Royals, Chiefs pledge economic commitment to stay in Jackson County

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals and Kansas City Chiefs released a joint statement Friday afternoon saying that they will stay in Jackson County if voters approve an extension of the 3/8-cent sales tax on a ballot initiative this April.

In the statement, the Royals announced their intention to move from Kauffman Stadium to a new ballpark and a privately funded $1 billion ballpark district in downtown Kansas City -- at an unnamed site -- while the Chiefs will “extensively renovate” Arrowhead Stadium at its current site, which shares a parking lot with The K. That all relies on voters’ approval of the sales tax extension, though.

To get there, the teams proposed a set of promises they would make to the county if it can get an extension of the sales tax for both teams’ stadiums on the April ballot and voters pass it. The team described their proposal as a “significant financial benefit for Jackson County.”

“The Chiefs and the Royals have partnered with Jackson County for 50 years in a partnership that has worked well for all constituents,” the statement read.

There is no finalized deal with the county yet. Jackson County legislators will consider a ballot measure proposal Monday to extend the current 3/8-cent sales tax for 40 years, as well as a second proposal that would ask voters to approve a 3/16-cent sales tax for 25 years that would benefit the Chiefs alone. The deadline for getting something on the April 2 ballot is Jan. 23.

In Friday’s joint statement, the clubs pledged to cover insurance coverage for their respective facilities that are currently paid for by Jackson County. The clubs estimate this will save between $80 million to $100 million over the course of any extended and new lease terms.

The Royals and Chiefs also pledged to provide Jackson County the ability to reallocate each team’s share of an existing park property tax for other county uses for the extension term of the Chiefs’ lease and new term of the Royals’ lease. This will allow the county to utilize approximately $140 million for other purposes, according to the statement.

Finally, the teams said they’re committed to entering into a “robust community benefits agreement similar to agreements provided by other NFL and MLB teams” to benefit the citizens of Jackson County.

“The partnership between Jackson County, the Chiefs and Royals has been a tremendous success over the past 50 years, and directly responsible for much of the great momentum our hometown has built. The framework described here is a significant financial benefit for Jackson County, collaboratively built around concerns expressed by the County Executive and other local leaders, and provides a further boost to Kansas City and the region for decades to come.”

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a statement in support of the teams’ intentions.

“Retaining the Chiefs and the Royals and the events hosted at the teams’ facilities like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift and global sporting events like the MLB All-Star Game and the World Cup is a priority for Kansas City -- at a fair value for our taxpayers," the statement read. “The Chiefs, the Royals, County Executive White, and the County Legislature have made great strides in their efforts to ensure voters have a fair deal to evaluate on the April 2024 ballot. I thank all parties for their efforts to secure a good deal for Jackson County and Kansas City taxpayers, and it is worthy of presentment to the voters, so that they may make their voices heard this April.”

The Royals have long desired to move downtown, proposing a $1 billion stadium -- along with a privately funded $1 billion surrounding district -- and estimate that an extension of the current 3/8-cent sales tax that helps fund the Truman Sports Complex would generate about $350 million in public funding. The team has explored moving to North Kansas City -- Clay County -- and building there, but its desire has always been to stay in Jackson County, further evidenced by Friday’s statement.

The Royals have explored an East Village site, as well as a site just south of the T-Mobile Center (where the former Kansas City Star printing press is located).