A plan “to shift state tax dollars to help pay for renovations at Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums won approval” yesterday with a 5-2 vote by the Missouri state House Rules Committee, according to Tim Hoover of the K.C. STAR. The proposal, which has passed the Senate, can now “advance to the full House, where there is significant opposition -– even among [K.C.] area lawmakers.” The plan has the state of Missouri taking “revenue from taxes it collects on out-of-state athletes and entertainers who perform in Missouri and [using] part of the money for” stadiums in K.C. and St. Louis and for arts programs around the state. The bill will provide $12M annually “for the upkeep of” Kauffman and Arrowhead, an increase of $9M over the $3M the state now contributes. The state also currently provides $12M a year for the Edward Jones Dome and has provided millions “in tax credits and economic development incentives to help the” MLB Cardinals build a new ballpark. The Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, which oversees Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums, yesterday hired lobbyist Jewell Patek “to push the bill for the rest of the legislative session,” which ends in mid-May (K.C. STAR, 4/28).
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| Missouri House Rules Committee Approves Bill Increasing Funding For K.C.'s Stadiums |
