Clay County sports authority proposal passes Missouri Senate, aims to keep Chiefs and Royals in-state
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Updated: 7:26 PM CDT Apr 15, 2025
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ON 35 SOUTHBOUND, KANSAS CITY’S BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADERS ARE PUSHING FOR SOME SWIFT ACTION TO KEEP TWO OF THE CITY’S PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS HERE IN THE METRO. KMBC NINE MATT EVANS IS LIVE AT THE TRUMAN SPORTS COMPLEX WITH WHY THEY WANT TO PUT STATE RIVALRIES ASIDE. HEY, BRI. YEAH, THERE’S A LARGE CONTINGENT OF KANSAS CITY BUSINESS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT SIGNED ON TO THIS LETTER RELEASED LAST NIGHT, SAYING THAT THEY ARE URGING PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO ACT QUICKLY TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE CHIEFS AND THE ROYALS IN THE REGION, WHETHER THAT SOMEWHERE HERE IN MISSOURI OR ACROSS THE STATE LINE IN KANSAS. IN THIS LETTER, THEY SAY THAT BOTH TEAMS ARE WORKING HARD TO STAY IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO ADD THAT THERE MUST BE A REALISTIC AND POSITIVE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT KEEPS THEM HERE, WHILE THOSE THAT PENNED THE LETTER WOULDN’T DO INTERVIEWS TODAY, THE TIMING DOES COME AS THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE ADJOURNED FOR THE YEAR LAST WEEK, AND MISSOURI LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO WRAP UP THEIR SESSION IN ABOUT A MONTH. PARK UNIVERSITY POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR DOCTOR MATT HARRIS HAS BEEN CLOSELY FOLLOWING THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS NOW, AND SAYS TIME IS STARTING TO RUN OUT ON A DEAL TO IT. GET TO GET A DEAL IN PLACE TO KEEP THE TEAMS HERE. IF KANSAS CITY, WHETHER IT’S KANSAS, WHETHER IT’S MISSOURI, WHETHER IT’S CLAY COUNTY, PLATTE COUNTY, JACKSON COUNTY. JOHNSON COUNTY, WYANDOTTE COUNTY, WHATEVER. IF THAT MONEY, IF THEY DON’T GET PUBLIC MONEY FROM ONE OF THESE PLACES, I GUARANTEE YOU SOME OTHER CITY WILL OFFER THEM PUBLIC MONEY. NOW, BOTH TEAMS DID RESPOND TO THIS LETTER REAFFIRMING THEIR COMMITMENT TO KANSAS CITY ROYALS OWNER JOHN SHERMAN SAID IN PART, QUOTE, GREATER KANSAS CITY IS OUR TEAM’S HOME FOR OUR FANS, OUR PARTNERS AND OUR MAJOR LEAGUE COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. AND CHIEFS OWNER CLARK HUNT SAID IN A STATEMENT, IN PART, QUOTE, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF OUR ENTIRE REGION. LIVE OUTSIDE THE TRUMAN SPORTS COMPLEX MATT EVANS, KMBC NINE NEWS. ALL RIGHT, MATT, THANK YOU. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO BOTH GOVERNORS IN MISSOURI AND KANSAS. WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM KANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY, BUT MISSOURI GOVERNOR MIKE KEYHOE’S OFFICE SAYS IN PART, QUOTE, THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM CONTINUE TO HAVE PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, ROYALS AND CHIEFS LEADERSHIP AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THESE BUSINESS CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, ON DEVELOPING
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Clay County sports authority proposal passes Missouri Senate, aims to keep Chiefs and Royals in-state
The Missouri Senate on Tuesday advanced legislation to create a Clay County Sports Authority, a move supporters say could help keep both the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.The proposal is seen as a potential strategy to lure one or both teams to North Kansas City, as long-term stadium plans remain uncertain."I think that would be an incredible home for the Royals,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Clay County. “If the Chiefs decide to move their training facility there too, I think that's a great investment in the city of North Kansas City. I think that's a great investment.”Nurrenbern, who co-sponsored the legislation and sits on the Senate Budget Committee, said she supports keeping the teams in Missouri. The push for the sports authority came the same day leaders from both teams responded to a letter from Kansas City-area business and civic leaders calling for a unified effort to retain the franchises.However, she said that any financial support would likely need to start at the local level due to the state’s budget challenges.“The state is having difficult conversations now on what basic, fundamental, vital services we’re funding, or not able to fund, based on the fiscal cliff we’re running into,” Nurrenbern said.Kansas City Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman and Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt both offered a response to a coalition’s most recent push to keep them in the region. Their statements don’t offer much clarity into what will happen next. “Our family and our organization are certainly thankful to see this support from local civic leaders in Kansas City,” Hunt said. “The Chiefs have called this our home for more than six decades, and we have made countless memories alongside generations of Chiefs fans. Working with our partners and community leaders, we remain committed to the continued growth and success of our entire region.” Hunt didn’t indicate whether a move is on the horizon. Sherman’s statement wasn’t much clearer. “Our ownership group is grateful for the support of this impressive coalition of civic leadership, which has come together to help us continue to thrive in the region,” Sherman said. “Greater Kansas City is our team’s home. For our fans, our partners and our major league community, we want to keep it that way.” Stadium talks have been ongoing for a long while, with seemingly no official decisions being made, though both teams have made it known that multiple options are in consideration.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
The Missouri Senate on Tuesday advanced legislation to create a Clay County Sports Authority, a move supporters say could help keep both the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.
The proposal is seen as a potential strategy to lure one or both teams to North Kansas City, as long-term stadium plans remain uncertain.
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"I think that would be an incredible home for the Royals,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Clay County. “If the Chiefs decide to move their training facility there too, I think that's a great investment in the city of North Kansas City. I think that's a great investment.”
Nurrenbern, who co-sponsored the legislation and sits on the Senate Budget Committee, said she supports keeping the teams in Missouri.
The push for the sports authority came the same day leaders from both teams responded to a letter from Kansas City-area business and civic leaders calling for a unified effort to retain the franchises.
However, she said that any financial support would likely need to start at the local level due to the state’s budget challenges.
“The state is having difficult conversations now on what basic, fundamental, vital services we’re funding, or not able to fund, based on the fiscal cliff we’re running into,” Nurrenbern said.
Kansas City Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman and Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt both offered a response to a coalition’s most recent push to keep them in the region.
Their statements don’t offer much clarity into what will happen next.
“Our family and our organization are certainly thankful to see this support from local civic leaders in Kansas City,” Hunt said. “The Chiefs have called this our home for more than six decades, and we have made countless memories alongside generations of Chiefs fans. Working with our partners and community leaders, we remain committed to the continued growth and success of our entire region.”
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Hunt didn’t indicate whether a move is on the horizon.
Sherman’s statement wasn’t much clearer.
“Our ownership group is grateful for the support of this impressive coalition of civic leadership, which has come together to help us continue to thrive in the region,” Sherman said. “Greater Kansas City is our team’s home. For our fans, our partners and our major league community, we want to keep it that way.”
Stadium talks have been ongoing for a long while, with seemingly no official decisions being made, though both teams have made it known that multiple options are in consideration.
