Kansas City May Lose Chiefs, Royals to Budget Deficit

[CrimsonInKC]

WTF?

Friday, March 06, 2009

Officials are worried that Kansas City's Major League football and baseball teams may be forced to leave because of budget deficits.

Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders has reported an $85 million budget shortfall that needs to be taken care of by the end of the month and may force the Chiefs and the Royals to go elsewhere, according to KMBC.com.

To relieve the deficit, Mayor Mark Funkhouser has proposed a budget that would eliminate the nearly $2 million the city spends annually on the Truman Sports Complex, the station said.

If the proposal is passed, the city will pull the yearly contribution, breaking the lease on the sports complex with no guarantee of keeping the two teams.

"This came with no notice to us. We were unaware that this was even going to be an issue," Sanders said in a radio interview. "Those leases are now gone. … We would be on a tightrope or a high wire with no safety net."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506325,00.html

[LindseyLohan]

I'd like to see actual estimates/figures on the tax revenue brought in by the teams. Drive the budget deeper in the red jack asses.

Just a quick google...

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2008/03/31/c ... ttendance/

It would only take $.91 in city taxes from each 622,541 Chiefs attendees and 1,578,922 from the royals attendees for the city to break even. I'll bet my left nut that $.91 is a small fraction of revenue for the city each attendee generates.

[MidtownCat]

Funkhouser is a fucking idiot.

Really, is there anything left to say at this point?

[im2kull]

Funkhouser is a fucking idiot.

Really, is there anything left to say at this point?

He's a genius.

You really think the teams will just up and leave?  In an economy where we are losing nearly 700,000 jobs a month...in the U.S. alone?  Where do you think they would move to?  Sure, the teams might somehow find a stadium in some city thats unused...we all know how well the theory of "If you build it, they will come" works...but regardless it would take some horrible management mistakes on the part of both Glass and/or Clark Hunt to opt out of their revenue sharing agreement (by leaving their lease with KC) to attempt to find home in a new city.

Moving means turning away guaranteed revenues and falling into the red ink, something major league teams don't do in an economy like this...they simply can't afford it.

[voltopt]

I doubt they leave.  And if they do, over something like this, then they arn't worth having to begin with.

[KCPowercat]

It's like he tries to find something specifically to outdo his latest gaff.

A few sayings come to mind with Funk....penny wise, pound foolish...and he might just cut off his nose to spite his face.

What a boob.

[Maitre D]

Why?  If he knows that JackO is responsible for the lease and KCMO isn't, why not force them to pay their bills?  The economy is brutal right now, so making friends isn't his first priority.

[KCPowercat]

Why?  If he knows that JackO is responsible for the lease and KCMO isn't, why not force them to pay their bills?   The economy is brutal right now, so making friends isn't his first priority.

...either is losing regional assets.  He has zero grasp on reality that is required from a person in his position.

No doubt in this economy some very hard decisions will need to be made.

[mykem]

I doubt the teams move in the near future, but 5 or 10 years down the road that maybe a diffrent story.  The idea that there is not a city for the Chiefs to relocate to is wrong! The city of Industry in the LA area, and multi billionaire Ed Roski are only 19 days away from being allowed to build an 800,000,000 million dollar stadium. California law requires a 30 day waiting period to allow it to clear any legal challenges. Then all they will have to do before they start constuction is get a team to commit in writting it's intent on relocating there, and get league approval. I think it will be either the Chargers, or the Vikings that will end up in LA.

[Maitre D]

Now isn't that hilarious.  LA was used as a threat before JackO bent over on the vote, and after too!   


That LA threat is so awesome, it's unable to ever be chased away.  Like a cockroach after a nuclear war, it cannot ever be defeated.

[mykem]

Sorry, here is the link. http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/ ... 4633.story

[lock+load]

Finally a good decision by Funk.  The city has better uses for the $2 million a year.  The teams aren't going anywhere.  By time the economy turns around they are going to be asking for more stadium improvements anyway.

[im2kull]

Finally a good decision by Funk.

Just like his voluntary pay raise?  When most Americans are losing their jobs?
..or his vote to help the council raise their pay?

Like his pulling of funds for the Zoo..

Killing the steam and red light funding for the Liberty Memorial?

Declaring the Bannister Mall/Soccer Complex project "Unfit" for a TIF????

Killing the Voter Approved Light Rail tax??

Calling Leawood a "Blighted" area!?!?!



Oh...how the list goes on...

[ComandanteCero]

Finally a good decision by Funk.  The city has better uses for the $2 million a year.  The teams aren't going anywhere.

agreed.  They can squeeze the extra dollars out of the fans. 

[MidtownCat]

"I doubt the teams leave".

The question is why gamble?

And why gamble knowing full well that the taxpayers are on the hook for close to a billion dollars to renovate the Truman Sports Complex and that money will now effectively be put at risk. 

That's absurdly asinine politically.  But it's also downright reckless. 

If there's one thing Funk has taught us he is willing to alienate anyone and anything.

Just when I'm convinced his idiocy can't be topped.....

[LenexatoKCMO]

Finally a good decision by Funk.  The city has better uses for the $2 million a year.  The teams aren't going anywhere.  By time the economy turns around they are going to be asking for more stadium improvements anyway.

Yeah but with an intact 25 year lease they weren't going to have much leverage. 

[KCMax]

I think the relocation threat is a red herring. The bigger problem here is that the teams are no longer obligated to pay for cost over-runs, maintenance costs and share naming rights revenues with the county. When there are cost over-runs (I was told at one point the Chiefs are some $100 million over budget) guess who will be asked to pay that? Taxpayers.

5-10 years from now, if the teams are not obligated to cover maintenance, and the city and county don't pony up money for maintenance, the bright shiny stadium will not be as bright and shiny. Stadiums age very quickly these days, as quickly as ten years. And in ten years, the teams will be bellyaching about a new facility. With no lease to tie them down, they have tremendous leverage. Will they relocate? Probably not. But it apparently doesn't even take the threat of them relocating to get Kansas City taxpayers to approve a tax to subsidize their stadium.

This will save KCMO about a million short term, and cost taxpayers several millions of dollars long-term. Stupid move Funk.

[kcjak]

agreed.  They can squeeze the extra dollars out of the fans. 

You don't know. No one knows. The issue is that if KC goes back on their gentleman's agreement with the county to provide the $2 million each year, can the teams void the lease if Jax County doesn't come up with the extra money?

If KC doesn't come up with the money, then Jackson County has to. So, instead of 575,000 Kansas Citians paying for it somehow, then the 670,000 Jackson Countians have to. Funk essentially is shoving the bill off onto a larger portion of the population, in addition to toying with the ~$1 billion we've spent to upgrade the stadiums.

I don't know what's worse - Funk's idiocy or the attitude by some on this forum that neither team would leave because no city a) wants them or b) can afford a new stadium in this economy.

[DaveKCMO]

it's an "attitude" that non-fans have, so you should realize that it exists outside of your domain and this forum.

much like chasing conventions, chasing sports teams at any cost has few real economic benefits. if people weren't going to pro sporting events locally, what would they spend that money on?

[LenexatoKCMO]

if people weren't going to pro sporting events locally, what would they spend that money on?

Moving.