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Voters in Jackson County, Missouri soundly rejected a plan for new facilities for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals following a fierce campaign. The unofficial results indicate a 58%-42% vote margin in favor of the measure’s failure.
The proposed ballot measure would have provided funding for the construction of a new Royals stadium in Kansas City’s East Crossroads neighborhood, which is well-known for its breweries, restaurants, boutiques, entertainment, and arts. It would have given the Chiefs access to Arrowhead Stadium improvements.
Based on trends around MLB, it is evident how appealing a shopping and tourism location would be for a Royals ballpark. The Battery, a retail and entertainment area north of Atlanta that encircles the club’s stadium, is owned and run by the Atlanta Braves, who have emerged as the model franchise in baseball. In a few years, the Tampa Bay Rays will create a ballpark town in St. Petersburg that is akin to this one. In addition to baseball, the strategy usually enables franchises to make money from their real estate assets, either directly or indirectly.
The Chiefs planned a $800 million renovation to their current stadium, even though they weren’t looking to move. The package would have improved the concourse and included extra spaces for tailgating outside the stadium. Since Kaufman Stadium, the home of the Royals, would have been destroyed to make room for the new stadium downtown, it would have made use of the space now held by that facility.
Naturally, nothing is given out for free. Although the referendum’s supporters said there would be no new taxes, that is only partially accurate. In order to raise $2 billion for the stadiums, a 0.375% sales tax on Jackson County residents that was about to expire would have been extended by an additional 40 years.
