ICYMI — The Chiefs and Royals shared a joint statement on Friday, Jan. 5 proposing a new benefits package. The most tantalizing carrot dangled: both teams promised to stay in Jackson County if voters approve a stadium sales tax extension.
Here’s the details.
The proposed perks
- Both teams insure they can take care of themselves. The teams pledged to take over their respective facilities’ insurance coverages from the county — an ~$80 to ~$10 million cost the county would no longer have to pay.
- The teams’ share of the existing park property tax can be reallocated from Truman Sports Complex into "~$140 million for other County purposes.”
- They also plan to be team players by entering a “robust community benefits agreement ... similar to deals signed by other professional baseball and football teams.”
The fine print
You can keep proudly saying “Kansas City” Chiefs and “Kansas City” Royals on one more condition. The two teams promised to keep “Kansas City” in their names only if voters approve the 3/8th stadium sales tax extension on the April ballot, a move made possible by the County’s last minute decision to include it without a signed lease from the Royals.