http://www.kmbc.com/money/18866748/detail.htmlSanders Worried About Losing Chiefs, Royals
Jackson County Executive Says KC Budget Plan Would Break Lease
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders said he's concerned the Chiefs and Royals could leave Kansas City because of the city's budget proposal.
Kansas City has an $85 million budget shortfall that has to be fixed by the end of the month.
Thursday, Mayor Mark Funkhouser put forward his plan, which includes eliminating nearly $2 million the city gives each year to the Truman Sports Complex.
"This came with no notice to us. We were unaware that this was even going to be an issue," Sanders said in a KMBZ radio interview. "The money would be the violation. But the fact that we would have violated a substantive provision would mean those leases are now gone ? We would be on a tightrope or a high wire with no safety net."
Sanders said if the city pulls its $2 million annual contribution, it would break the lease and leave the city with no written guarantee keeping the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City for the long term.
"The teams would then be, to use the sports phrase, free agents to do whatever they wanted to do. Re-negotiate the deal or to not honor any of the provisions of the lease they did not want to honor," Sanders told KMBC's Martin Augustine.
"I don't think it would jeopardize leases," Funkhouser said. "We're trying to focus on services that directly matter to Kansas Citians. For example, our city services, basic services like police. That is a core function. Operating a sports venue is not."
Sanders said he believes the issue will eventually be worked out. He called the Royals and Chiefs "good civic partners."
A Royals representative said team officials are just learning about the issue, and it's too early to comment.
KMBC was unable to get a comment from a Chiefs representative.
The chairman of the Jackson County Sports Authority, Mike Smith, held a news conference Friday to discuss the Funkhouser's proposed cuts to the Royals and Chiefs.
"These stadiums are an economic engine not only for Jackson County, but for Kansas City as well, creating thousands of jobs and generating millions in direct and in-direct state and local taxes," Smith said in a news release. "To curtail the funding by the city, which is used to pay the bonds approved by the voters in 2006, would be to ignore the commitment made by the mayor and council at the time. The county pays the lion's share of the bonds. The city pays a very small part and receives the lion's share of the benefit by having its name on the teams. Note that the teams are not called the Jackson County Royals or the Jackson County Chiefs."