O prazo da realeza expira: o ímpeto mudou para o Missouri?

After a key deadline for the Kansas City Royals to tap a Kansas funding package came and went this week, Missouri officials voiced renewed confidence that the team will remain in-state.

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The new energy comes after top Kansas lawmakers set a firm Dec. 31 deadline for the Royals to take advantage of their state’s supercharged bonding program for a new stadium. The team did not publicly present a proposal for a Kansas stadium by that date and has yet to announce their preferred stadium location.

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The Kansas deadline’s expiration and the team’s lack of a decision have sparked new momentum in the team’s home state of Missouri, where officials are still grappling with the Kansas City Chiefs’ announced move across the state line. Together, the conditions have galvanized Missouri leaders around the Royals.

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“There’s a sense of urgency I’ve never seen,” said Kansas City Councilman Wes Rogers. “I’m confident that we’re going to get a really good package for the Royals.”

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But the confidence in Missouri has also shifted focus back to a longstanding question inside state lines: Is the team interested in building its future in downtown Kansas City or in the Northland?

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Rogers, a likely candidate for Kansas City mayor in 2027, said in an interview with The Star that local and state leaders were working well together to keep the Royals after the Chiefs announced last week that they would move to Kansas in 2031.

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“The Chiefs’ thing was a wake up call,” he said. “I’ve spoken with the governor’s office, I’ve spoken with House leadership. I think the focus is not so much on north or south as it is just getting it done and keeping the Royals here.”

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Missouri House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, echoed Rogers’ confidence in an interview, but did not provide a deadline for when he thinks the team could announce their preferred location.

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“Now is not the time to be giving ultimatums,” said Patterson. “But I think we can get a deal that’s good for both the teams and for Missouri taxpayers.”

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A Royals decision would mark the culmination of a chaotic, 18-month fight between Kansas and Missouri over the future of Kansas City’s two major professional sports teams. Both states have passed sweeping incentive packages to secure the teams, but the Royals still have not committed to a location despite repeatedly saying they do not plan to stay at Kauffman Stadium after the team’s lease expires in 2030.

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A Royals spokesperson said in an email to The Star that the team did not have any new information about its stadium pursuits. But the team has consistently said it is weighing its options in both Kansas and Missouri.

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The Royals could also still move across state line, but that would require a reversal from top Kansas lawmakers who said they would not entertain a Royals stadium deal past Dec. 31. The underlying stadium funding law, which uses the state’s STAR bonds program, does not officially expire until June 2026.

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Downtown Royals?

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In the wake of the Chiefs’ decision, Kansas City Union Station last weekend lit up in royal blue in honor of the city’s professional baseball team. The landmark’s social media team put out an impassioned plea for the team to move downtown.

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“The time has come for downtown baseball,” the lengthy post said in part.

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A chorus of top city leaders, including Mayor Quinton Lucas and City Manager Mario Vasquez, have repeatedly touted a downtown location at Washington Square Park as the perfect spot for the Royals. Lucas reiterated that plan in a statement to The Star on Friday.

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“I have been confident consistently about the Royals building a new park downtown,” Lucas said. “We don’t worry day to day about our competition, but understand as professionals that our regional competition remains deeply engaged in looking to move this team and other entities out of Kansas City proper, the Royals 57-year home.”

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As officials across the region jockey over the team’s future, Lucas said Kansas City was focused on what it could control. That includes ongoing talks with the team, coordination with state and county leaders, engaging with the community and weighing what is fair for taxpayers, he said.

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“Our win will not be for one state, one city, or one team, but for the future of the Kansas City region with a vibrant downtown recognized nationally,” he said.

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Patterson, who previously expressed support for a Royals stadium in North Kansas City, said he believed a move to Clay County was still attractive, but acknowledged that “the calculus is changing almost day-by-day.”

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The top Republican in the Missouri House added that the downtown spot touted by Lucas could be an appealing location for the team because he believes it would not require a public vote after Jackson County voters previously rejected a stadium-funding tax in 2024.

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“A vote would be one of the things that we would have to overcome,” Patterson said. “Downtown Kansas City does not have that obstacle.”

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Missouri’s stadium funding incentives package, approved by lawmakers over the summer, would require a commitment from local governments. When asked about Patterson’s comments, Lucas on Friday also appeared to suggest that Kansas City could offer a commitment to the Royals without a public vote.

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“As the largest city in our region, the City of Kansas City has access to tools to support transformational development, like sports and entertainment venues, that can be approved by our elected and appointed bodies,” Lucas said. “We will develop any facilities in a fiscally responsible manner supporting the success of our teams, our taxpayers, and our community.”

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North KC Royals?

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While the energy surrounding the Royals has largely centered around downtown in recent days, the team has also pursued stadium talks in the Northland.

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In Clay County, that effort reached a fever pitch in October when North Kansas City put out a news release and YouTube video that called discussions with the team “substantial,” suggesting a deal was in the works.

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The news release came just months after Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, signed legislation that allowed Clay County to create a sports complex authority, viewed as a key tool that could attract a Royals stadium to North Kansas City.

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Missouri Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Clay County who has long backed a North Kansas City stadium, said in an interview that she would obviously support more investment in the Northland.

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But she said her focus was on keeping the team in Missouri and touted both locations as “incredible opportunities.”

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“We recognize what a value the Royals are for the state of Missouri,” Nurrenbern said. “My focus moving forward is just making sure that everybody understands the importance of keeping our Royals on the Missouri side.”

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However, the Royals still have not announced any new revelations in Clay County. In an interview with The Star, one county official expressed frustration with the team.

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“I don’t think the Royals know where they want to go and I don’t think we’ve made any progress, honestly, from a county standpoint,” said Clay County Western Commissioner Jason Withington. “We’ve given them our offer. They just need to take it or reject it.”

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Withington said he was under a nondisclosure agreement that prevented him from discussing the finer details of any negotiations with the team. But he added that he felt the entire region was getting tired of waiting.

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“I don’t think the Kansas City Royals know what the hell they want to do,” he said. “I mean, if they did, they would have picked the place by now.”