The Chiefs and Royals on Friday issued a joint statement announcing their “commitment to staying in Jackson County.” The teams proposed a “set of promises they would make to the county” if it can get an "extension of the 3/8th-cent sales tax for both teams’ stadiums on the April ballot and voters pass it." The move comes ahead of a “key vote in the Jackson County Legislature on Monday," when legislators will "consider not just one but two stadium sales-tax ballot measures." If either proposed ballot measure passes tomorrow, County Exec Frank White Jr . has “made it clear he would veto unless he has newly signed leases in hand from the Chiefs and Royals.” No agreements have been reached ( K.C. STAR, 1/5 ).
The teams noted that they are asking for an “extension of the county tax, not an increase,” and outlined what they said would be “significant benefits to the county,” including:
- Paying to "insure the stadiums, a cost now paid by the county." The teams said that this would save $80-100M "over the course of the new leases."
- Allowing the county to "reallocate the teams’ share of an existing park property tax for other uses." The teams said that this would free up $140M for "other county purposes."
- Entering a "community benefits agreement they said would be similar to deals signed by other professional baseball and football teams" (K.C. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/5).
