The Kansas City Royals’ bid to relocate to Kansas faces a tricky road ahead.
A December 31 deadline to present a Kansas Stadium STAR Bonds agreement to the Legislative Coordinating Council has been and gone.
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The Royals have faced plenty of roadblocks as they look to build a new ballparkCredit: Getty
Local outlet FOX4 cites multiple sources suggesting that a move is still on, but funding is now a thorny issue for the MLB franchise.
The Royals have set their sights on the Aspiria Campus in Overland Park as they aim to follow to Kansas City Chiefs over state lines.
But while the Chiefs landed a generous public subsidy, their neighbors are in a tough spot.
Kansas stadium would be ‘tough’ for Royals
“There are other economic tools, but I think it would be pretty difficult to do that,” Republican Speaker Dan Hawkins said.
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He later added: “But it would be tough to use those and develop enough money to really support a stadium, and so, I just can’t see that happening.”
House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard of Lenexa agrees that there are other options.
“There are, and like the Speaker said, those are conversations happening between the Department of Commerce, if those are still ongoing, and the Royals,” Rep. Woodard said on 4 The People.
“I would have to look into what that process looks like if they were going to forward with any sort of proposal outside of the STAR bond project.”
The Chiefs and Royals have shared the Truman Sports Complex since the 1970s by their leases are up in 2031.
The NFL outfit is set to move to a domed arena in Kansas once a $4 billion proposal is finalized — even though it would fall short of requirements for hosting a future Super Bowl.
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The Royals are set to leave Truman Sports Complex, along with the ChiefsCredit: Getty
Thanks to STAR Bonds, the Hunt family are contributing just 40 percent of the cost.
But the Royals have not progressed as far in their plans for a new home.
Where could the Royals build a new ballpark?
Owner John Sherman may have to dig deeper into his pockets to fund the estimated $2 billion price tag for the project.
Sherman has made no secret of his preference to build a downtown ballpark and remain in Missouri.
He shared his hopes for a new facility in 2021, with the East Village believed to be a preferred site in Jackson County — the home of Kauffman and Arrowhead.
But in April 2024, voters defeated the extension of an existing sales tax that would have help finance the stadium.
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Royals owner Sherman has made clear his preference to move to downtown KCCredit: Getty
Jackson County could be left with two empty concrete husks and an expensive demolition bill.
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Lawmakers could attempt to put the teams on the hook for some of the cost, although a plan to save Arrowhead has also been mooted.
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