Earlier this afternoon, the Kansas Legislators overwhelmingly approved the STAR Bond initiative, and now the Senate has done the same. In short order, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will put pen to paper, and the race between Kansas and Missouri to land both sports franchises will be officially off and running.

In a vote that went 27-8 in favor of approving the STAR Bond proposal, all that remains to be done is to gain the signature of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to make it into law. She’s expected to do that, and thus, Kansas can now begin negotiations first with the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Kansas City Royals.
@Royals reax to #KSLeg Star Bonds plan vote" "We’re grateful to the Kansas Legislature for today’s bipartisan action that gives the state a pragmatic tool in which to achieve its economic development goal." @KMBC
— Kris Ketz (@KrisKetzKMBC) June 19, 2024
more @royals reax #KSLeg "The Kansas City Royals look forward to additional conversations as we evaluate where we will play baseball in the future. We will always prioritize the best interests of our fans, associates, and taxpayers in this process." @KMBC
— Kris Ketz (@KrisKetzKMBC) June 19, 2024
In an earlier column, we stated clearly that this is anything but a done deal, even with the governor making it into law. However, based on the lack of objections today and the fact that no outside forces have tried to derail the voting process, it’s hard to believe that at least one of the two major sports franchises will move to Wyandotte County.

It’s remarkable how fast Kansas made this happen, and it shows that Kansas’s leadership is vastly superior to its counterparts in Missouri. Mayor Quentin Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parsons, who will step down from his post later this year, do not have the resources to offer the Chiefs and Royals anything close to what Kansas can offer.
Stay tuned to ChiefsBlitz.com