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Royals owner's wife warns team could move to Kansas after ballpark funding proposal voted down

Ian Casselberry
Contributing writer
·2 min read
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The future of Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, is uncertain after voters rejected a proposed tax that would have paid for a new stadium. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
The future of Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, is uncertain after voters rejected a proposed tax that would have paid for a new stadium. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

The Kansas City Royals could leave Missouri for Kansas, according to the wife of team owner John Sherman.

Marny Sherman responded to a Facebook post that said, "Don't be surprised if the Royals and or Chiefs are playing in KS come 2032."

"Unfortunately, neither team will work with Jackson County again," said Sherman in her own comments, as reported by KBMC. "They had been working behind the scenes for two years attempting to get a location approved.

"In any case, most unfortunate for sports fans in KC," she added. "The lack of leadership has lost the city two treasured assets. I mean, if you don’t support the Chiefs after 3 Super Bowl wins, why would they stay? We will be lucky if both teams wind up in Kansas. At least still in the area!"

Sherman made her comments following Jackson County voters' defeating a sales tax referendum that would have helped fund a new downtown ballpark for the Royals and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The sentiment that the vote could lead to both teams leaving Missouri was echoed by Jackson County legislator Manny Abarca, who was involved in the negotiations leading up to the ballot referendum.

"I don't know what else we can do," Abarca said to KBMC. "Going back to the drawing board, there is no board to draw on. There's no markers."

However, Sherman was not speaking in an official capacity for the Royals. A team spokesperson said the organization is currently looking at all other options before making a decision. The leases for the Royals and Chiefs expire in 2031.