JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday that he expects the state to put together an aid plan by the end of the year to try to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from being lured across state lines to new stadiums in Kansas.
Missouri's renewed efforts come after Kansas approved a plan last week that would finance up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums for the professional football and baseball teams.
“We’re going to make sure that we put the best business deal we can on the line,” Parson told reporters while hosting the Chiefs' two most recent Super Bowl trophies at the Capitol, where fans lined up for photos.
“Look, I can’t blame Kansas for trying,” Parson added. “You know, if I was probably sitting there, I’d be doing the same thing. But at the end of the day, we’re going to be competitive.”
The Chiefs and Royals have played for over 50 years in side-by-side stadiums built in eastern Kansas City, drawing fans from both states in the split metropolitan area. Their stadium leases run until 2031. But Royals owner John Sherman has said the team won't play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, expressing preference for a new downtown stadium.
Questions about the teams' future intensified after Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April rejected a sales tax that would have helped fund a more than $2 billion downtown ballpark district for the Royals and an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium.
The tax plan faced several headwinds. Some Royals fans preferred the teams' current site. Others opposed the tax. And still others had concerns about the new stadium plans, which changed just weeks ahead of the vote.
The emergence of Kansas as an alternative raised the stakes for Missouri officials and repeated a common pattern among professional sports teams, which often leverage one site against another in an effort to get the greatest public subsidies for new or improved stadiums.
Sports teams are pushing a new wave of stadium construction across the U.S., going beyond basic repairs to derive fresh revenue from luxury suites, dining, shopping and other developments surrounding their stadiums.
On Monday, the city council of Charlotte, North Carolina, approved public funds to help fuel an $800 million renovation of the Carolina Panthers' football stadium. On Tuesday, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, approved a $1.25 billion stadium renovation plan for the NFL's Jaguars that splits the cost between the city and team.
Many economists assert that while stadiums may boost tax revenue in their immediate area, they tend to shift consumer spending away from other entertainment and seldom generate enough new economic activity to offset all the public subsidies.
Parson said “the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals are big business,” comparing them to large companies that have received public aid such as Boeing, Ford and General Motors. But he added that any deal “has to work out on paper, where it’s going to be beneficial to the taxpayers of Missouri.”
“I think by the end of this year, we’re going to have something in place” to propose for the stadiums, Parson said.
Missouri’s still undefined plan likely would require legislative approval, but Parson said he doesn’t anticipate calling a special legislative session before his term ends in January. That means any plan developed by Parson’s administration in partnership with Kansas City area officials also would need the support of the next governor and a new slate of lawmakers.
Now that Kansas has enacted a financing law, discussions between the sports teams and the Kansas Department of Commerce could start at any time, but the agency has no timeline for finishing a deal, spokesperson Patrick Lowry said Thursday.
Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson poses next to the Kansas City Chiefs' two most recent Super Bowl trophies on display in his Capitol office in Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday, June 27, 2024. Parson said Missouri is working on a public aid proposal for new or improved stadiums for Chiefs and Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson speaks to media in his Capitol office in Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday, June 27, 2024. Parson said Missouri is working on a public aid proposal for new or improved stadiums for Chiefs and Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson poses next to the Kansas City Chiefs' two most recent Super Bowl trophies on display in his Capitol office in Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday, June 27, 2024. Parson said Missouri is working on a public aid proposal for new or improved stadiums for Chiefs and Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ian Happ hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee 5-3 on Saturday, ending the Brewers’ winning streak at five games.
After the game, 11 people were injured at the stadium when an escalator malfunctione d. The Brewers said six people were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and five others were treated at the ballpark.
Tyler Barnes, the senior vice president of communications and affiliate operations for the Brewers, said the malfunction resulted “in an increased downward speed.”
In the eighth, Joel Payamps (1-4) came on and walked Seiya Suzuki to open the inning, Happ then sent a 1-0 pitch 394 feet to right-center for his 11th home run of the season.
It was the second game-deciding homer in three games for Happ, whose two-run shot in the 10th gave the Cubs a 5-3 victory at San Francisco on Thursday.
“You’re facing back-end arms in those situations,” Happ said. “But trying to have the same process, believe in yourself and get yourself into a lot of positivity going into those situations.”
Payamps also walked the next two hitters after Happ before being lifted.
“You can’t walk people,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Whatever it is, you can’t walk people. You’re in the major leagues and you’re pitching at that time of the game, walks are not a possibility. If you look at our pitching staff, a lot of our success has come from not giving up free bases. A home run is a home run. Hap’s a good hitter.”
Luke Little (3-1) threw a scoreless seventh for the victory, and Porter Hodge followed with a scoreless inning. Héctor Neris allowed a hit and walk in the ninth, then struck out the final two hitters for his 11th save in 15 opportunities, and 100th career save.
“Hector made pitches when it counted in the end,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He had to make some pitches, and they had some traffic, and they laid off a couple close pitches, and some checked swings close, not called, but he made pitches.”
Chicago took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Happ walked, advanced on a single and a double play, and scored on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s single to right.
The Brewers answered in the bottom half when Jackson Chourio doubled to open and came around on a single and RBI fielder’s choice.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth on two singles and a hit batter, but starter Tobias Myers got Christopher Morel on an inning-ending strikeout.
In the seventh, Milwaukee’s Andrew Monasterio was caught off third on Brice Turang’s attempted steal of second, and was out at home in a rundown to end the inning.
Milwaukee erased a 2-0 deficit with two runs in the third, aided by several defensive lapses. Sal Frelick singled to open and stole second. Frelick was caught off second on Monasterio’s comebacker, but the Cubs botched the rundown to send Frelick to third and Monasterio to second.
Pitcher Justin Steele couldn’t corral Brice Turang’s bunt single, allowing Frelick to score. William Contreras then blooped an RBI single into shallow center, just beyond the reach of three defenders.
Two pitches in, the Cubs were up 2-0. Nico Hoerner singled on the first pitch and Michael Busch followed with his 10th homer, a 413-foot shot to center.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: LHP Jared Koenig was placed on the 15-day IL because of tightness in his left forearm. He will undergo an MRI on Monday. “There’s more to it, because today it kind of moved more toward the elbow … it’s scary stuff,” manager Pat Murphy said Saturday. Koenig faced four batters Friday in the Brewers’ 4-2 win, relieving to get out the final out with the bases loaded in the seventh, then striking out the side in the eighth. … 3B Joey Ortiz, originally back in the lineup after sitting out Friday, was scratched due to neck soreness. Ortiz pinch-ran in the ninth inning.
STEELE STILL WINLESS
Steele (0-3, 3.20 ERA) allowed three runs six innings, striking out five and walking none but remains winless in 12 starts. He is 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA in six starts in June. “Wins have become a difficult stat to evaluate,” Counsell said. “Justin Steele is pitching, like I said before the game, every bit of what he did last year. He’s been really, really good.” Steele was 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA last season.
BREWERS MOVE
LHP Rob Zastrzyny was selected from Triple-A Nashville to replace Koenig. OF Chris Roller was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (1-5, 6.87) was scheduled to start for the Cubs in the series finale Sunday against RHP Freddy Peralta (5-4, 4.03).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Justin Steele pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch reacts as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Brice Turang strikes out swinging in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Andruw Monasterio, top right, is tagged out at home by Chicago Cubs' Luke Little (43) after being caught in a rundown during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Andruw Monasterio (14) is tagged out at home by Chicago Cubs' Luke Little, top, after being caught in a rundown during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ watches his two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ, right, is congratulated by Seiya Suzuki (27) after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ, right, hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
