Chiefs, Royals announce they’ll stay in Jackson County if voters approve extension of sales tax

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — The Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals say they will remain in Jackson County if voters approve an extension of the 3/8-cent sales tax on a ballot initiative this April.

The Chiefs and the Royals, in a joint statement, say they will provide more than $200 million in new “economic benefits to Jackson County over 40 years in a new lease agreement, alleviating the County’s obligation to pay stadium insurance premiums as well as the park levy to the teams.”

“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,” the teams said.

The sales tax extension is back on the agenda for Monday’s Jackson County Legislature meeting.

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,” Lucas said. “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.”

Jackson County Executive Frankl White Jr. said no agreement has been finalized with either the Chiefs or the Royals, pointing out there’s still seven years left on the remaining leases of the stadiums.

“As we navigate these crucial negotiations involving potential commitments of billions of taxpayer dollars, I want to make it abundantly clear: I have not, and will not, rush into any agreement,” White said. “The well-being of Jackson County and its residents is my foremost priority. We are mindful that we have weeks until the April ballot deadline. But we also have seven years remaining on our current leases with both teams, providing us a valuable window to thoroughly evaluate all proposals.”

North Kansas City was named a finalist for the Royals’ stadium location in the summer of 2023.

Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington, in a Facebook post, said Clay County was contacted by the Royals on Friday morning.

“The Kansas City Royals called both Clay County and North Kansas City this morning to let us know they’ve put all the chips in on the Kansas City Star building,” he said.

The teams say under the agreement, the Chiefs would renovate Arrowhead Stadium while the Royals would build a new downtown stadium.