Missouri governor begins conversations with Kansas City leaders to keep Chiefs, Royals in state
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s public appearance in Kansas City on Monday consisted of a ceremonial law signing unrelated to sports clubs. But, behind the scenes, he was also meeting with elected officials from two other counties to devise a strategy to keep the city’s two main professional sports teams from moving to Kansas.
His visit comes after Kansas enacted legislation allowing for a significant amount of sales tax revenue to be directed toward wooing the teams away.
Before meeting with team ownership, he stated that he must ensure a united front.
“There’s lots of options out there, lots of options the state has, the city has and the county has, but all three need to be working in the same direction,” Parson told the crowd.
However, he believed that a different kind of divide and conquer was required.
“You need to divide the Chiefs and Royals. “They’re two different entities in two different business ventures that we’ll be discussing,” Parson explained.
When Jackson County voters rejected a sales tax proposal this spring, all sides benefited. It would have provided some funding for Arrowhead improvements as well as the development of a new baseball stadium in downtown Kansas City.
The governor stated that this was an error that could not be repeated.
He stated that location selection will be vital for the Royals. He did not confine his remarks to Kansas City and Jackson County. He held three private meetings: one with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, one with Jackson County Executive Frank White, and one with Clay County Commissioners and elected leaders from the city of North Kansas City.
Last year, North Kansas City pitched a site to the Royals. They finished second when the club chose Kansas City. They first approved a location in the East town with an entertainment town surrounding it. Then they relocated to the East Crossroads, near Power and Light, with no new entertainment facilities.
The East Crossroads location was the focus of several campaigns opposing the sales tax issue on the ballot.
“I think the Royals have to choose a location. “You’ve got to pick a site, figure out how much it will cost, and what you’ll need to build a stadium,” Parson explained. “And I believe one thing that has been overlooked is that what we are discussing is much larger than stadiums. We’re talking about the venues surrounding it.
In Arrowhead, Kansas is offering tax-based funding for a brand-new stadium, maybe with a retractable dome. Parson believes Missouri is still in the running with a pitch to maintain the distinctive stadium and make upgrades.
“I think if you refurbish Arrowhead, and the Royals move out, that gives the Chiefs a lot of opportunities in that space,” Parson told the crowd. “If you look around the NFL or the major leagues, you will notice that the model is much more than simply the stadium. And I believe you will see that here in Kansas City at the end of the day.
Before the Jackson County sales tax issue went to voters, Chiefs president Mark Donovan was asked about creating an entertainment zone around Arrowhead, which currently has very little to offer in the way of restaurants and hotels.
“Right now in this market, this is not a location worth developing,” Donovan stated in February.
On the subject of getting all local governments on the same path, Parson conceded he faced an uphill struggle with White. The County Executive was fiercely opposed to a 3/8-cent sales tax to fund a new Kauffman and a restored Arrowhead.
“I think you need to have a pretty frank talk with Frank,” Parson suggested shortly before they met. “I believe things have changed since then. You know, we tried to do the first one with both of them together.”
Following their discussion, White issued a lengthy statement describing it as a good chat in which he told Parson what he has been stating publicly for over a year.
“Maintaining the current financial arrangement is not in the best interest of Jackson County and its residents as it hampers our ability to provide essential health and public safety services,” White said in an email. “Governor Parson understands these challenges and commends our commitment to fiscal responsibility.”
White provided no indication of what elements would be required for one side or another to receive his support.
“I want to thank Governor Parson for his service to Missouri and for his willingness to work collaboratively with us on this and many other issues,” White said in his closing remarks. “Together, we can find a solution that ensures the Chiefs and Royals remain a proud part of Jackson County without compromising the financial well-being of our community.”
Parson only has six months remaining in office. He was certain that he could get the ball rolling within that period.
“We will be talking with the Chiefs organization, the Royals organization, but today was just the beginning of several meetings,” Parson told reporters.
