Jackson Co MO Stadium Vote Today

[cmh6476 1,025]

but there is a vote today by the citizens of Jackson County MO (sales tax) to fund stadium improvements to both Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums.

 

 

The Super Bowl and All-Star games that have been awarded to KC are contingent upon passage of this measure.

 

One vote is for actual stadium improvements, and another is for a rolling roof to cover either stadium, which is a must if they want a SuperBowl. So it will be interesting to see how all this pans out after the polls close tonight at 7.

 

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...renovations.jsp

 

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/02/23/ca...icks_off_today/

[Mike FF Today 729]

My vote has been cast -

[GobbleDog 997]

Is it that big of a deal to host a SuperBowl? It's not like the Chiefs will actually be in it.

[cmh6476 1,025]

My vote has been cast -

 

 

you've been listening to keitzman too long then

 

 

 

The better plan would have been to use the entertainer's tax (all opposing teams pay a tax on their payroll when they play in Missouri. So when the Yanks come in to play the Royals, Mets come in to play the Cards, Donks come in to play the Chiefs, or for concerts and whatnot they all have to pay a tax on the money they make to play in the State of Missouri). That money was originally intended to be used towards the Arts, but it was diverted sometime back and is now going into general revenue. My great State Senator (who graciously gave me a Senate Resolution with me and my wife and wedding party on it when I got married) introduced a bill that would have taken that money and put it towards stadium improvements and I think to payoff some of the loan for the Rams stadium. Well, another friend of mine state rep ( ) is running for state senate, so he stood up against this bill and killed it, to come across like he didnt want to use public money to pay for stadiums

 

 

And so it died. I really dont care how it happens, I just want to see a concerted effort to keep the Royals and Chiefs her in Kansas City, and preferably on the Missouri side. However, if this doesnt pass then I'm almost akin to the idea of building the Chiefs a new stadium at the Sports Complex, and then having a stadium built for the Royals downtown. I guess we'll have a better idea of what's to happen after tonight's election. If the fockin Chiefs end up the LA Chiefs, I'm blaming you Mike

 

Is it that big of a deal to host a SuperBowl? It's not like the Chiefs will actually be in it.

not to me, I just want to see my teams cemented here in KC. They tried to use the super bowl and all-star games, however, as selling points as economic boosts for the city that would have more than paid for what's going into the renovations.

[GobbleDog 997]

I didn't realize they were even in jeoperady of moving. That's no good.

[cmh6476 1,025]

I didn't realize they were even in jeoperady of moving. That's no good.

 

 

If stadium improvements are not made, then jackson County defaults on the lease and both the Chiefs and Royals are free to explore other options. They have both said they are commited to remaining in KC, but who's to say LA wouldnt put together a sweet package for them to move out there. The biggest arguement the Chiefs have is that they can make more money with a stadium up to current standards. When arrowhead was built, they had no idea how much money could be made off concessions. So they want wider concourses, more restrooms (to get people in and out), more concession venues and easier access into the stadium so the Chiefs can make more money. It's been proven the newer stadiums make more money off concessions, and the Chiefs want their piece of the pie.

 

 

I really think the Royals are content where they are at, but if the Chiefs get something then they should too. We have to get our act together here and get the imrpovements locked in. And it's not just LA and other cities they are competing with, Kansas is pushing to build a brand new stadium out by the I-70 Speedway (which is on the Kansas side), which would also be bad for Missouri. We need some forward thinkers who understand the economic impact of losing the Chiefs. It would be a travesty if the state of Missouri lost the Chiefs and/or the Royals.

[GobbleDog 997]

It would be a travesty if the state of Missouri lost the Chiefs and/or the Royals.

I agree.

[cmh6476 1,025]

here's my 2 <insert cents symbol>, from Chiefsplanet:

 

The MO legislature had a bill from an Entertainers Tax to fund the improvements last legislative session, but it was killed in the House.

 

In Missouri, every opposing professional athlete or entertainer that performs in our state pays a payroll tax on the money they make while performing in a venue in Missouri. Whether it be A-Rod or Pujols or Peyton or Shania Twain. That money was originally designed to go to the Arts fund and help pay for libraries, but overtime it was diverted into general revenue. State Sen. Charlie Shield's bill would have taken the money earned from that tax and paid for improvements to Arrowhead and Kauffman, while paying off some of the debt on The Edwards Jones Dome (?) I believe and wouldn't theoritically have cost the average taxpayer a dime.

 

Except from the viewpoint that the money was already coming in and therefore it belonged to the citizens of the state already. The guy that wrote the initial letter to not fund the stadiums when there are cuts being made in Govt services such as Medicaid and whatnot is a friend of mine, and I have asked him about it. He's got a point, but my viewpoint is that the money being made by these athletes wouldn't be coming in if Kansas builds an Arrowhead next to the racetrack, or San Antonio somehow lands the Royals. We have to think progressively and ensure that the Chiefs and the Royals are going to be here in Missouri, for years to come.

 

With that all said, if this thing does fail, I think some of the local radio personalities have maybe convinced me that a new Arrowhead at the Sports Complex alongwith a downtown Kauffman might not be a bad idea afterall, as far as money is concerned for the Royals anyway. If the Royals had downtown games and opened the doors a few hours early, with bars and restaurants in the surrounding area that would be quite a bit of money to be made. I just don't want to lose the tailgating aspect of Arrowhead Stadium and the Truman Sports Complex.

 

But I honestly believe Keitzman only gripe about this is that he wants downtown baseball so bad, and not the fact that the teams aren't putting up enough money.

 

That's about all I got.

 

 

and you can track the election results here:

 

http://jceb.co.jackson.mo.us/electionnight...tionReturns.htm

 

they'll start coming in about 7:30

[cmh6476 1,025]

Chiefs | Final vote on stadium upgrades split

Tue, 4 Apr 2006 21:21:20 -0700

 

Doug Tucker, of the Associated Press, reports Jackson County, Mo., voters split Tuesday, April 4, on a pair of measures to pay for upgrades to Kansas City's sports stadiums, approving a sales tax for renovations but rejecting a plan for a rolling roof to make both facilities climate-controlled. A three-eighth-cent sales tax will raise $425 million over 25 years to renovate the stadiums and add such amenities as a pavilion behind the baseball stadium. The sales tax won by about 5,000 votes, while the roof plan failed by fewer than 4,000 votes. The NFL pledged to award the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl in 2015 if the measures passed.

 

 

looks like the improvements passed, but the roof failed. The stadium will be sweet once it's done. The entire concourses will be enclosed with more pi$$ers and beer lines

[Mike FF Today 729]

Boo. Typical Jackson County. This plan is not what's best for this city and I'm a little embarrassed for Kansas City that this passed. I thought people had a little more common sense than this, but I guess if you shove $2 million into a scare campaign you'll get the results you want. What a shame...

[cmh6476 1,025]

Boo. Typical Jackson County. This plan is not what's best for this city and I'm a little embarrassed for Kansas City that this passed. I thought people had a little more common sense than this, but I guess if you shove $2 million into a scare campaign you'll get the results you want. What a shame...

 

 

why? Because the teams aren't putting enough in?

 

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...xt=.jsp&c_id=kc

 

 

"The next project is not only an All-Star Game but a World Series in Kansas City," he said.