A couple of days ago, Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt unveiled the Hunt Family’s plan for a reimagined Arrowhead Stadium. The vision includes an upgraded TV, Wi-Fi, DAS, Audio Technology, new Concession Stands, Retail Spaces, restrooms, and an expansive new parking deck, among others. The plan will be executed by Kansas City’s very own sports design and architectural firm — Populous. As per Clark, the total renovation cost will amount to a whopping $800 million, with the earliest set date to start in 2027.
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The plan is super impressive and solves all the major gripes fans had with the stadium. However, the problem stems from the expense contribution. Out of the $800 million, $300 million will be funded by the Hunt family. The rest — a magnanimous sum of $500 million — is to be paid by the taxpayers, as per Hunt. As per the sales tax agreement in 2006, the county agreed to a 3/8-cent sales tax for the stadium renovation, which the Hunt family now wants to repeal.
So the Chiefs expect the $500 million funding to be done by city, state, or private contributions. The CEO then immediately notified the conference that in case the city and its voters don’t support the initiative in the upcoming ballot initiative in April, the Chiefs might have to scrap the plan and figure out an alternative to Kansas.
The ballot initiative is a key decider in the future of renovation. Back in 2006, the Jackson County taxpayers agreed to be levied a 0.38% sales tax as a fund contribution to the maintenance of the Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. However, since it’s specifically designated for the Truman Sports Complex, the KC Royals can’t utilize these funds for their proposed downtown stadium.
Therefore, the ballot initiative next month has the power to change the dynamics. A “yes” vote repeals the existing Truman Sports Complex sales tax, replacing it with a new tax. This new tax isn’t restricted to the complex and would fund repairs for Arrowhead Stadium and the construction of a downtown stadium, extending until 2064. A “no” vote keeps the current tax funding Truman Sports Complex until 2031.
When Did The Arrowhead Stadium Last Undergo Renovation? What Is The Current Condition of The Stadium?
The last time Arrowhead Stadium underwent a major renovation was back in 2007. The renovation was budgeted at a whopping $375 million, with the $125 million being paid by the Hunt family. The rest of the money, meanwhile, was to be collected from the 0.38% sales tax levied by the citizens of Kansas City. The renovated stadium brought in some iconic changes with the foundation of the Chiefs Hall of Honor, a Lamar Hunt statue, and a horizon-level luxury suite.
Since then, only a minor renovation took place in 2019, where the Chiefs installed new lower-level seats, locker room upgrades, and a new video display. This is truly disappointing for a team of Chiefs’ stature. Being one of the most successful NFL teams in the last five years, it’s fair to expect the bare minimum standards in their stadium. However, based on the NFLPA’s reports, the Chiefs’ stadium ranks at the bottom for pretty much all major stadium-quality checks. From the training rooms to locker rooms, the Chiefs rank ridiculously low in these quality metrics. Even the ownership was ranked last (32nd). Take a look:
Times are different today. With rising ticket prices, fans expect an atmosphere worth their hard-earned money. While the Chiefs are on the right track with the proposal, their stance of threatening to leave the City is disappointing. The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the most successful NFL teams in the last five years. Their valuation since 2020 has doubled from $2.5 billion to a whopping $4.3 billion. The Hunt family, who purchased the franchise for just $25,000 in 1960, today has a net worth of $25 billion.
With so much money in the reserves of the owners and the team, many fans find it unfair that the Hunt family still expects the taxpayers to fund the major chunk of the new renovation plan. Money is not the problem here. The intent to spend is.
