Kansas governor signs bills enabling effort to entice Chiefs and Royals with new stadiums
Copyright Source：
Yueke
Wed, Jun 26, 2024
PHOTO: Yueke
Kansas Governor Signs Bills Enabling Effort to Entice Chiefs and Royals with New Stadiums
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature passed the bill with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.
Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams’ side-by-side stadiums doesn’t end until January 2031.
The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds to cover part of a new stadium’s cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.
The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.
Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area rejected a proposal to continue a sales tax used to maintain the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark downtown, while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.
Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.
“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.
Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.
The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.
Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after vetoing three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed a tax relief bill that will save income and property taxpayers a total of $500 million over the next three years.
Although the financing law doesn’t specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams “in any state adjacent to Kansas.”
“It’s fairly clearly about how you poach,” Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said during a news conference after Kansas lawmakers approved the measure. He added that his city would “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town and that the teams “are in an exceptional leverage position.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature passed the bill with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.
Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams’ side-by-side stadiums doesn’t end until January 2031.
The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds to cover part of a new stadium’s cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.
The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.
Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area rejected a proposal to continue a sales tax used to maintain the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark downtown, while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.
Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.
“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.
Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.
The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.
Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after vetoing three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed a tax relief bill that will save income and property taxpayers a total of $500 million over the next three years.
Although the financing law doesn’t specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams “in any state adjacent to Kansas.”
“It’s fairly clearly about how you poach,” Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said during a news conference after Kansas lawmakers approved the measure. He added that his city would “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town and that the teams “are in an exceptional leverage position.”
```html
ROME (AP) — Retired Italy star Roberto Baggio was robbed at gunpoint at his home while watching the national team’s game against Spain at the European Championship.
At least five armed robbers burst into Baggio’s villa near the northern city of Vicenza at around 10 p.m. on Thursday, according to Italian media reports. One struck him on the head with the butt of a gun when the former soccer player confronted them.
The robbers locked the 57-year-old Baggio and his family in a room while they stole jewelry, watches, and cash.
After the thieves left, Baggio broke down the door and called the police. He was taken to the hospital and received stitches for a wound. His family members were not harmed.
“Anything can happen under such circumstances. Fortunately, the violence only resulted in some stitches, bruises, and a lot of fear,” Baggio said in a statement to the Italian news agency ANSA. “Now we have to get over the fear.”
Baggio is married and has three children. His daughter Valentina recently started a foundation in his name.
Nicknamed “the divine ponytail” for his characteristic hairstyle, Baggio played 56 games for Italy, scoring 27 goals.
While known for his passing wizardry and ability to both set up and score goals, Baggio is also remembered for his miss over the crossbar in a penalty shootout during the 1994 World Cup final that handed the title to Brazil.
In Thursday’s game, Italy lost to Spain.
___
AP soccer:
```
Top Headlines
