Chiefs Sign New Lease With Jackson County

[Angel]

CHIEFS SIGN NEW LEASE WITH JACKSON COUNTY, TEAM AWAITS APRIL VOTE
Jan 24, 2006, 1:35:15 PM


The Kansas City Chiefs today signed a lease with Jackson County, Missouri officials that will keep the team at the county’s Truman Sports Complex for the next 25 years. The lease was signed in a special ceremony at the Jackson County courthouse in downtown Kansas City. A lease was also agreed to by the Kansas City Royals, the Major League Baseball team that makes its home at Kauffman Stadium, located adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium in the Truman Sports Complex. The signing of the new leases leads the way for the county to put two sales tax issues to finance stadium improvements before Jackson County voters on April 4th of this year.

The new lease was “indeed welcome news for the sports fans of the area as well as the Chiefs organization,” said Lamar Hunt, Founder of the Kansas City Chiefs. “Our family and the entire Chiefs organization are committed to Kansas City and want to say how much we appreciate the ‘can-do’ attitude of the public officials who have helped the project reach this stage.

“Thirty-eight years ago the citizens of Jackson County took the revolutionary step to build the Truman Sports Complex, which includes Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium. These stadiums now require modernization and I think it is most appropriate that the two teams have committed to new 25-year leases, and that the public will at the same time have the parallel, but separate opportunity to vote to complete the original project design with the Rolling Roof.”

The Rolling Roof will be one of two ballot measures that county officials are expected to put before voters. One will include a 3/8-cent sales tax increase to raise at least $425 million to pay for the work to the stadiums. A measure to fund the construction of the Rolling Roof that will move between both stadiums to combat inclement weather will be funded by what is known as a “use tax” charged to people in Jackson County who purchase items of $2,000 or more outside of the state. Use taxes are common in counties surrounding Jackson County.

“This Rolling Roof facility, which will be the only one of its type in the world, will provide the opportunity for Kansas City to have a 21st century facility for the enjoyment of all in Mid-America,” Hunt continued. “Most importantly for the sports fans of the area is the opportunity to bring a future Super Bowl to the community and to help secure other mega-events with the assurance of weather protection.”

Late last year, the National Football League voted to extend Kansas City a commitment to host a future Super Bowl contingent on the event being weather-protected. Kansas City’s Super Bowl is slated to fall within a year between 2012 and 2021. The new lease agreement, which will expire in 2031, includes provisions beyond the sales tax including $50 million in state tax credits and contributions totaling $100 million to be made from the Chiefs ($75 million) and the Royals ($25 million). In addition, the teams have agreed to pay for any cost overruns on work done to the respective stadiums.

As a benefit to Jackson County taxpayers, the Chiefs have agreed to a one-dollar surcharge on each ticket sold to games and further intend to waive a five-percent surcharge for parking to Jackson County residents if they purchase season or single-game tickets in advance.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/0..._with_jackson_county_team_awaits_april_vote2/

 

[Rupert]

It's good to see KC lock up their sports market. No sense losing the Athletics (Oakland) or Kings (Sacramento) again.

 

[Crossbones]

Looks like Kanasas City will be in line for that Super Bowl date.

It' good to see the Chiefs staying around those parts and the NFL promised them a Super Bowl (not to paly in mind you) should they build a stadium that could be covered. The new plan looks to be a beauty!

But, Kansas City in February?

 

[Rupert]

Well, it would be difficult to get people to go there.

Freeze your a$$ of in KC for the "Big Game" this year. I can see the advertisements now.

 

[Angel]

Well, it would be difficult to get people to go there.

Freeze your a$$ of in KC for the "Big Game" this year. I can see the advertisements now.

That's why they have to have a covered stadium....dammit....football is meant to be played outdoors in the grass and the cold and the rain/snow/ice/mud...whatever!! Some people are just wusses!!

 

[Rupert]

Well, I wasn't talking about the game. I was talking about the "NFL Experience" stuff that goes on for the week before the game. All the stuff for kids and families to look at and pay for. All the outdoor functions that surround the game. It's great that they can protect the "fans" in the stadium, the big problem is all the "Experience" functions that go on during the week that will be the problem.

 

[Crossbones]

The NFL should step up...

Well, I wasn't talking about the game. I was talking about the "NFL Experience" stuff that goes on for the week before the game. All the stuff for kids and families to look at and pay for. All the outdoor functions that surround the game. It's great that they can protect the "fans" in the stadium, the big problem is all the "Experience" functions that go on during the week that will be the problem.

Good point and I agree with you. Wasn't thinking along those lines initially.

I really think the Super Bowl should be played at a neutral site (the same one every year). For the good of the game I think it would be better. In fact the NFL has plenty of money so how about if they build a stadium -- 'ya know "Super Bowl Field" or something in say California or Florida where the chances of the weather being good is almost a certainty. That would be cool. Screw a buncha Detroits and Indianapolis'!

In absence of that I think California (Rose Bowl) would be the best place. The Rose Bowl is a great place to watch a game and you can almost count on the weather being good. It benefits everybody (especially Pasadena I suppose), the fans, players, media everybody. JMO.

 

[Rupert]

I hear what you're saying, and the proximity to tinseltown would be welcomed, but it's a big carrot for cities to have the game and all its capital wander through the city limits. It helps the league sell public funding so they can keep their pockets richly lined.

How do you get cities and counties to pony up big bucks if you can't promise them an eventual tax bonanza every 10 years or so? It's a tough sell. Look at L.A. These bastards here know the score and get plenty of tax revenue from all the Hollywood-centered red-carpet fests. What do they NEED a SuperBowl for? They've got the Rose Bowl occassionally the Lakers do well, Dodgers and Angels and 2 hockey teams, really, these guys here don't NEED the revenue an NFL team brings. But they wouldn't pass on it either. They're just too saavy to put forth much if any public funding. They look at Staples Center and say, no public money and they got paid back in less than 3 years on a $400 million investment. But an NFL venue won't have 5 tennants and be booked wall to wall with events over 300 days out of the year. That needs public support to get paid back that quickly.

 

[Crossbones]

I hear what you're saying, and the proximity to tinseltown would be welcomed, but it's a big carrot for cities to have the game and all its capital wander through the city limits. It helps the league sell public funding so they can keep their pockets richly lined.

How do you get cities and counties to pony up big bucks if you can't promise them an eventual tax bonanza every 10 years or so? It's a tough sell. Look at L.A. These bastards here know the score and get plenty of tax revenue from all the Hollywood-centered red-carpet fests. What do they NEED a SuperBowl for? They've got the Rose Bowl occassionally the Lakers do well, Dodgers and Angels and 2 hockey teams, really, these guys here don't NEED the revenue an NFL team brings. But they wouldn't pass on it either. They're just too saavy to put forth much if any public funding. They look at Staples Center and say, no public money and they got paid back in less than 3 years on a $400 million investment. But an NFL venue won't have 5 tennants and be booked wall to wall with events over 300 days out of the year. That needs public support to get paid back that quickly.

All good points and well taken.

I still say Al would like another crack at Los Angeles and I'm not ruling out the possibility of another law suit once the NFL tries to move some team there! We'll see...2008 seems to be the target date for the NFL to have a team in LA. The Raiders lease in Oakland is up in 2010...hmmmmmm.

 

[Rupert]

Also considere that the NFL wants TWO teams in L.A., not initially, but eventually. They know the area can support them both. That's why they're also looking at Anaheim. They want maximum profits. And why not?

 

[Angel]

Allright already....what's wrong with KC?? It's got lots of interesting places to go/things to do....I used to live there....but that place is just way too crazy for me (traffic/people wise)