JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A hitch has arisen in the Kansas City Chiefs' plans to move their training camp facility from Wisconsin to Missouri in exchange for state tax credits.
At issue is how long the Chiefs must commit to hold their annual camp in Missouri.
The Missouri Development Finance Board in December approved $25 million in tax credits for the Chiefs. Part of that money is to help build a Chiefs training facility at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.
The subsequent tax credit agreement signed Jan. 7 by officials for the finance board, the Chiefs and Jackson County requires the Chiefs to keep their camp in Missouri for at least five years.
But a spokesman for the Department of Economic Development, which issues the tax credits, said Monday that no tax credits will be issued until the Chiefs commit to keeping their camp in Missouri for 10 years.
Department spokesman John Fougere said the intent of the Missouri Development Finance Board's Dec. 16 vote was for a 10-year commitment. To get the tax credits, the Chiefs and the finance board will need to either amend their written agreement or draw up a new one, Fougere said.
"Ten years is the term that the board voted on. They have to abide by those terms," he said.
Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said the state has not informed the team that it wants a 10-year written commitment. He said the Chiefs still are operating under a letter of intent with Missouri Western that sets a five-year commitment, with five additional one-year extensions at the Chiefs' option.
Missouri Western Athletic Director Dave Williams said Monday that he is confident the Chiefs want to hold their training camp in Missouri for a long time. The Chiefs have trained in River Falls, Wis., since the early 1990s.
"But they also are a little bit wary about making a long-term commitment to Missouri Western in St. Joseph, because they probably want to see what type of a training camp we will run for them," Williams said.
Williams said he is not concerned about the length of the Chiefs' written commitment to his campus.
"In my mind, five years plus five one-year renewables is the exact same thing" as 10 years, Williams said.
Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, told the News-Press that Western-Chiefs negotiations were near completion after a meeting with Economic Development Director Linda Martinez Monday night in his office and he didn't believe the project is in danger.
"I think we're very close to having this thing put together," he said.
However, he questioned whether the board could prevent the issuance of the credits if the Chiefs didn't agree to a straight 10-year commitment.
"As long as it meets the elements of what it voted on (in December), then it's good to go," Shields said.
The News-Press in late March reported that Chiefs and Western officials still were amid negotiations on the camp's operating agreement and who would pony up the $2 million in tax credit fees.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, chairman of the finance board, at the time said he believed the project was in jeopardy as a result.
Gary McElyea, a spokesman for Mr. Kinder, said the latest dispute revolves around "semantics." "The department and Gov. (Jay) Nixon are looking for an opportunity to put this project in jeopardy," he said.
News-Press reporter Alyson E. Raletz contributed to this story. She can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com.
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Trixie says...
Would it help if we wrote letters to Kinder & Nixon and whoever?
April 7, 2009 at 6:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gopguy says...
How can anyone think this will be financially beneficial to our community? The Chiefs obviously only want to be here the least amount of time necessary to obtain the tax credits. After that, they are out of here and we are left footing the bill. If that isn't obvious by their stumbling over a 10 year commitment, I don't know what is.
April 7, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suzyQ says...
I hope this thing is a go. This community could use some positive.
April 7, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OfCourseWeCan says...
How can anyone not see the benefit of the facilities to be built at MWSU? How can anyone not see the benefit of the visitors to the community? How can anyone not see the positive impact on St. Joe's image, if only for a few years?
Let's not let Jefferson City to stomp on us again and please don't let us trip ourselves up again.
April 7, 2009 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rhmski says...
I can't believe that with the economic climate of our community we are still gung-ho about the chiefs. How many jobs is this summer camp going to bring to our area? How much money is it going to bring into the city? People who used to drive to Wisconsin to watch the camp would stay there 2 or 3 days and spend money on food and lodging, the people who will come to St Joe and watch the camp will spend the day and that's it, they may buy a burger or something but I don't think this is the financial windfall we have been led to believe.
Mo Western will be the benificiary of a new facility and that's about it. The only people who will benefit are the "jock sniffers" who will get their autographs and get to say they saw these overpaid primadonnas in person.
A sucker born every minute?? I'd say we have a whole bunch of them right here in St Joe
April 7, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
10377586 says...
I still think this is a great deal for the St. Joe area but am disappointed that they cut 113 million from education funding as soon as they got the first payment from the increased gambling revenue. The first gambling check just happened to be for the same amount.
April 7, 2009 at 3:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sugartime says...
The chiefs will never agree to a 10yr deal. They do nothing positive for the state or any community (including KC). The players may do positive things but the chiefs never do. They have and will continue to hold the city of KC and the state (and whoever else they can) over a barrel for their own financial gain.
Jefferson City will also be no help. St. Louis issues are and will remain the only significant issues for the state.
April 7, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colley_05 says...
I just do not understand people that do not support the Chiefs coming to St. Joseph. Who cares that the people will not stay as long as they did in Wisconsin? They will still at least come to the town. I can think of several cities that would love to host the Chiefs. It does not matter how bad the team is, or how long everyone stays, but the fact that more people are coming to your city, even if it is just for a few hours. It is the same idea as hosting the Division II Women's Basketball Championships. Maybe most people don't think it is a big deal, but the championship is usually on ESPN, which then shows the city of St. Joseph. It is free publicity for the city! The benefits to MWSU are great as well. I do not always agree with how sports seem to "make or break" a lot of schools, but they can attract more students if you have a successful program, which this building should help to continue and create.
April 7, 2009 at 7 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JeromeG1956 says...
This whole thing of bringing the Chiefs training camp here is a waste. The city virtually emptied out its cash reserves (which in this current economic status was not a good move) to bring them here and MWSU once again decided to put institutional glory over support of the student body by taking money that was presumably to improve the campus and school for a better environmnt for the students and instead blow it on a professional football team that makes more than enough money that they didn't need all these giveaways.
I still believe they would have been better off going to NWMSU instead of MWSU. And for the record, I'm a graduate of MWSC, Class of 2001.
April 8, 2009 at 12:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colley_05 says...
Bringing the Chiefs here is not blowing money because it puts MWSU on a map. People will hear about it and a lot of people will consider going to a school because of sporting facilites. The school is still providing a better environment with the new Craig School of Business, as well as the expansion building for the science and math departments. Everyone knew what the "Max Expierence" money was going to be used for before they voted on it!
April 8, 2009 at 9:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )