ICYMI — The Royals’ ongoing hunt for a new stadium location and the Chiefs’ desire to renovate have been slow-going + complicated to say the least.
Concerns over location and tax extension negotiations have been mounting (see Mayor Q’s post on X, formerly Twitter: “Y’all gonna mess around and lose the Chiefs too”). Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca is part of the outcry, organizing a community town hall on the topic at Fowling Warehouse KC last night.
“It’s going to be a real challenge,” Abarca said, “When you have a competitor like Kansas who clearly wants them...”
As a chair on the county’s Stadium Improvements Committee, he fears it may already be too late — citing multiple offers already made for the teams to cross the state line.
He discussed three possible future scenarios:
- No Teams — The Royals are forced to live out their lease at the Kauffman, recieve a better deal elsewhere, and leave after 2031. The Chiefs cannot fulfill their desire to grow, build a stadium elsewhere in the meantime, and leave after 2031.
- Keep Both Teams — The Royals are allowed to build a new stadium downtown. The Chiefs take over the Truman Sports Complex and renovate.
- NKC — The Royals attempt to move to North Kansas City, vacating Truman Sports Complex. The Chiefs take over the Truman Sports Complex and renovate. The Royals could lose the vote in NKC and then have no home.
Abarca proposed “The Better Deal,” a list of possible lease terms and community benefits that could be considered in contract renegotiations, ex. teams pay for their own insurance + local unions utilized for construction.
Negotiating and approving lease(s), determining lease length, community benefits agreement + ballot language will need to be decided on within the next six weeks if Jackson County voters are to see a stadium tax extension on their April ballot.
