Chiefs, Royals mull KC exit as vote on taxpayer-funded stadium upgrades looms

Residents of Jackson County, Missouri, are facing a vote on April 2 that may determine the future of their local sports franchises — the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. The question posed to voters on the ballot asks whether or not they would be in favor of implementing a ⅜-cent sales tax over the next 40 years to help fund stadium upgrades for the two teams.

Should the proposal pass, it would amount to an average annual cost of $115 for each adult in the area, totaling around $54 million in taxpayer money annually and an estimated $2 billion over the lifespan of the tax.

These funds would be allocated toward building a new downtown ballpark for the Royals and renovating Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs. Both franchises assert that these improvements would generate significant economic returns for the local community, estimating over $2 billion every year, including an annual $1.2 billion from the new Royals stadium and nearly $1 billion from the Chiefs’ spending.

However, if the vote fails, the owners of both clubs have floated the possibility that could lead them to look for new homes outside of Kansas City.

“We will have to consider all of our options,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “From the Chiefs standpoint, we’re in a building that’s 52-53 years old. At the end of the [current] lease, it will be 60 years old and we only have seven years left on our lease, so we’ll be in a position where we need to consider our options.”

“This is about sustaining ourselves as a major league city,” Royals owner John Sherman said. “There’s lots of cities that would love to have these franchises.”

The proposed legislation would replace an existing tax passed in 2006. The existing tax does essentially the same thing to fund stadium upgrades for the Chiefs and Royals, but is set to expire in 2031.

Opponents of the plan argue against the use of public funds to subsidize “billionaire owners,” and say they’re still “winning the battle on the ground,” despite being outspent in campaign efforts by a 20 to one margin.

“I am a lifelong Chiefs and Royals fan,” said Sarah Deder, a volunteer with KC Tenants, one of the groups advocating for a rejection of the stadium tax. “And that’s been hard for me to reconcile because these teams who have brought us together as a community for so many years are ripping mine apart.”

If the vote is in favor of the teams, the Royals aim to have their new ballpark ready for opening day in 2028, while the Chiefs look to finish Arrowhead Stadium renovations by the start of the 2031 season.