Despite their success on the field, the Kansas City Chiefs took a major loss off the field on Tuesday. Jackson County voters rejected the proposed stadium sales tax that would have funded renovations for Arrowhead Stadium.
As both the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals were looking to make major upgrades to their home stadiums, the community clearly didn’t agree with their proposed plan to fund those ideas. After 58% of voters said no to the proposed stadium sales tax, there could be a major impact on the future of both franchises in Jackson County.
How Will the Kansas City Chiefs Be Impacted by Their Rejected Proposal?
While the Chiefs have enjoyed plenty of success at Arrowhead Stadium, their future in the area is now in question. Before the vote, Kansas City stated that the result of this vote would be crucial in their ability to remain in Jackson County. Now there is a chance that the Chiefs could eventually be playing elsewhere.
If the stadium sales tax proposal had passed, a current 3/8th-cent sales tax would have been extended until 2064. Following the result in Jackson County, the sales tax will now end in 2031 — when the current leases of both the Chiefs and Royals are set to expire.
Both the Chiefs and Royals were banking on the proposed sales tax passing, which would have led to an extra $2 billion in funding generated for their stadium upgrades. While the Chiefs were looking to invest $800 million in renovations to their current stadium, the Royals were looking to spend $1 billion on an entirely new ballpark.
Following the Jackson County community’s decision, Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman released an official statement on Tuesday night.
“We respect the voters of Jackson County and the results of the election today. We will take some time to reflect on and process the outcome and find a path forward that works for the Royals and our fans,” Sherman said.
Chiefs president Mark Donovan also addressed Jackson County’s decision on Tuesday night. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county,” Donovan said.
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Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas addressed the results of Tuesday’s election in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). Lucas mentioned that the people of Kansas City “love the Chiefs and Royals,” but their rejected plans were inadequate. Lucas is hoping for a more collaborative process moving forward to ensure that both franchises remain in Kansas City.
As the Chiefs prepare to make their run for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory, Kansas City will have to cherish these moments with the franchise playing in their area. Based on the results of Tuesday’s election, there’s a chance that the Chiefs will no longer be in Kansas City beyond 2031.