KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After reports revealed that Kansas was in “active discussions” with the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota held a press conference Friday to discuss keeping the team in the county.
The plan titled "Operation Save Arrowhead" includes a vote in April on reducing the county's sales tax from 3/8 cent to 1/4 cent. If the sales tax is reduced, it would go into effect in 2031.
$400 million would come from the Chiefs and that number could increase, according to LeVota.
Millions will also come from both the state of Missouri and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, but LeVota did not provide those exact numbers.
"I'm not telling our friends in Kansas," LeVota said.
The county's plan did not include the Kansas City Royals.
However, LeVota said he has been discussing with Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman weekly and that the county is "attacking (the Chiefs and the Royals) as separate entities."
LeVota told reporters that he has also had weekly conversations with Mark Donovan, team president of the Chiefs, and that he talked with Donovan as recently as Friday.
"There is no done deal," LeVota said.
LeVota claimed that Kansas politicians are pressuring the Chiefs since the state's STAR Bond law is set to expire on Dec. 31. He also stated Kansas has "lofty ideas but no plan."
LeVota called Jackson County's plan to keep the Chiefs "simple" and "straightforward," but that there are still some details to work out.
"We don't want them to cross state lines without a fight," LeVota said near the end of Friday's press conference.
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