May 13, 2004
Getting up-to-date on Kansas City
More on Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes' arena plan: that even split between public and private sources would actually be 60% public, 40% private, and Sprint's naming-rights fee is still uncertain - the company would likely agree to pay more only if the arena can land an NBA or NHL tenant. Also unclear is what will happen to Kemper Arena, on which K.C. still owes $19.3 million for a 1996 expansion; Mayor Barnes has suggested it "become a full-time venue for horse and livestock events" (and if you think we're going to make fun of her name at this point, think again).
Meanwhile, the Missouri House has approved a new bistate sales tax to fund renovations to the Royals' and Chiefs' stadiums. If approved by the proper legislative bodies - and the Kansas City Star's reportage is maddeningly unclear about who exactly needs to approve the plan, so please write in if you know - the tax would be put before voters in Missouri's Clay, Jackson and Platte counties and Kansas' Johnson and Wyandotte counties, with both Jackson and Johnson having to approve the plan for it to go into effect.
