After Chiefs & Royals Threaten To Leave Kansas City, Kansas Lawmakers Prep For Possible Fight

Following the failed sales tax vote that would have helped fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium and a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals, Kansas State House Rep. Sean Tarwater spoke regarding the future of both teams with the possibility of the Super Bowl-defending champions Kansas City Chiefs eyeing Kansas as a new potential home.

“If negotiations happen, I would welcome the Chiefs to come to Kansas,” Tarwater said. “I have had no negotiations nor am I aware of any direct negotiations between the legislature and the Chiefs.”

As the chair of the State House of Representatives commerce committee, Tarwater called the vote across the state line “unfortunate.”

“Since the tax didn’t pass, I mean, we need to do something to keep them in town,“ he continued. “If [county executive] Frank White can’t figure it out, we need to.“

Sean’s brother, Dan Tarwater, a longtime former Jackson County legislator, has been involved in stadium negotiations in the past in Jackson County but has yet to comment on the current situation with the Chiefs and Royals.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has publicly stated that he expects the city to try to retain the Chiefs and Royals until their current leases end after the 2030 seasons.

“The Chiefs have an outstanding market,“ Lucas said during a news conference Wednesday at City Hall. “It is not easy to move teams in the National Football League to a separate or to a different market, and so I believe the Chiefs will be here in the Kansas City metro for years to come.“

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) had previously signed a border war truce to prevent an economic bidding war between the two states. Still, Kelly would not comment publicly on Wednesday. 

“I have had no meetings with the Kansas City Chiefs,“ Tarwater said. “I did hear there was a rumor floating around there. I know they have had meetings in the past with interested individuals to bring them here, businesspeople, but not legislators, and I haven’t been involved. As soon as I am asked, though, I will be involved, and we do have several programs that we have set up just for this type of an incident.”