Voters reject sales tax measure for Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium renovations

Voters in Jackson County, Missouri rejected a new proposal this week that would help fund the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs’ upgrade plans for their respective stadiums. While the Royals are hoping to build a new ballpark, the Chiefs are looking to renovate the existing Arrowhead Stadium to make various improvements after winning three Super Bowls in a five-year span.

According to ESPN, the Royals owner, John Sherman, and Chiefs president, Mark Donovan, expected the initiative to fail upon the vote. As they predicted, 58% of voters rejected the plan. It would have replaced a current 3/8th cent sales tax with a similar tax that would go into effect for the next 40 years. The current sales tax pays for the upkeep of the Truman Sports Complex.

The Truman Sports Complex has been the home of the Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums for more than 50 years.

The Royals have pledged at least $1 billion from the ownership for their project, but wanted the plan to contribute tax revenue for the other half of the ballpark district. Meanwhile, the Super Bowl LVIII champs are hoping to renovate Arrowhead with an influx of $800 million, $300 million of which the Chiefs will raise from private money.

“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” Sherman said. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”

“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”

Chiefs, Royals stadium plans in jeopardy

Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri. However, in February, they announced that they were scrapping both concepts and chose a different downtown spot. Critics of the plan pointed to a lack of transparency and a failure to present more concrete plans.

“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, told ESPN. “It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is. We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”

The Chiefs have been playing in Arrowhead Stadium for 52 years, but according to Clark Hunt, they can’t continue on without major improvements.

“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”

Despite the failed vote, Hunt insists that Arrowhead is a vital piece of Chiefs culture.

“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”