannering event outside city hall on Wednesday.
“I’m not speaking for Kevin, but I believe he was afraid that the wrong version would be voted on, and he wasn’t present,” Oropeza said in response to a question about Port KC’s statement.
Sporting KC unveils new secondary kit honoring historic 18th & Vine District
Oropeza says he appreciates what O’Neill’s trying to do. He also wants to make sure future construction in this city, like a potential baseball stadium, involves the local workforce.
“The citizens of Kansas City pay an earnings tax,” he continued.
“The workers that work in Kansas City pay an earnings tax. Why aren’t the people on the Port paying an earnings tax?”
Oropeza says he was talking about the construction workers who are used for projects that go through Port KC. The Royals still have not announced where they plan on playing their baseball games for the 2031 season when their lease at the Jackson County-owned Truman Sports Complex ends. They did not comment on Wednesday afternoon.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.