The long-awaited choice of where the Royals will build their new home continues to be punted down the road.

In a dramatic 11th-hour bid to push a Missouri funding plan for both the Chiefs and Royals, the debate heated up over whether the Royals would choose Kansas City Missouri, North Kansas City, or a site in Kansas for their new home.

Social media has been abuzz this past week with social media posts from elected officials and public figures boosting the prospects of the Royals choosing Downtown Kansas City or North Kansas City as the team’s new home. Meanwhile, buzz from their Kansas counterparts has been much quieter than it was recently, especially in light of Governor Mike Kehoe announcing his support for a $3 Billion funding package that would assist both the Royals and Chiefs in their quests for new and improved homes. The proposed deal was structured in a way to compete with the STAR Bonds the State of Kansas approved in a special session late last spring.

The late move by the State of Missouri, and by the Governor, came with the support of Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who, earlier in the week, stated that Kansas City had an offer of up to $400 Million in incentives available for the Royals to remain in KCMO. Lucas also supported the Governor’s plan as a show of “unity” between the Mayor of Kansas City and the Governor.

The amendment, introduced as an add-on to a bill about student athletes while in the House, originally passed the Missouri Senate. It passed out of the House on a vote of 108-40 and met opposition in the Missouri Senate where a filibuster resulted in the bill being tabled and, ultimately on May 14th, “killed” as the 2025 Missouri Legislative Session came to an end. Bi-partisan opponents were not thrilled that Missouri House members shot down a proposed $500 Million spending package that would’ve helped fund several projects across the State but proceeded to advance a $3 Billion funding package designed to retain two sports teams in Kansas City. It’s possible that both funding packages would’ve been approved in the Senate and sent to the Governor if the House approved the $500 Million spending package first.

However, once Kehoe introduced his amendment to the bill earlier this week, he did say that he was willing to call a special session to pass the measure in order to retain the Chiefs and Royals.

With the State Legislature adjourning, it’s much more likely that Kehoe and Legislative Leaders will be working behind the scenes to shore up support with the hope of ramming it through in the coming weeks. Such support might also involve resurrecting the $500 Million spending plan whose failure to pass the House caused a great deal of heartburn in the Senate.

Royals 2025 or Cardinals 2002?

Buried in all of this is a lesson in dealmaking.

23 years ago, when the Cardinals were openly talking about building a new stadium to replace the then 35-year old Busch Memorial Stadium in Downtown St. Louis, the team looked east to Illinois and at a site near Gateway Raceway in Madison County Illinois. Such an exploration came as a result of the team being unable to secure state funding to build a new stadium in Downtown St. Louis. The saga was being used as leverage, which ultimately paid off in the form of the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and others partnering up to assist in financing the Busch Stadium that presently houses the Cardinals. Construction began in 2004 and the new stadium opened in 2006, leaving the possibility of a Madison County Cardinals Stadium on a table in the past.

What I’m seeing in the Royals saga is very much a game of leverage.

The Royals have a solid opportunity to build in Kansas thanks to the STAR Bonds, but the team said, throughout this entire new stadium process up until the April 2024 vote, that they were “set on Downtown”. Coupled with obvious support from City Hall, seeing the team decide on making the move to Kansas would be surprising. If the team wanted to move to Kansas, they likely would’ve announced such a move months ago rather than continue to wait. If the team wanted to move to Kansas, you’d think they’d go ahead and put property under contract in Overland Park or Kansas City Kansas (sources in both areas state that no land is under contract by the Royals, but that doesn’t mean a written agreement between parties hasn’t been established). Lastly, if the Royals were set on moving to Kansas, then why meet with Mayor Lucas as recently as this past Monday? Granted the team has also met with Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog, but we know that John Sherman, Royals Owner and Chairman, met with Lucas this week.

This brings me back to the Cardinals and the deal they made with St. Louis government to get their desired outcome. Kansas City officials have seen renderings of the Washington Square Park site at Pershing and Main. BlueCross|BlueShield vacated their building at 2301 Main. The City could easily assume control of 2301 Main and allow the Royals to enter into a longterm land lease with the City across the entire site bound by the railroad tracks, Grand, Pershing and Main. In doing so, a public vote would be avoided and the City could issue a myriad of incentives to get the Royals to Downtown. Whether they’d be enough without the State is unknown.

A move to Washington Square Park would achieve the desire the Royals have had for years of having a home in Downtown. It would prevent the 2301 Main property becoming a vacant eyesore. It would leverage being immediately adjacent to the expanded Kansas City Streetcar line. It would add another attraction in a neighborhood that draws tourists and regional residents (Crown Center, Union Station, Liberty Memorial Park). And, unlike the Crossroads Stadium plan, would not displace businesses or residents.

What’s Next

With the 2025 Missouri Legislative Session over, and Governor Kehoe stating that he was willing to call a special session on the stadium funding issue, the eyes turn to him to make the call. If a special session were called, the measure were pushed through, and signed by the Governor, Mayor Lucas stated, in an interview of 96.5 The Fan, that the deal between the Royals could be wrapped up and announced within “days or weeks, not months”.

If the Governor decides to walk back on the special session talk, or a special session is called with the measure being shot down, the Royals have until June 30th to either sign an agreement with the State of Kansa and announce a stadium there or announce that they’re remaining at Kauffman while assessing their future options. If the Royals wish not to wait any longer and end the saga now, they could choose to announce a Kansas stadium at anytime, but I personally believe they’re waiting for Missouri and Kansas City to exhaust all their options.

The choices made over the next few days, or weeks, will lead to where the team ends up and how. One thing is clear though – neither Kansas or Missouri are going to be willing to the let the Royals leave the region.

As for the Chiefs, they’ll remain in the region, but their intentions are unknown.

Headline image by KU Architecture Grad Students Sophia Fields and Ava Hause. See their work here: The North Link