As the Kansas City Chiefs weigh their future home, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota is making a full-court press to keep the team on the Missouri side of the state line - and he's bringing receipts.
Ahead of a key legislative meeting in Kansas, LeVota sent letters to the Chiefs organization outlining what Missouri can offer - and according to him, it’s not just about loyalty or legacy. It’s about cold, hard numbers.
At the heart of LeVota’s pitch is a significant financial edge: $400 to $600 million in federal tax benefits that Missouri can provide - benefits that Kansas simply doesn’t have access to, structurally or geographically. And here’s the kicker: these aren’t hypothetical perks or incentives that require new legislation.
According to LeVota, they’re already baked into Missouri’s infrastructure and federal designations. No new deals.
No red tape. Just existing advantages ready to be leveraged.
He also took aim at Kansas’ proposed stadium site in the Village West area, pointing out that it falls outside of key federal funding programs like New Market Tax Credits and Opportunity Zone eligibility. That could mean millions left on the table if the Chiefs were to make the move across state lines.
And while Kansas is offering STAR Bonds - a form of sales tax revenue financing - LeVota argued that it’s not enough. “Kansas is offering only STAR Bonds with no other buy-in or participation from local entities,” he wrote, calling it a “huge gap in the proposal.” He also questioned Kansas’ long-term stadium maintenance plan, or lack thereof, suggesting that while many markets can offer sales tax financing, only Missouri can deliver permanent federal tax advantages.
One of the more intriguing parts of the back-and-forth centers on the dome - or lack thereof. Kansas’ proposal reportedly includes a domed stadium, a feature that could be a game-changer for hosting major events like the Super Bowl or Final Four.
But LeVota says Missouri can match that ambition - and do it more efficiently. He claims that a dome could be added at the current Arrowhead site for $250 million to $400 million less than what it would cost to build a brand-new enclosed stadium in Kansas.
And it’s not just about building costs. Operating expenses are part of the equation too.
LeVota highlighted the Thermal Energy Network, a Missouri-based system powered by the Blue River Wastewater Treatment Plant located less than two miles from Arrowhead. According to LeVota, this network could unlock another $250 million in federal incentives - funds that Kansas can’t tap into because it lacks a comparable facility.
That kind of energy infrastructure doesn’t just reduce utility bills - it plays into long-term sustainability and cost-efficiency, two factors that any ownership group has to weigh when making a generational decision like relocating a franchise.
As Kansas lawmakers prepare to meet in Topeka with the Chiefs' stadium situation on the docket, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Rumors have swirled for months about a possible move to Kansas, but LeVota’s letters read like a final, detailed pitch to keep the team rooted in Jackson County.
“The Hunt family built something extraordinary in Kansas City,” LeVota wrote. “Jackson County wants to help you build the next chapter - not with promises or hype, but with real specifics of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal incentives that only we can deliver.”
It’s a high-stakes moment for one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises. And while the scoreboard hasn’t lit up yet, the battle for the Chiefs’ future is very much underway - with Missouri making it clear they’re not ready to give up home-field advantage without a fight.