Chiefs President To Jackson County Voters Say Yes To Extending A Stadium Tax Or We Will Move

Evan Weiner

March 20, 2024

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) leaves the field with his wife, Brittany Mahomes, after the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Jackson County, Missouri voters will decide if they want to extend a sales tax that would provide funding for a new Royals’ stadium and a renovation of the Chiefs’ stadium.

The President of the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs franchise, Mark Donovan, has issued the threat to Jackson County, Missouri. You don’t vote yes on extending a sales tax designed to pay off debt from the renovations of the Chiefs’ and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals franchise’s stadiums, the franchise might be on the move. That cannot happen until 2031 so it is somewhat of a hollow threat but a threat is a threat. “If somebody comes back and says they don’t agree with that, and then enough people vote no, then we’re in a situation where we’ve got to look at that and say well that’s the deal we offered and that wasn’t good enough,” Donovan said. “Well, what is? And what are our other options? At that point you got to look at your other options. So the other options would have to include other options outside of Kansas City, Missouri.`
There are no cities in the United States that are prepared to take on a National Football League franchise. The NFL vacated St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland because of inadequate stadiums and the lack by local elected officials to find funding for new stadiums. San Antonio elected officials claim that the city is prepared to take on an NFL team but the city has an old stadium and the local National Basketball Association Spurs ownership wants a new arena and that would be priority one. NFL owners in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Washington want either new or renovated facilities. What are the options for the Kansas City Chiefs ownership? Politicians in Kansas might be ready to find money for a Chiefs’ stadium and could find land for a stadium not far from Kansas City. Early voting has already started in Jackson County, Missouri.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid celebrates with defensive end Frank Clark, right, after the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 23-20. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

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