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A citizens group says it has gathered enough signatures to force a citywide vote on $600 million in public incentives for a proposed downtown Kansas City Royals stadium and entertainment district.(KCTV)<\/p>\nKANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A citizens group says it has gathered enough signatures to force a citywide vote on $600 million in public incentives for a proposed downtown Kansas City Royals stadium and entertainment district. But Mayor Quinton Lucas says construction could begin later this year \u2014 raising the question of whether the petition drive can move fast enough to matter.<\/p>\n
Missouri Workers Power, a 501(c)4 advocacy organization, delivered the petitions to the Kansas City city clerk Friday afternoon, claiming to have collected 4,500 signatures in just two weeks. The threshold to trigger a citywide vote is just over 2,000 signatures.<\/p>\n
The city clerk said she has not yet counted or verified the signatures. She said she will send the petitions to the four election boards in the city, likely on Monday, to count and verify them.<\/p>\n
If enough signatures are validated, the city council will have 60 days to act. What happens next \u2014 including whether residents are guaranteed a public vote \u2014 is a question the city clerk referred to the city attorney\u2019s office. The earliest any vote could happen is November.<\/p>\n
What the petition would doA citizens group says it has gathered enough signatures to force a citywide vote on $600 million in public incentives for a proposed downtown Kansas City Royals stadium and entertainment district.(KCTV)<\/p>\n
The citizens\u2019 initiative would create an ordinance requiring a public vote before the city can provide any material support for the development. Those incentives include city-backed bonds and redirecting some proceeds from an existing sales tax collected within the stadium district \u2014 a package the city council authorized the city manager to begin negotiating in April.<\/p>\n
Terrence Wise, a leader with Missouri Workers Power, explained the petition\u2019s intent:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe signatures we dropped off will not undo city council, the ordinance state passed. It won\u2019t undo that. But what it will do is introduce a new law that would give us an opportunity to vote on what our tax dollars are used for,\u201d Wise said.<\/p>\n
The race against the clock<\/p>\n
The petition drive faces a significant obstacle: time.<\/p>\n
In a statement Friday, Mayor Lucas said the city is moving quickly and deliberately.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we have shared previously, we expect construction to start on the transformational new stadium and Crown Center redevelopment later this year or in the first quarter of next year,\u201d Lucas said. \u201cWhile the Royals and Crown Center redevelopment, including necessary binding agreements, are already well underway, we will continue to look forward to engagement with all members of our community to ensure good paying jobs are a key part of the project.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas also framed the city\u2019s pace as a competitive necessity, pointing to the Kansas City Chiefs\u2019 move to Kansas and the Chicago Bears\u2019 relocation to Indiana.<\/p>\n
\u201cKansas City will continue to operate respectfully, but swiftly to ensure it remains competitive in bringing new jobs and opportunities to our city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
If binding agreements are finalized and public dollars are committed before the ordinance takes effect, the petition may have limited impact on the current Royals deal \u2014 even if it shapes how future stadium projects are handled.<\/p>\n
The ordinance includes an accelerated effective date.<\/p>\n
What the ordinance actually says \u2014 and why it goes beyond the Royals<\/p>\n
While the petition drive is clearly aimed at the proposed Royals stadium, the ordinance itself is written in much broader terms. If passed, it would apply to any stadium, arena, or similar venue with a seating capacity of 2,500 or more built with city support for a for-profit business \u2014 language broad enough to cover not just the proposed Royals ballpark but any future large arena in Kansas City, such as a hypothetical replacement for T-Mobile Center.<\/p>\n
The ordinance defines \u201cmaterial support from the city\u201d broadly, including:<\/p>\n
Funds from the city\u2019s general fundCity-issued bonds, directly or through a conduit issuerTax revenues, frozen tax rates, tax exemptions, and tax abatementsThe sale, lease, or transfer of any city-owned parkland principally used as a park<\/p>\n
The ordinance would also apply to ancillary development and certain infrastructure tied to such a venue, including new or expanded streets and parking facilities.<\/p>\n
City officers, agents, or employees who violate the ordinance would face a fine of $500 per day, with each day constituting a separate violation.<\/p>\n
The ordinance would not apply to projects funded exclusively with private, federal, state, or county money \u2014 with no city involvement.<\/p>\n
How this differs from the 2024 Royals vote<\/p>\n
In 2024, Jackson County voters rejected the county\u2019s plan to replace Kauffman Stadium. That plan would have renewed a sales tax to support both a new downtown ballpark and renovations at Arrowhead Stadium.<\/p>\n
State law required a countywide vote in that case because it involved extending a sales tax set to expire.<\/p>\n
The current Kansas City plan is structured differently. Because it does not include a new tax \u2014 relying instead on city-backed bonds and redirecting some existing sales tax proceeds \u2014 a public vote is not required by law.<\/p>\n
The petition drive is modeled after one that put the new Kansas City airport terminal to a public vote.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next<\/p>\n
The city clerk\u2019s office will forward the petitions to election boards for verification. If the signature count is confirmed, the city council will have 60 days to act. What happens next \u2014 including whether residents are guaranteed a public vote \u2014 is a question the city clerk referred to the city attorney\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Mayor Lucas says the city intends to keep moving. If binding agreements are finalized and public dollars are committed before the ordinance takes effect, the petition may be too late to affect the current Royals deal \u2014 though it could still reshape how Kansas City handles future stadium projects.<\/p>\n
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