Missouri governor signs stadium aid package intended to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the state

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a legislative package on Saturday, approved by Missouri lawmakers earlier in the week, that includes hundreds of millions of dollars of financial aid intended to persuade the Chiefs and Royals to remain in the state.

Kehoe, a Republican, had called lawmakers into special session and they approved of the package Wednesday.

The Chiefs and Royals currently play at the Truman Sports Complex on the east side of Kansas City, where Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking facilities. But their leases with Jackson County, Missouri, expire in January 2031, and the two franchises have been trying to decide the best route forward for the past several years.

Last year, Jackson County voters defeated a sales tax extension that would have helped finance an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium — the home of the Chiefs — and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City.

The slow movement by those on the Missouri side of the state line in supporting the franchises prompted lawmakers in Kansas to authorize bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums in their state. The Royals have bought a mortgage for property in Kansas, though the team also has continued to pursue other possible sites in Missouri.

The offer from Kansas is scheduled to expire June 30, and both teams have indicated they will hope to have a plan formulated by then. Missouri’s legislation authorizes bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.

If they choose to stay in Missouri, the Chiefs have floated plans for a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have insisted all along that they intend to build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium.

The stadium subsidies already were a top concern in Missouri when a deadly tornado struck St. Louis on May 16, causing an estimated $1.6 billion of damage a day after lawmakers had wrapped up work in their annual regular session.

Disaster relief tied to stadium funding had widespread support. On Wednesday, Democratic state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins described to lawmakers how she had witnessed the tornado rip the roof off her house and damage her St. Louis neighborhood.

“Homes are crumbled and leveled,” said Collins, adding: “It hurts me to my core to see the families that have worked so hard, the businesses that have worked so hard, to see them ripped apart.”

The Chiefs, in a statement to The Associated Press, described the legislative vote this week as a “significant step forward” that enables the team to continue exploring options to remain in Missouri. The Royals described the legislation as “a very important piece of our decision-making process” but made no site-specific commitment.

“Our focus remains the same: to prioritize the best interests of our team, fans, partners and regional community as we pursue the next generational home for the Kansas City Royals,” the team said in a statement to the AP.

Though they have no specific plans in the works, the St. Louis Cardinals also would be eligible for stadium aid if they undertake a project of at least $500 million. They built their existing Busch Stadium nearly 20 years ago.

“We have the chance to maybe save what is the symbol of this state,” said state Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis County.

The legislation did face some bipartisan pushback from those who described it as a subsidy for wealthy franchise owners. Others raised concerns that a property tax break for homeowners, which was added in the Senate to gain votes, violates the state constitution by providing different levels of tax relief in various counties while excluding others entirely.

“This bill is unconstitutional, it’s fiscally reckless, it’s morally wrong,” Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin said.

Associated Press writer David Lieb contributed to this report.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Kansas City Royals' Kyle Isbel celebrates after a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates with teammates after their baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)