The report appeared to be referencing a meeting of the state’s Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) in Topeka, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday. It could result in approval of proposed “STAR bonds,” which would cover up to 70% of a new stadium’s construction costs. These bonds would be paid off over the next 30 years through revenue from sports betting, lottery tickets and tax revenue from the proposed stadium and its surrounding area.
The LCC has previously set a deadline of January 1, 2026 — less than two weeks from now — for consideration of any STAR bonds for sports facilities moving to Kansas. These were made available through legislation that expires on July 1.
Later in the afternoon, a statement posted on Facebook by the Kansas Department of Commerce confirmed that discussions between the Chiefs and the state continue in earnest, but stopped short of confirming all of Petro’s reporting.
“We are aware of the media reports regarding the LCC meeting on Monday. The state of Kansas is in active discussions with the Kansas City Chiefs about the prospects of building a new stadium and other facilities in Kansas. No final agreement has been reached, but this would be a massive economic win for Kansas and benefit Kansans for generations to come. We are aggressively pursuing this opportunity.”
On Thursday, LCC chairman Ty Masterson released a statement that addressed the Kansas City Royals’ interest in the STAR bond proposal, but said nothing about the Chiefs.
“Senate President Masterson believes the Kansas City Royals are fully committed to Kansas, which fulfills their obligation regarding the advanced timeline given from the LCC. While their location proposal continues to evolve, it will not be finalized or considered this year or during the upcoming legislation session.
KCTV/5 suggested that Matserson’s statement could explain why the Chiefs may be part of Monday’s meeting, while the Royals may not.
Masterson’s comments likely mean the Royals won’t be in attendance Monday, but does indicate the team has done enough to satisfy the LCC proposal requirements.
KCTV/5 also referenced a statement made by Kansas House speaker Dan Hawkins late on Thursday night.
“Just as a point of clarification, December 31st is the STAR Bond deadline. It’s been the deadline since the LCC voted on it and as Chair of the LCC next year, I can assure you that is not going to change. I hope both the Chiefs and the Royals can come to an agreement with the State by that date.“
That prompted an update from Masterson.
“While I believe the Royals are committed to relocating to Kansas, this does not alter the procedural deadline set by the Legislative Coordinating Council for December 31, 2025.”
Meanwhile, an X post by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas made it clear that the city is not giving up its fight to keep the teams on the Missouri side.
“Kansas City does not negotiate in public and will not change course today. As the City and our Missouri partners continue discussions with our long-term partners at the Chiefs and the Royals, we remain steadfast in working toward an arrangement in the best interest of our community and the greatest success of our teams on and off the field.”
