Stadium renovations laugh at recession

By DAVID MARTIN

Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders has proposed a budget that slices $4 million out of the general fund. But in these austere times, the county-supported renovations of Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums are feeling no pain.

The 0.375-percent sales tax that pays for the bulk of the stadium work is producing almost as much revenue as it did in 2007. The Jackson County Sports Complex Authority received a memo from its investment bank last week indicating that 2008 receipts from the sales tax are off by only $28,024 — a drop in the bucket, considering the tax produced more than $32 million in ’07.

The county committed $425 million to the project in 2006. The Chiefs, Royals and the state of Missouri are contributing an additional $200 million.