The mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has responded following discussions about the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals potentially moving across the state line.

Last week, the Royals announced they would explore building a new stadium in Kansas, utilizing the state’s STAR bonds funding mechanism. This development comes as both teams are considering relocation options. 

Missouri voters recently rejected a ballot proposal to give a tex break to the teams to renovate their stadium.

While the Chiefs have remained publicly silent over the past week, Kansas lawmakers have taken proactive steps. On Tuesday, leaders from both Houses of the Kansas Legislature sent a joint letter to Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt, who has been ranked as the worst owner in the league, encouraging him to consider relocating the team to Kansas.

On Monday, UG Mayor Tyrone Garner expressed his support for the Chiefs and Royals moving to Kansas City, Kansas. In his statement, Garner welcomed the teams’ interest and urged the Kansas Legislature to pass equitable STAR bond legislation to facilitate relocation.

“On behalf of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, I welcome their interest in identifying appropriate partnerships and urge the Kansas Legislature to enact equitable STAR bond legislation that would put us in a strong position to bring both respected professional sports franchises to Wyandotte County,” Garner said to Fox 4 KC News.

The move would mark a significant shift for both teams, traditionally based in Missouri, highlighting the growing competition between the states to attract and retain major sports franchises.

In the midst of the NFL’s most recent dynasty, the Kansas City Chiefs are facing off-the-field issues between players and owner Clark Hunt despite being the most successful team on the field, making four of the last five Super Bowls and winning three of them.

In the latest release of the NFLPA’s report cards, the Chiefs received a D or an F in six of the 11 categories, earning the second-worst overall grade of any team in the NFL, behind only the Washington Commanders.

The translation from on-the-field to off-the-field success isn’t so direct. Despite all the joy that comes with winning back-to-back Super Bowls, the complaints came from 47 anonymous Chiefs players who gave the worst grades in the team’s locker room.

According to the survey, players were told that the locker room would be renovated following the 2022 season, but the renovation never came. They won the Super Bowl that year. The locker room category received an “F,” and so did the rating for Hunt, who graded out as the worst owner in the NFL.

Interestingly enough, NFLPA president J.C. Tretter stated that the Chiefs didn’t receive a renovation on their locker room because they won the Super Bowl.

“The answer [the players] got back was, ‘You guys won too far in the (2022) playoffs, and we didn’t have time to fix it,'” Tretter said at the combine in February. “That’s reflected in their results. That’s why [Hunt’s] grade is so low.”

This week, Hunt got a chance to defend himself and said that he never promised a renovation of the locker room to players.

“I have spoken to some of our veteran players about that, and they’ve confirmed to me that it was miscommunication,” Hunt said this week. “Certainly, I personally never said anything to them about a renovation of the locker room. It was a misunderstanding.”

Although head coach Andy Reid received an “A+” rating, every other category received a “C” or worse including ownership, locker room, nutritionist/dietician and training staff. Even if Reid and the Chiefs extend this dynasty to next season, it unfortunately does not look like a locker room renovation is coming any time soon.

The Chiefs’ owner has been in the news recently, as the team threatened to leave St. Louis after a tax measure to fund stadium renovations failed.