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By James Brizuela
Contributing Writer
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The Kansas City Chiefs walked away with their third Super Bowl ring in the last five years last year, making the team seem like a true dynasty in the making. Despite their huge success, it appears the team might have to find a new stadium home in the future.
The residents of Jackson County, Missouri voted to completely reject a sales tax that would have been used to help with renovations for Arrowhead Stadium, along with providing a brand-new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals to play in.
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More than 58% of voters decided against this new tax that would have been used for the upkeep of the Truman Sports Complex. This complex houses both Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium.
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The Royals and owner John Sherman had pledged around $1 billion to fund the building of a brand-new ball park district, and the sales tax would have gone to fund the $2 billion-plus plan to build a new ballpark.
The Chiefs and president Mark Donovan were also putting up $300 million in private money to help aid an overhauling of Arrowhead Stadium, which costs a total of $800 million to achieve. The sales tax would have also helped the Chiefs in solidifying these renovations.
Despite both teams hoping that the residents of Jackson County, Missouri would be open to this sales tax, they have voted overwhelmingly not to allow this to happen. This could severely damper the plans for both teams to remain at the Truman Sports Complex.
The Chiefs do have a few options to consider after the voters rejected this tax. They can come back with a new offer that is more agreeable to voters, attempt to invest the renovations through more private investors, or move the team to a neighboring city/state. It would be odd to see the team move, but Kansas is next door, and that is already in their namesake.
The Royals are not planning on playing at their current stadium past 2030, and the Truman Sports Complex lease is through 2031. That could mean the Royals will move regardless of what happens.
Arrowhead Stadium has become synonymous with the Chiefs, and it would be strange not to imagine the Super Bowl Champions staying put. Still, asking voters to cover taxes for a proposed new ballpark and renovations is likely always going to be a tough sell.
Time will tell what is going to come over the voters shutting this plan down. The smartest plan might just be to find investors to cover the difference and find a way to severely lower the tax that local residents would have to be responsible for.
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