McDowell: Why The Chiefs Pursuit to Renovate Arrowhead Has Hit A Snag

[tk13]

We've been talking about this for a few weeks over in the Royals thread. It's been interesting to see how quiet the Chiefs have been while the Royals negotiate for a new stadium, and in the last couple weeks there's more and more smoke that the Chiefs and Royals staying in Jackson County is not a sure thing. Sam McDowell finally wrote about it. It's a very long column so I just picked some highlights. It's a good breakdown of the situation. It sounds like Kansas hasn't made any serious offers but they're the obvious alternative if Jackson County decides to punt, and it sounds like the Royals and Chiefs want answers soon.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/sp...282553078.html

The Chiefs are quietly evaluating the need to pursue alternatives outside Jackson County as their push to negotiate a renewal of a county-wide sales tax has failed to launch substantive conversations, multiple sources told The Star. Well, it was quietly. You’re probably aware of the recent rhetoric, including from some local politicians, implying that the Chiefs already have one foot out the door — and are strutting toward Kansas, no less. That gasoline-on-the-fire message follows a worst-case-scenario playbook, not to mention a Kansas City tactic of pitting two states against each other for its prized assets. But this doesn’t paint an entirely accurate picture. The Chiefs have not engaged in serious conversations with outside parties about a move across the state line, sources told me, a sentiment confirmed to The Star’s Katie Bernard by Brianna Johnson, a spokeswoman for Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. That doesn’t mean they won’t.

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The Royals started and initially drove the stadium conversation, not only publicly, but behind the scenes too. The Chiefs weren’t completely silent observers, but they appeared content to allow the Royals to negotiate a new lease with Jackson County and county executive Frank White, and then follow with what would ideally be a smoother and quicker conversation.

The latter has just simply not been the case. The former, waiting on the conclusion of Royals’ negotiations, has since changed. What’s been lost along the way is that the Chiefs, too, are interested in an April 2024 ballot measure, for reasons I’ll cover here. And as a Jan. 23 deadline to secure that ballot measure has neared, they ignited their own talks, separate from the Royals, earlier this fall. “We have met with Frank and the county attorneys in an introductory meeting,” Chiefs team president Mark Donovan said in a statement. “We shared that we would like to focus on extending the current 3/8th-cent sales tax. This partnership has served us well for over 50 years, and we look forward to working with them to enhance the amazing community asset that GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium has become.” Where do those talks stand now? “We have not heard back from the county,” Donovan said.

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The Chiefs have sought a 25-year renewal of the 3/8th-cent sales tax passed in 2006, as Donovan’s statement said, with no significant additions to the long-standing lease. That’s the path they are attempting to navigate, with a conclusion that would keep them at Arrowhead, a fan-favorite, for the next quarter-century. But in my discussions with an array of politicos, it’s evident to many that White does not believe the current lease agreement benefits Jackson County, which funds and manages the facilities but does not receive direct revenue from the stadiums. The deal is more complicated than the tax — for example, no one has raised a hand to pay for demolition of Kauffman Stadium if the Royals move, an expense that would total tens of millions of dollars.

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White is positioned at the center of this saga as the county executive who just so happens to be a member of the Royals Hall of Fame. But his lack of eagerness to extend the status quo is not an isolated view within the county, sources said. He has at least some support from the legislature, though there are varying opinions about the reach and depth of that support. And therefore it’s notable that others within the county government want to create a path for the Chiefs to circumvent White by securing backing from a majority of the legislators to extend the sales tax. There is doubt, however, about whether they would have enough support to override a potential veto from White, if it were to come to that.

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The Royals, who have had more frequent meetings with the county, have stated their preference to play downtown baseball sooner rather than later. Their recent focus has primarily been analyzing the logistics of the former Kansas City Star press building along the south loop, and they have started the process of creating renderings for the site, sources said. They’ve also publicly stated their target of an April ballot measure, which comes with that rapidly approaching Jan. 23 deadline. It’s a deadline that the Chiefs are targeting, too — with a more concrete plan, at least to date. I’ll put this out there before I continue: In the course of speaking with several people for this column, there are overwhelmingly more who classify an April ballot measure as a long-shot than those who expect the county and teams to reach an agreement before the mid-January date.

Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/sp...#storylink=cpy

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Why should there be a vote on it when we don't even know where the stadium will be?

Looks like we found a Frank White voter.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Balto

Looks like an option for TWO rolling roofs was thought of at some point but I really like the single roof that covers the middle area for activities and such. Looking at that 3rd picture you can easily see how this would work and how they actually designed the stadiums to at some point include the rolling roof.

The rolling roof at the time was way ahead of its time it should have happened then. Now it just looks like a massive Quanset Hut.

We can do much better than that and keep an outdoor stadium with a retractable roof. That way you lilies can sit comfortably out of the rain and not mus your doo.

[Brody Wa]

[QUOTE=Shiver Me Timbers;17346320]WAY back in the day we used to drive to Nebraska From NC Kansas. It was easier to fake being 19yrs old (as opposed to 21) when you are 16.[/QUOTE

Cops used to watch entrances and exits when going to Kansas City as a kid. I saw police pulling cars too many times. Once I moved to Johnson county it was much easier to buy beer.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DRM08

So basically Frank vetoed it so he can squeeze a better payout for his own pockets, not to do anything for the taxpayers. Reminds me of some of the stuff I see in my own town. Roads need major attention, but the city board approves a silly hotel & convention complex that won't make the city a better place to live.

