On June 14, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 3 (SB3) into law, locking in up to $1.5 billion in taxpayer money—plus an estimated $50 million annually for 30 years—to fund stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. For the farmers, small business owners, and families of Chariton County, this deal is a bitter pill. While Keytesville struggles with spotty broadband, Mendon lacks healthcare access, and Brunswick’s roads crumble, Missouri’s rural taxpayers are now forced to bankroll billionaire team owners and Kansas City developers. Worse, our own representatives, State Senator Rusty Black and State Representative Tim Taylor, supported this urban-centric giveaway, raising serious questions about whether they’re truly fighting for Chariton County’s needs.
A Billion-Dollar Giveaway to the Elite
SB3, passed by the Missouri Senate on June 5, 2025, and the House on June 11, 2025, allows the state to cover up to 50% of construction costs for new or renovated stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals, owned by billionaire families like the Hunts and Shermans. The upfront cost could hit $1.5 billion, with ongoing subsidies potentially adding another $1.5 billion over three decades. This is money that could pave every rural road in Chariton County, fund clinics in Salisbury, or provide real property tax relief for farmers facing rising assessments. Instead, it’s funneled to Kansas City’s sports complexes, which most of us will never set foot in.
Economic studies, like those from the Brookings Institution, show that publicly funded stadiums rarely deliver promised benefits to communities outside urban centers. The jobs—low-wage, seasonal roles like ticket takers—stay in Kansas City, while developers and businesses near the stadiums, from hotels to restaurants, reap the profits. A 2024 SLU/YouGov Poll found that Missourians wanted the state to cover no more than 13% of stadium costs, yet SB3’s 50% commitment dismisses this public sentiment. For Chariton County, this feels like a clear message: rural needs come second to Kansas City’s glitz.
Adding to the outrage, the Missouri legislature passed the “Show-Me Sports Investment” Act, a key part of SB3, which secures up to 50% taxpayer funding for the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium renovations, as reported by OutKick on June 12, 2025. The Hunt family, worth an estimated $25 billion—over 360 times the average Missouri household income of $68,000—pushed for this public subsidy. Yet, after securing this massive handout, the Chiefs’ response has been notably ungrateful. In a statement, they said, “We are grateful to Governor Mike Kehoe and the Missouri Legislature for taking this significant step forward,” but quickly added, “While there’s still work to be done, this legislation enables the Chiefs to continue exploring potential options to consider remaining in Missouri.” This tepid acknowledgment, hinting at further demands or even a possible move despite the funding, underscores a troubling lack of appreciation for the burden placed on Missouri taxpayers.
While there’s still work to be done, this legislation enables the Chiefs to continue “exploring potential options” to “consider remaining in Missouri”.
— Kansas City Chiefs
Chariton County’s Neglected Priorities
Chariton County faces urgent challenges that demand investment. In Mendon and Brunswick, residents drive miles for basic healthcare due to a lack of local clinics. High-speed internet, critical for modern farming and small businesses, is unreliable outside Keytesville, hampering agricultural efficiency and economic growth. Roads and bridges, essential for transporting crops or getting kids to school, deteriorate under strained county budgets. Just one year of SB3’s $50 million subsidy could fund a new clinic in Salisbury or pave dozens of miles of rural roads. Instead, these dollars are now locked into Kansas City’s sports empire.
The $1.5 billion upfront cost could transform rural Missouri. Missouri’s annual budget for rural broadband is less than $100 million—SB3’s funds could connect every farm in Chariton County to high-speed internet, boosting productivity and local economies. Property taxes, a growing burden for farmers, are only modestly addressed in SB3 with a 5% cap on assessment increases, a drop in the bucket compared to the billions poured into stadiums. For Chariton County residents, this deal prioritizes urban spectacle over the survival of our rural communities, especially when billionaires like the Hunts seek handouts while rural infrastructure languishes.
Are Our Representatives Listening?
State Senator Rusty Black and State Representative Tim Taylor, elected to represent Chariton County, voted for SB3, choosing Kansas City’s interests over those of their rural constituents. Both have spoken about supporting agriculture and rural development—Black has advocated for rural schools, and Taylor has backed farming initiatives. Yet, their votes for SB3 tell a different story. By supporting a bill that funnels billions to billionaire team owners, they’ve aligned with urban priorities, leaving rural voters to question whose side they’re on. Why back a deal that benefits a $25 billion family like the Hunts, who respond with lukewarm gratitude, when Chariton County’s schools, roads, and healthcare remain underfunded?
Black and Taylor may argue that keeping the Chiefs and Royals in Missouri preserves state pride or economic activity. But for Chariton County, pride comes from thriving farms, strong schools, and accessible healthcare, not distant stadiums. The economic benefits—$575 million annually for the Chiefs and $1.2 billion for a new Royals ballpark, per state estimates—stay in Kansas City, offering little to our communities. When rural Missourians struggle to access basic services, why are our representatives prioritizing urban projects, especially when the Chiefs hint at “exploring options” rather than committing to stay after taxpayer support? Chariton County deserves leaders who fight relentlessly for our needs, not those who trade our tax dollars for Kansas City’s gain.
A Risky Bet with Rural Dollars
SB3’s stadium deal is a gamble with high stakes for taxpayers. There’s no ironclad guarantee the Chiefs or Royals will stay in Missouri long-term. Cities like Oakland and St. Louis have seen teams leave after receiving public funds, leaving communities with debt and empty stadiums. Kansas’s competing incentives create a bidding war that benefits team owners, who can pit states against each other for maximum profit. If the teams relocate after reaping Missouri’s subsidies, Chariton County taxpayers will still be on the hook for decades.
Local funding remains unresolved, adding uncertainty. SB3 secures state support, but contributions from Jackson County, Clay County, or Kansas City are unclear. If local taxes or bonds are needed, rural Missourians could face indirect costs through higher state taxes or cuts to services like education or infrastructure. For Chariton County, where budgets are already stretched thin, this could mean fewer resources for schools, roads, or emergency services, a burden made more galling by the Hunt family’s wealth and their guarded response to the funding.
Demand Better for Chariton County
With SB3 now law, Chariton County residents must hold their leaders accountable. Contact Senator Rusty Black (573-751-1415) and Representative Tim Taylor (573-751-9753) and ask: How does this deal help our farmers, small businesses, or families? Why were Kansas City’s stadiums, including the Chiefs’ renovations backed by an ungrateful Hunt family, prioritized over our healthcare, roads, and schools? What will you do to ensure rural Missouri gets its fair share in future budgets? As elections approach, consider whether our representatives truly reflect Chariton County’s values. Rural Missouri deserves leaders who put our communities first, not those who divert our tax dollars to urban elites.
The $1.5 billion stadium boondoggle, plus decades of subsidies, enriches Kansas City’s billionaire team owners and developers while Chariton County’s needs—healthcare, broadband, infrastructure—go unanswered. It’s time to demand better representation, leaders who fight for Keytesville’s farmers, Salisbury’s small businesses, and Mendon’s families. Let’s make our voices heard and ensure rural Missouri isn’t left behind.
