Downtown Council encourages a YES vote on April 2nd
By Tommy Wilson, Director of Business Recruitment & Research at Downtown Council of Kansas City
For more than a decade, Jackson County has built historic momentum with the Chiefs and Royals starting with hosting Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in 2012, experiencing a thrilling World Series victory in 2015, and celebrating three Super Bowl championships over the past five years. All of these incredible achievements helped propel our County and region to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
On April 2nd, Jackson County voters have the opportunity to cast ballots in an election with a generational impact. The Chiefs and the Royals have committed a significant amount of their own funds to extensively renovate Arrowhead Stadium and build a new downtown neighborhood ballpark district. However, a “YES” vote on April 2nd to extend the existing 3/8-cent sales tax is crucial to bringing these exciting plans to fruition.
Vote Yes and Community Benefits
Voting “YES” will continue the longstanding public-private partnership between both franchises and Jackson County. As the word partnership implies, taxpayers bear a portion of the responsibility for supporting these County-owned assets. However, as a sales tax, anyone who makes a purchase in Jackson County contributes.
In addition, the Chiefs and Royals will provide more than $200 million dollars back to the County’s budget by eliminating its obligation to pay stadium insurance premiums and the park levy to the teams. Both franchises have also outlined a robust Community Benefits Agreement with Jackson County and the Crossroads Arts District. They have agreed to fund Kansas City Public Schools to guarantee there is no loss of property tax revenue. They are committed to being great partners who complement the Crossroads Arts District while enhancing connections to the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District.
A reimagined Arrowhead and a new downtown neighborhood ballpark will create thousands of immediate and long-term jobs supported by the construction, maintenance, and renovation of the stadiums. Businesses around the new ballpark will experience more revenue and growth from game day activities and the players will continue to contribute to Kansas City’s earnings tax.
Jackson County voters will be deciding the future of the existing sales tax that they have been paying for decades but this time with significantly more benefits to the entire community. When considering those benefits, the overall economic benefit for our region, and the sense of pride our professional sports teams provide, there is overwhelming value in voting “YES” to extend the 3/8-cent sales tax.
The Downtown Council is excited about maintaining this remarkable momentum and encourages a “YES” vote on April 2nd to keep the Chiefs and Royals in Jackson County for the next generation.
Learn more and help inform your network on all the facts of this important vote by visiting – https://www.downtownkc.org/ballpark/.
