Nearly $6 million spent in failed effort to pass stadiums sales tax

The committee led by top executives from the Chiefs and Royals spent nearly $6 million in a losing effort to convince Jackson County voters to approve a stadium sales tax.

The information about the costly April 2nd election effort was detailed in a Missouri Ethics Commission campaign finance report filed Monday by The Committee to Keep the Chiefs and Royals in Jackson County.

Voters, by a 58% to 42% margin, rejected the teams's plans to use money from a 3/8th-cent sales tax to renovate GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and build a new ballpark for the Royals in Kansas City's Crossroads District.

The campaign drew sharp criticism from some business owners in the Crossroads District, along with organized opposition from KC Tenants and other activist groups.

Neither team has revealed plans for the future, which could include a move by one or both teams to the Kansas side of the metro area.