More like Frank White is being a **** because the Royals fired his ass from being a tv announcer and wouldn't consider him for a coaching position.

[ChiefsFanatic]

Originally Posted by srvy

The rolling roof at the time was way ahead of its time it should have happened then. Now it just looks like a massive Quanset Hut.



We can do much better than that and keep an outdoor stadium with a retractable roof. That way you lilies can sit comfortably out of the rain and not mus your doo.

Its not just about the weather, and watching a game and not freezing. People who don't live in Jackson County don't give a shit about the taxpayers getting stuck paying millions an millions of extra dollars because Frank White didn't make the team put protections in place for Jackson County residents.

If people want to be upset with someone, be upset with the clowns from the Royals running the push for a new stadium. Literally, they have approached the entire thing like an unprepared 4th grader who suddenly sees a couple of toys they want, making an impromptu bid for an allowance increase in the middle of the Walmart toy section, only to have another breakdown because they have to choose only one of the toys.

How could anyone cast an informed vote for maintaining the tax, when the Royals can't even present a plan for their proposed stadium because they can't decide where to put it.

A football stadium with a retractable roof elevates Kansas City and the greater metro area.

Also, having a retractable roof will generate revenue for Jackson County and the businesses in and around Kansas City.

And, yeah, people won't have to get frostbite, and lose digits in December and January. Oh, how can we be real football fans if we don't get frostbite?

And, imagine how much louder we could make the new Arrowhead, with all that sound bouncing off the roof and onto the field. If we had had a roof, Elway may have just walked off the field in tears, instead of asking the ref to quiet the crowd.

[FloridaMan88]

Does Frank White and any dumbshit that supports him realize that the Chiefs/Royals have all of the leverage?

Nashville is actively trying to get an MLB team.

Kansas would welcome the Chiefs with open arms.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by srvy

The rolling roof at the time was way ahead of its time it should have happened then. Now it just looks like a massive Quanset Hut.

We can do much better than that and keep an outdoor stadium with a retractable roof. That way you lilies can sit comfortably out of the rain and not mus your doo.

It still looks very cool and would work well. I personally hope they never cover Arrowhead, or build a new retractable roof stadium. But if they do, I hope the 1st option would be to build a rolling over the current stadium. Just my opinion.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by ChiefsFanatic

Its not just about the weather, and watching a game and not freezing. People who don't live in Jackson County don't give a shit about the taxpayers getting stuck paying millions an millions of extra dollars because Frank White didn't make the team put protections in place for Jackson County residents.

If people want to be upset with someone, be upset with the clowns from the Royals running the push for a new stadium. Literally, they have approached the entire thing like an unprepared 4th grader who suddenly sees a couple of toys they want, making an impromptu bid for an allowance increase in the middle of the Walmart toy section, only to have another breakdown because they have to choose only one of the toys.

How could anyone cast an informed vote for maintaining the tax, when the Royals can't even present a plan for their proposed stadium because they can't decide where to put it.

A football stadium with a retractable roof elevates Kansas City and the greater metro area.

Also, having a retractable roof will generate revenue for Jackson County and the businesses in and around Kansas City.

And, yeah, people won't have to get frostbite, and lose digits in December and January. Oh, how can we be real football fans if we don't get frostbite?

And, imagine how much louder we could make the new Arrowhead, with all that sound bouncing off the roof and onto the field. If we had had a roof, Elway may have just walked off the field in tears, instead of asking the ref to quiet the crowd.

Kansas City would be back on the Final Four circuit and would be the site of the Big 12 Championship game in football.

[RealSNR]

Keep the stadium an outdoor stadium.

Don't build the retractable roof. It's ugly as ****. Looks like Chernobyl's new safe confinement. That thing rolls over the building it covers, too

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Kansas City would be back on the Final Four circuit and would be the site of the Big 12 Championship game in football.

I guess there's a chance someone will win it now who isn't Texas or Oklahoma

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by ChiefsFanatic

And, yeah, people won't have to get frostbite, and lose digits in December and January. Oh, how can we be real football fans if we don't get frostbite?

No one is forcing anyone to attend when it's cold. Yet the fans still show up in droves, with plenty of experience to battle the elements. Just like the players and dozens of other people on the field. No different with the heat early in the season, or the temp on the fields.

Your problem is with the NFL, not the Stadium.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by stevieray

No one is forcing anyone to attend when it's cold. Yet the fans still show up in droves, with plenty of experience to battle the elements. Just like the players and dozens of other people on the field. No different with the heat early in the season, or the temp on the fields.

Your problem is with the NFL, not the Stadium.

I have attended the cold/rainy/snow laden/freezing temps of a Chief's football game before......

Give me that anytime over attending a game in FL where the temps are so high you can't find anywhere to get relief. (Like the previous game a few years back in Jax)

[AussieChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

I have attended the cold/rainy/snow laden/freezing temps of a Chief's football game before......



Give me that anytime over attending a game in FL where the temps are so high you can't find anywhere to get relief. (Like the previous game a few years back in Jax)

The humidity at the JAX game this year was crazy too. Impressed the players can handle it.

[Kiimo]

A retractable roof is ugly? lol

Plenty of retractable roofs are awesome. This is a no brainer. Buffalo already ****ed up not building a dome of some kind

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Does Frank White and any dumbshit that supports him realize that the Chiefs/Royals have all of the leverage?

Nashville is actively trying to get an MLB team.

Kansas would welcome the Chiefs with open arms.

That would be awesome. Nobody here cares about the Royals unless they are winning