By AP/KWMU
Kansas City, MO – Voters in the Kansas City area will decide on April 4 whether to approve a new tax to pay for most of the $575 million dollars in stadium improvements.
The money would help upgrade Kaufmann and Arrowhead stadiums, where the Royals and Chiefs play. Arrowhead would get more suites and women's bathrooms; fans taking in a Royals game at Kauffman would see more fountains beyond the outfield.
Of that $575 million, $50 million would come from the state in tax credits. The teams would chip in another combined $100 million, and parking costs will go up to help pay to maintain the facilities in coming years.
The two stadia are next to each other, near I-70; the area is called the Truman Sports Complex.
Chiefs vice chairman Jack Steadman said Kauffman and Arrowhead "are a treasure for the community and they need to be updated."
Voters will specifically decide whether to raise the sales tax in Jackson County by 3/8 cent.
"In a small market, we need to find ways to be more competitive, and stadium revenues are part of that equation," said Mark Gorris, Royals' senior vice president of business operations, told mlb.com.
The NFL recently awarded Kansas City a Super Bowl, but only if it builds a roof to keep out the winter weather. That roof is not part of the improvements laid out Thursday, but could be added later.