Royals and Chiefs pump another $1 million into their campaign for stadiums sales tax

The Chiefs and Royals have each contributed another $500,000 to their campaign committee in support of the stadiums sales tax ballot measure before voters in the April 2 election, newly filed campaign finance records show. That brings the total to $2 million that the teams have given the The Committee to Keep the Chiefs and Royals in Jackson County committee.

So far the only expense reported was for a $79,200 “media buy” a day before the Super Bowl. Campaign committees are not obligated until March 25 to file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission detailing their total spending and contributions.

That is the date that voters will get their first look at the finances of the Committee Against New Royals Stadium Taxes, which was formed in opposition of Question 1 on the ballot for Jackson County residents. That committee was formed after the previous filing deadline that included the teams’ first expenditure.

Voters are being asked whether they support the repeal of the 3/8th-cent sales tax passed in 2006 that paid for renovations of Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums, as well as continuing financial support for the teams’ operations, repairs and maintenance of those venues, which they lease from Jackson County. In place of that tax, which is set to end in 2031, the ballot issue authorizes a new 3/8th-cent tax that would last for 40 years.

The dollars raised would help pay for part of the construction costs of an estimated $2 billion Royals ballpark and surrounding district in the East Crossroads area next to downtown Kansas City, a large portion of the $800 million renovation project that the Chiefs have in mind for Arrowhead, as well as that continuing subsidy for operations, repairs and maintenance.

The exact amounts of the county’s share of the construction costs have not been announced.