airforceguy1 wrote: ↑Jan 08, 2024
Jackson County leaders vote to put Royals, Chiefs stadium tax on ballot
The Jackson County Legislature has voted to put a stadium sales tax extension on the April ballot, but there are still some questions and uncertainties.
County leaders voted 8-1 at their meeting Monday to put a question on the ballot, asking voters to approve a 3/8th-cent sales tax for 40 years.
The move comes after the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs announced they’re committed to staying in Jackson County, pending voters’ approval of the tax. The teams also said they will provide over $200 million in economic benefits for the county — including insurance coverages, reallocating park property taxes and a “robust” community benefits agreement. If approved, the sales tax revenue would go toward stadium projects for both teams. The Royals plan to build a new $2 billion ballpark district and have been looking at locations in Jackson and Clay counties. The Chiefs have said they plan to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.
The Royals have previously said they narrowed their decision down to two locations: a location in the East Village of downtown KC and a location in North Kansas City. But the owners of the former Kansas City Star building at 16th and Oak streets are still pushing to get the Royals to move to the Crossroads instead.
Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington posted Friday to social media that the Royals told North Kansas City and his county they’ve “put all the chips in on the KC Star building.”
In addition to uncertainty about the exact location of the new stadium, there’s also some concern County Executive Frank White could veto the ordinance.
The county leader said Monday he believes the county “can achieve more before we commit to placing this on the ballot,” including a “strong and enforceable Community Benefits Agreement.”
https://fox4kc.com/politics/jackson-county-leaders-vote-to-put-royals-chiefs-stadium-tax-on-ballot/
This was vetoed by Frank White last week and was overridden by the Jackson County Legislature today. It’s on the ballot for April 2nd.
A lot of people are rightfully confused since both the Chiefs and Royals haven’t released their plans yet. Chiefs previously said they’d remain at Arrowhead. Royals switched sites in downtown to apparently the Crossroads. Both teams have until February 29th to release their plans so the public can make an informed decision.
Frank White, a former Royal who was fired by the team, has been complaining that the process of getting this measure on the ballot is flawed. Meanwhile, it was documented that he wouldn’t meet with Royals and Chiefs ownership last fall to come to terms. It’s very clear that he’s trying to get revenge on the Royals for firing him. Frank’s also in hot water because of the increase in property taxes on residents in Jackson County. So to say people don’t really like Frank is an understatement. But, he does raise some valid questions in his veto of the measure that apparently have been addressed, just not in a binding agreement yet.
Because this is a renewal of the 3/8 cent sales tax, I imagine it’ll pass. That’s especially true since the Chiefs are named on the ballot and will lead the ballot language with the Royals being pushed down a bit. I can’t help but get memories of the MLS2STL Proposition 2 vote in 2017. Although that was more crooked because it would’ve redirected the sales tax from North-South MetroLink.
According to people I’ve talked to, and not users on the KCRag Forum, the Crossroads stadium will sit on land bound by Truman, Oak, 17th and Grand. All buildings in that area will be torn down. Truman Road South Drive will be closed to traffic and Oak will be turned into a pedestrian-only corridor. Businesses on the block of Grand between Truman and 16th will be relocated and/or bought out. Resurrection Church has apparently agreed to some sort of agreement to be bought out and moved to another location. Local property owner Matt Abbott offered to help relocate businesses to other spaces in the Crossroads. It’s highly likely that this stadium location will result in seeing the South Loop park extended an additional 2 blocks east to Oak. The Crossroads site wasn’t even in consideration up until Cordish and the Privetera Family (who owns the massive, and vacant, KC Star Printing Press on Oak) got together and began applying pressure to the Royals. It’s assumed that Royals will still build their own “Ballpark District” around the new stadium, just it might not be as grand as the East Village. With the Power and Light District being right there, there’s pressure not to build another entertainment district.
Very interesting times on this front here in KC.
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