Kansas City Proposes $600M in Bonds to Keep MLB's Royals

City officials aim to build new downtown stadium for baseball team after Kansas lures NFL's Chiefs across state line.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 2:18am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the Royals' team colors of blue and red, conveying the multifaceted challenges of retaining a professional sports franchise.A conceptual illustration captures the complex negotiations and public financing involved in keeping a major league baseball team in its home city.Kansas City Today

Kansas City, Missouri, is proposing to issue $600 million in bonds to build a new $1.9 billion downtown stadium for Major League Baseball's Royals. The state of Missouri has agreed to cover half the cost, while the Royals would need to contribute $350 million in private funds. This comes after Kansas recently lured the NFL's Chiefs across the state line with a $2.4 billion stadium subsidy.

Why it matters

The proposal to keep the Royals in Missouri is the latest example of the ongoing trend of cities and states offering massive public subsidies to professional sports teams to build new stadiums. While economists have long argued these deals provide little economic benefit, cities continue to compete fiercely to retain or attract these high-profile franchises.

The details

Under the proposal, Kansas City would issue $600 million in bonds to cover part of the $1.9 billion cost of a new downtown stadium for the Royals. Missouri has already agreed to cover half, or $950 million, of the stadium's price tag. The Royals would need to contribute $350 million in private funds. The team's current home, Kauffman Stadium, sits next to the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium, but the teams' leases expire in 2031 and voters recently rejected a tax to help pay for renovations.

  • In April 2024, Jackson County, Missouri, voters rejected extending a tax that would have helped pay for renovations to Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium.
  • The Royals' and Chiefs' stadium leases expire in 2031.

The players

Quinton Lucas

The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, who introduced the proposed ordinance for the new Royals stadium.

Mike Kehoe

The governor of Missouri, who called the Royals 'a key economic catalyst' for the state.

Dan Hawkins

The Republican speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives, who congratulated Missouri on the Royals proposal.

Brandon Woodard

The Democratic minority leader of the Kansas House of Representatives, who congratulated Missouri on the Royals proposal.

Mario Vasquez

The city manager of Kansas City, Missouri, who said the work toward keeping the Royals 'is just beginning.'

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What’s next

The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council could vote on the proposed ordinance as early as Thursday, but city officials say the work toward keeping the Royals is just beginning.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights the ongoing battle between cities and states to retain or attract professional sports teams through massive public subsidies, despite research showing these deals provide little economic benefit to local communities.