IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION expressing the acceptance of a Letter of Intent among Jackson County Missouri, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority (the “Authority”), the Kansas City Chiefs Football Club, Inc. (the “Chiefs”) and the Kansas City Royals Baseball Club, LLC (the “Royals”) dated January 19, 2024, concerning the understandings and agreements for contracts related to retaining the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs sports teams in Jackson County, Missouri, and authorizing the County Executive to execute the Letter of Intent.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 21525, February 5, 2024
INTRODUCED BY DaRon McGee, Jalen Anderson, Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Donna Peyton, and Charlie Franklin, County Legislators
Body
WHEREAS, on December 18, 2023, the County introduced Ordinance 5822, to submit to the qualified voters of Jackson County, Missouri, at a special election to be held on April 2, 2024, a question authorizing Jackson County to impose a countywide sales tax of three-eighths of one percent for a period of forty years, for the purpose of retaining the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs sports teams in Jackson County, Missouri; and,
WHEREAS, subsequent to introduction of Ordinance 5822, the County Executive, the County Legislature, the Authority, the Chiefs, the Royals, and numerous community stakeholders engaged in robust communications and identified numerous undertakings upon which support of Ordinance 5822 may be conditioned; and,
WHEREAS, such undertakings included, the requirement that the Chiefs and the Royals each demonstrate their unwavering commitment to the County and Jackson County taxpayers by (a) negotiating and agreeing to material terms of a binding lease and development agreements, and one or more community benefits agreements; and (b) making binding investment and other commitments to the County; and,
WHEREAS, on January 19, 2024, as a result of those discussions and negotiations, the Authority, by resolution, the Chiefs, and the Royals each executed a form of Letter of Intent which sets forth nonbinding provisions concerning the lease agreements, the development agreements, one or more community benefits agreements, and other agreements which establish the investment and other commitments of the Chiefs and the Royals to the County, the Authority, the beneficiaries of the community benefits agreements, and Jackson County taxpayers; and,
WHEREAS, the County desires to recognize the Letter of Intent and advance the undertakings contemplated therein, so that the County can secure favorable binding commitments from the Chiefs and the Royals regarding, a resident preference plan, insurance and indemnification of the County, reimbursements concerning the existing park levy, revenue sharing opportunities, Kauffman Stadium demolition and new stadium site selection, community benefits agreements, private capital investment commitments, and detailed development plans; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Legislature accepts the Letter of Intent on behalf of Jackson County, Missouri, dated January 19, 2024, and the binding and nonbinding provisions set forth therein; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County is hereby authorized to execute the Letter of Intent with the Authority, the Chiefs and the Royals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Legislature desires the expedient preparation of contracts to implement the transactions contemplated by the Letter of Intent, on or before March 1, 2024; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Legislature desires that the County Counselor, outside stadium transaction counsel, and, as applicable, County financial advisors and County bond counsel, work in collaboration with the Authority, the Chiefs, and the Royals, to accomplish the foregoing.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 21525 of February 5, 2024 was duly passed on February 5, 2024 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas ______7_________ Nays ______1________
Abstaining ____1_____ Absent _____0_______
________________________ ____________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature