Royals, Chiefs agree to new leases
01/24/2006
The Royals' hopes to get public funding for an ambitious renovation project at Kauffman Stadium moved forward Tuesday when the Jackson County legislature unanimously voted to put the issue on an April 4 ballot referendum.
A concept for a $200 million rolling roof at the Truman Sports Complex that would alternately cover the ballpark and the Chiefs' adjacent home at Arrowhead Stadium was also approved for the ballot in a 9-0 vote.
"It's going to be on the ballot. Now we're definitely agreeing to something that will keep both teams in Kansas City," Royals senior vice president of business operations Mark Gorris said Tuesday evening. "The teams are locked in."
The Royals and NFL's Chiefs signed a new 25-year lease that would take the teams through the 2031 season, pending voter approval of a three-eighths of a cent Jackson County sales tax levy that would finance the $575 million plan. The baseball team would kick in $25 million to the project and pay for any cost overruns at its facility.
The club announced earlier this week that it agreed a 30 cent-per-ticket user fee that would contribute to the newly renovated stadiums. That was in addition to plans to give out 267,000 ticket discount coupons -- one to each Jackson County household.
The Royals originally balked at committing to user fees. The club agreed after talking with former Chiefs player and current Jackson County legislator Fred Arbanas, a proponent of an additional fee charged to those who attend the games. Last week, the Chiefs announced that they would charge a $1 user fee on each ticket if the Royals would also commit to a fee.
If renovations were to be approved by voters, Kauffman Stadium would be expanded to have wider concourses, more concessions and expansion of the outfield area behind the fountains. The square footage of the ballpark would be increased by 40 percent.
"It'll be a major change," Gorris said. "Without overpromising, we think we will have the best family oriented experience in all of baseball."
The rolling roof, which would cover approximately 15 acres in the complex parking lot, can be moved from one stadium to another in around 17 minutes.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
The Royals' hopes to get public funding for an ambitious renovation project at Kauffman Stadium moved forward Tuesday when the Jackson County legislature unanimously voted to put the issue on an April 4 ballot referendum.
A concept for a $200 million rolling roof at the Truman Sports Complex that would alternately cover the ballpark and the Chiefs' adjacent home at Arrowhead Stadium was also approved for the ballot in a 9-0 vote.
"It's going to be on the ballot. Now we're definitely agreeing to something that will keep both teams in Kansas City," Royals senior vice president of business operations Mark Gorris said Tuesday evening. "The teams are locked in."
The Royals and NFL's Chiefs signed a new 25-year lease that would take the teams through the 2031 season, pending voter approval of a three-eighths of a cent Jackson County sales tax levy that would finance the $575 million plan. The baseball team would kick in $25 million to the project and pay for any cost overruns at its facility.
The club announced earlier this week that it agreed a 30 cent-per-ticket user fee that would contribute to the newly renovated stadiums. That was in addition to plans to give out 267,000 ticket discount coupons -- one to each Jackson County household.
The Royals originally balked at committing to user fees. The club agreed after talking with former Chiefs player and current Jackson County legislator Fred Arbanas, a proponent of an additional fee charged to those who attend the games. Last week, the Chiefs announced that they would charge a $1 user fee on each ticket if the Royals would also commit to a fee.
If renovations were to be approved by voters, Kauffman Stadium would be expanded to have wider concourses, more concessions and expansion of the outfield area behind the fountains. The square footage of the ballpark would be increased by 40 percent.
"It'll be a major change," Gorris said. "Without overpromising, we think we will have the best family oriented experience in all of baseball."
The rolling roof, which would cover approximately 15 acres in the complex parking lot, can be moved from one stadium to another in around 17 minutes.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
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