The Chiefs have been playing in Kansas City since 1963, but there's now a chance that the team could be on the move at some point in the future after a sales tax in Jackson County, Missouri was shot down by voters on Tuesday.
If the sales tax had passed, the money would have been used to help pay for some major renovations at Arrowhead Stadium along with a new downtown stadium for the Kansas City Royals, but instead, the two teams will have to look elsewhere for financial help after the ballot measure was resoundingly shot down by a margin of 58.1% to 41.9%. According to KMBC.com, 78,352 people voted against the tax while only 56,606 voted for it.
The sales tax is currently in place through 2031 and Tuesday's vote was asking the people of Jackson County to extend the tax through 2064.
With the ballot measure failing, the future of the Chiefs is now up in the air. Team president Mark Donovan had said in mid-March that relocation would be on the table if the sales tax got voted down.
"I think they would have to include leaving Kansas City," Donovan said of the team's options if the vote fails, via KSHB.com.
Donovan didn't have much to add after the vote on Tuesday except to say that the Chiefs were disappointed with the outcome.
"We respect the process. We respect the decision of the Jackson County voters," Donovan said Tuesday night, via NFL.com. "We're disappointed, We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We were ready to extend the longstanding partnership that the teams have enjoyed with this county. This is important. . . . We will do and look to do what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward."
The Chiefs and Royals will now have to figure out what their next step is going to be.
"We respect the voters of Jackson County and the Democratic process," Royals owner John Sherman said. "We will take some time to reflect on and process the outcome and find a path forward."
Kauffman Stadium, where the Royals reside, is the sixth oldest active MLB stadium. The stadium's first game was on April 10, 1973.
The Chiefs recently unveiled plans for an $800 million renovation at Arrowhead Stadium that would upgrade almost everything. Not only would parking and tailgating improve, but the team was also planning to add new video boards and better luxury amenities, including new club areas in the end zone. The Chiefs were also looking to construct a 360-degree concourse that would allow fans to finally navigate the entire stadium when sitting in the upper deck.
The Chiefs were planning to foot $300 million of the renovation bill, but the rest of the money was expected to come from the extension of the three-eighth of a cent sales tax that just got voted down.
The Chiefs had said they would sign a 25-year lease at Arrowhead if the tax extension had been improved, but that would seem to be off the table for now.Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt had said in late February that the team definitely would NOT be signing a new lease if the tax wasn't extended.
"We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium," Hunt said "So the financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we've outlined."
Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas has made it clear that he's going to do whatever possible to keep the Chiefs in town.
"Over the months ahead, I look forward to working with the Chiefs and the Royals to build a stronger, more open, and collaborative process that will ensure the teams, their events and investments remain in Kansas City for generations to come," Lucas wrote in a statement on social media.
Fortunately for Lucas and the people of Kansas City, the Chiefs won't be going anywhere any time soon. The team's lease at Arrowhead runs through Jan. 31, 2031, which means the two sides have just under seven years to get things figured out.
