Gov. Parson to discuss Chiefs, Royals plans with Kansas City mayor, local leaders

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is scheduled to meet on Monday with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and other local leaders to plan how to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in the state.

Parson spokesperson Johnathan Shiflett said the Republican governor will meet in Kansas City with Lucas, Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. and members of the Clay County Commission.

The string of meetings comes as Missouri officials weigh how best to respond to Kansas, which recently passed an aggressive plan to lure both teams across state lines with more than a billion dollars in bonds. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed the plan into law last month.

Shiflett said in an email to The Star that the top officials will “discuss how best to ensure the Chiefs and Royals remain in Missouri.” He added that the meetings “aren’t so much about presenting a plan as they are to help develop a plan.”

Lucas spokesperson Jazzlyn Johnson said in an email that Lucas “shares the Governor’s view on the importance of retaining the Chiefs and the Royals in our community.”

“The Mayor appreciates the collaboration with Governor Parson as productive discussions with the franchises continue,” Johnson said.

Marshanna Smith, the spokesperson for Jackson County, said in an email that White “maintains open communication with Governor Parson and values their collaborative partnership on Jackson County matters.”

“He looks forward to continuing these productive discussions to ensure that the best interests of county residents are met,” Smith said.

Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Missouri lawmakers, who ended their annual session in May, have not rushed to respond to Kansas directly . While one top lawmaker told The Star that lawmakers would consider holding a special session after the August primary, Parson has signaled that a special session is unlikely .

The Republican governor told reporters last week that his office has met with representatives from both teams. He also acknowledged that the state would have to “spend some money to keep them” but did not offer specifics.

“I think by the end of this year, we’re going to have something in place to be able to say where we’re going and to hopefully be able to say what I believe the state should do,” he said last week .

Any plan developed by Parson’s administration and area leaders would likely require legislative approval. If Parson doesn’t call a special session, lawmakers would have to debate that plan during next year’s legislative session after the Republican governor terms out of office.

Kansas’ attempt to poach the teams comes after Jackson County voters in April rejected a stadium tax in April that would have effectively guaranteed the teams would stay in Missouri after their 25-year leases expire in January 2031.

Critics have said that the Kansas plan has potentially reignited an economic bidding war between the two states, but Parson pushed back on that argument last week.

“I don’t really think of it as the border war,” he said. “All I’m telling you is we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they stay.”