Sen. Kurtis Gregory, R-Marshall, says his bill to help fund new or improved stadiums for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs is not like throwing the entire house at the teams – it’s more like half the kitchen sink.

The offer that Gregory and state leaders have come up with has already cleared two Missouri Senate committees. That means state senators could put their game faces on and debate the plan as early as Wednesday.

Gregory’s proposal would fund as much as 50% of the total cost of building or renovating stadiums for the teams. He told Senate committee members that his bill is responsible.

“Let’s say we get 20 years in and the city of Nashville or Salt Lake City, which both I have learned over the last 24 hours, have actually made sales pitches to the Royals, makes one that they absolutely cannot turn down, and they say we’re going to move. The sports team has to pay back all the money that the state of Missouri has spent on those bond payments throughout that period of time,” said Gregory.

The Royals plan to build a new stadium and surrounding district totals $1 billion to $2 billion.

Chiefs lobbyist Rich Aubuchon told committee members that the team is considering upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium totaling $1.15 billion.

If you do the math, that could be in the realm of $1.5 billion in state funding over 30 years to fund the stadium makeovers.

Aubuchon said other states have kicked in billions of dollars in public funding for their teams.

“Throughout the country, states are funding stadiums. They’re a big economic development. They’re a big business,” he said. “States like and towns like Baltimore, New Orleans, Buffalo, and Tennessee have had their states put in significant investments. Over 60% is the average. Over 60% of the funding has come from the state and locals.”

If the team stays at Arrowhead Stadium, he anticipates the renovations to take about three years.

In Gov. Mike Kehoe’s news release to call for the special session, it says the economic impact of retaining the Chiefs and Royals includes:

• The Kansas City Chiefs contribute $575 million annually in economic value and over 4,500 jobs in Jackson County alone, bringing Missouri nearly $30 million in annual tax revenue.

• A new Royals ballpark district is expected to support 8,400 jobs and generate $1.2 billion in economic output annually.

Both Gregory and Aubuchon recognize the offer that Kansas has pitched to the teams is attractive, but Gregory said his proposal is competitive. Kansas is offering to pay 70% of the cost for new stadiums.

Missouri is hoping to make a comeback in the fourth quarter. The Kansas offer expires at the end of this month and the Chiefs have said the team plans to decide this month on its future location.

There is bipartisan opposition to the plan by some ultra conservative senators who want more tax cuts, even though the legislature passed a mega tax relief bill in May.

The other obstacle will be Senate Democrats, who are bitter about the way Republican leaders handled the end of the regular legislative session, specifically on abortion and paid sick leave proposals, as well as an unfinished spending bill on construction projects. The Democrats would rather focus on providing more state aid to help tornado victims, which is also part of Gov. Kehoe’s special session call.

The Senate is scheduled to begin Wednesday’s session at 10 a.m.

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