KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Friday was exactly two years since the Royals shared where they wanted to build their new stadium.
The team had announced they wanted to build either in North Kansas City, Missouri of Clay County or the East Village in Jackson County. Prior to the April 2, 2024 sales tax vote though, they changed their location to the East Crossroads of Jackson County. The date of that news conference was February 13.
The only site that’s been mentioned by the team in the last three months is the one at 119th and Nall in Overland Park, Kansas, the former Sprint headquarters now known as Aspiria.
“I think we will get there with the Royals,” Jackson County Democratic Legislative Chairman DaRon McGee said in an interview with FOX4 Friday.
McGee added he thinks there are some as he called it, ‘other determining factors.’
“I think one of those is September 30 to see whether the County Executive will remain in office or not,” he continued. “I think that has been a big impediment to keeping the teams in Jackson County has been the leadership of Frank White.”
McGee’s been a supporter of the recall effort. The Royals wouldn’t comment on Friday. Democratic County Executive Frank White wouldn’t comment on camera.
“Chairman McGee’s own words confirm what the County Executive has said all along: this recall isn’t about leadership — it’s about clearing the way to subsidize wealthy pro sports teams,” White’s Chief of Staff Caleb Clifford said in a statement. “We appreciate Fox4 for making this clear. Stadium backers are running the same playbook as before, underestimating voters’ intelligence. If this recall goes forward, it’s nothing more than [a] stadium vote 2.0.”
On White’s side in the April 2024 stadium election was Chairwoman of the Committee Against New Royals Stadium Taxes Becky Nace. She says her goal was to educate voters on the difference between the ballot question in 2006 and the one last year.
“That was that there was no lease agreement. This was a blank check, and voters just thought, and they were being told by the campaign of the teams that it was a renewal,” Nace said Friday. “It was a new tax, new type of tax.”
There was a lease agreement between the teams and the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, but it was signed just six days before the failed vote. White had said his entity hadn’t signed off on it.
When it came to the actual vote, it was to repeal the countywide capital improvements tax and impose a parks tax instead. The ballot question was for 3/8ths of a cent though, the same tax amount shoppers currently pay. That tax lasts until 2031 when the bonds will be paid off for the stadium improvements voters said yes to in 2006.
Nace added Friday she would not be opposed to the Chiefs renovating GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, but she’d like to hear more details from the team if that’s what they ultimately decide they want.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source fox4kc.com ’
