Royals & Chiefs Caught In Taxpayer Scandal

Information has recently been leaked out suggesting that both the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs have been misusing Jackson Country residents’ tax dollars. Both teams have a fund set up for stadium renovations; however, it has recently been discovered that the Chiefs and Royals are using these funds for many non-repair subjects.

Both teams currently get reimbursed through a fund for RMMO (repairs, maintenance, management and operations) expenses. This fund was designed to be used first to pay debt service on a $500 million bond approved for the recent upgrades and renovations for both Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums. Rather than focus on repairs and maintenance, the two organizations are taking advantage of an amendment added to the stadium’s lease agreement that allows the RMMO funds to be used for “event day operations.”

According to documents, the Royals have used only nine percent of the $17 million RMMO funds they’ve requested from taxpayers over the last five years for maintenance, while some of the money has been used to cover payroll taxes. The Chiefs have used just 33 percent of the 27.3 million they have requested.

The main issue here is that both the Chiefs and Royals are using taxpayer money to reduce the cost of running their teams. Taxpayers funds are going towards payroll taxes, something that these funds were not originally designed to do. It will be interesting to see what the Kansas City public’s reaction to this news will be, and if it has any effect on attendance or support during the remainder of the Royals’ season or the upcoming Chiefs season. At this point, no official statements have been issued by either organization to respond to these allegations, but Royals owner David Glass has had contact with County Executive Mike Sanders regarding the team’s spending.

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David Glass Selling the Royals?

 
David Glass Selling the Royals? 

Rumors that Royals' owner David Glass is considering selling the team have surfaced lately around Kansas City. These rumors have been swirling around the internet and talk radio for weeks, however Glass insists he has not heard about them until recently. Glass denied that he has any interest in selling the team.

While Glass may be telling the truth, as the old saying goes where there is smoke there is usually fire. It would not be surprising if Glass had at least somewhat considered the move, given the team's struggles both on the field and financially since he has taken over.

It is no surprise Glass has denied these initial allegations, but it will be interesting to see if anything close to the issue develops into the future. Perhaps it is all pure speculation, but the poor fortunes of the Royals may be prompting Glass to make a move. A change could be beneficial for both sides.

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