Kansas City, Missouri residents have voted against a sales tax extension to support stadium projects for the Chiefs and Royals. The ballot’s Question 1 aimed to extend a stadium sales tax, financing the construction of a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals and renovating Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Results from the April 2 election indicated overwhelming opposition to the tax extension. The city’s final tally showed 30,791 votes against and 22,399 in favor, with Jackson County also voting against the measure by a significant margin. The extension, if passed, would have generated approximately $1.7 billion over 40 years to build a new baseball park for the Royals in the East Crossroads area.
Following the election outcome, KC Tenants, a vocal opponent of the stadium sales tax, celebrated the victory on social media. The organization highlighted the defeat of what they deemed the largest transfer of public funds to private entities in the region’s history, totaling $2 billion over four decades. KC Tenants emphasized the importance of community organizing in ensuring accountability in public spending.
Royals owner John Sherman expressed respect for the democratic process and stated the need for reflection on the results. Former Kansas City Mayor Sly James and Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged the defeat at a “Vote Yes” event on the evening of the elections. Mayor Quinton Lucas responded to the prevailing “No” vote by emphasizing the need for a collaborative process to secure the long-term presence of the teams in Kansas City.
As the community considers the implications of the failed tax extension, stakeholders from both teams have committed to exploring new pathways forward. The outcome of the vote reflects broader discussions about public-private partnerships and community engagement in major development projects. Efforts to build stronger, more transparent relationships between sports franchises and local residents will be critical moving forward.