Arizona stadium

Thanks to Steve Penn on his column on the new stadium in Arizona (4/25, Metro, "Arizona has lessons for KC"). Great column. One month too late.

Given that $65 million of the Arizona stadium cost went toward infrastructure improvements (which would have been unnecessary if building a new stadium at the Truman Sports Complex), for a mere $25 million more than our Question 1 tax plan Kansas City could have had a brand new football stadium, with all of the luxury suites, concourses, Jumbotrons and even a retractable roof (and our Super Bowl). However, thanks to The Star's and county government's persuasion, Jackson County passed a tax for the same amount that doesn't include a roof and Super Bowl, but only renovations to a 35-year-old stadium.

It's becoming more and more obvious every day that Jackson Countians got conned by our local government and a bad plan.

Our best hope now is to hope for the best in how the Chiefs spend our tax dollars - a risk we shouldn't have to take.

Brent Toellner
Kansas City

Comments

[BrentT]

Jack,

I couldn't agree more for baseball -- or honestly for football either as far as personal experience goes. But the fact of the matter is that the powers that be in this city were promised a Super Bowl if, and only if, the football stadium had a roof on it (have to have a controlled environment for the game). The taxpayers in Jackson County are paying $325 million in renovations to Arrowhead -- that money does not include a roof (an extra $200 million according to their projections). For $350 million (plus some infastructure improvements that would have been unnecessary in KC) Arizona is getting a brand new stadium, with a retractable roof, and a Super Bowl in 2009. For $25 million less than that, we are only getting renovations. For $200 million more than that, we can get exactly the same thing they're getting.

For some reason our county leaders are horrilbe at economics and it's very concerning.

[jack]

The Minnesota Twins have a proposal on the table to build a new stadium. At their request, there are no plans for a roof. According to the Twins, outdoor baseball, even in Minnesota, is preferable.

And we need a dome here why?