WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2002 SPORTS THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 7B Bi-state tax may improve Kansas City sports facilities The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Truman Sports Complex, home of baseball's Kansas City Royals, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer, would get a $354 million facelift under a bistate tax proposed by Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields. The Royals and Chiefs would agree to extend their leases by 25 years if voters on both sides of the state line approve the proposal for a three-quarter-cent sales tax increase, Shields told county legislators on Monday. The tax proposed tax also would raise $354 million for arts programs, including part of a planned downtown Performing Arts Center. Shields says a new bistate tax is crucial if Kansas City, a small market by professional sports standards, is to compete with larger cities. She hopes the issue will be placed on a ballot next vear, possibly in November. "People have to want to keep Kansas City major-league," Shields said. "As a community, we have to make the contribution of tax dollars so we can keep these teams into the future." The new proposal dwarfs the Bistate II plan, which was shelved in July and called for an eighth-cent sales tax over 20 years to raise $736 million. Under Shields' plan, the cost to taxpayers in the three Missouri and two Kansas counties that make up the core of the metropolitan area would be roughly $1.25 billion over 25 years, including debt payments. The new plan does not include money for a soccer-only stadium for the Wizards in Johnson County, Kan. If the bistate tax is approved, renovations at the Royals' Kauffman Stadium and at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs and Wizards, must be substantially completed by the start of the 2007 seasons. If the tax proposal fails, the lease extension would be nullified and the current leases would remain in effect until 2015. Critics questioned Shields' timing of her announcement, coming less than five months after the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce withdrew support for Bistate II until at least 2004. The chamber in July cited waning public support, a sluggish economy and other tax issues before voters. Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes said she backs the new bistate plan, even though it doesn't include money for a new downtown arena she announced last week. "This is nothing but a sucking sound," said Kansas Sen. Kay O'Connor, R-Olathe. "We're in a recession. Why are we doing this?" Barnes said she knew that a bistate plan was in the works and that she would make sure stadium and arena proponents didn't pit those projects against each other for funding. Barnes said she didn't think passage of a bistate tax for the stadiums would jeopardize the chances for some kind of public funding for a downtown arena and other infrastructure. That proposal calls for a $200 million bond issue supported by a combination of taxes. But Kevin Gray, president of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission, suggested that voters, given the economic climate, might have to choose one project over the other. "We have a huge agenda that we're going to move forward," Barnes said. "These are all important investments." "We've never wavered on the most important thing being the Truman Sports Complex," Gray said. "Clearly, that is our No. 1 priority and should be. That's what makes us major league. Having said that, we need to start planning for a new arena. We see that as being important, too." Under the new plan, the Royals and Chiefs each would get $177 million to revamp Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums, 30-year-old structures that team officials have long said are in need of improvements. State-of-the-art when it opened in 1972, the Truman Sports Complex fell behind the times during the nationwide stadium-building boom of the 1990s. The existing funds for the stadiums, from the county, city and state, amount to $8.5 million annually enough for maintenance but not for modernization, team officials said. Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt said the proposed $177 million in improvements was needed to "bring Arrowhead Stadium into the 21st century." Under the proposed agreement, the teams would pay for any cost overruns, and the amount of public funding is capped at available revenue. The new plan also calls for the Chiefs and Royals to impose a user fee on all tickets of up to 5 percent, with the money to be used only for improvements maintenance and repairs. The franchises are planning fan-friendly" improvements to the stadiums such as additional rest rooms and concession stands and wider concourses that would generate the kind of revenue that other teams now enjoy in their new stadiums. "The inside of our bowls are as good as they come in pro sports," said Chiefs chairman Jack Steadman. "It's at the back of the house that we just don't have space." Royals senior vice president Mark Gorris said the franchise expects to generate $20 million more annually in revenue, and pledged to spend that money on player payroll to improve the team's performance. "Contraction threats come back in 2007," Gorris said. "We want to make sure Major League Baseball doesn't look our way at all." Chiefs back in playoff race The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a lifetime of coaching, Dick Vermelh has never seen so many divisional rivals bunched so closely together so close to the end of the season. If his Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) win their last three — all against AFC West foes — they could elbow their way through the crowd and perhaps win the division. October. As it stands now, they're tied with Denver for third in the fourteam division. "I don't remember ever being involved in this kind of scenario. It's probably very, very good for football," Vermeil said yesterday. "It's not going to be real good for some coaches that don't make it, because the only smart guys will be the guys who do make it. If you don't win, you didn't get the job done." The Chiefs' three-game ride through the AFC West begins this week at Denver, a team they lost to in overtime in Kansas City in Then they're home against San Diego in Marty Schottenheimer's first regular-season game at Arrowhead Stadium since his highly successful 10-year stint as the Chiefs' coach ended after the 1998 season. Then it's on to Oakland, a team the Chiefs beat in Kansas City, for the regular-season finale. As the Chiefs gear up for those critical games, running back Priest Holmes is also taking aim at a pair of prestigious NFL records. He needs three touchdowns to eclipse Marshall Faulk's single-season record of 26. With 21 rushing touchdowns, he needs four to break Emmitt Smith's NFL record. "How can you ask a guy to do any more than he's doing? You can imagine what he could have done had we left him in in the fourth quarter of the last two games." Vermeil said. If Holmes does get the record, it won't be as a result of the Chiefs altering their game plan to feature him. He's been their go-to player for more than a year now. "If Priest Holmes is not successful, we're not successful. So, it's a high priority." Vermeil said. "It's the guy that we rely on, and our style of offense has moved to what he does best and what our offensive line does so well." Kansas City's potent offense, which includes one of the league's finest offensive lines as well as three-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, is not the worry as the Chiefs head into this decisive three-game stretch. The defense is. Although still ranked last in the 32-team league, defensive coordinator Greg Robinson's unit has played much better of late, giving up just 10 points in blowout wins over injury-plagued Arizona and St. Louis the past two weeks. "If we can play defense over the next three games both at home and on the road like we have played in the last four home games, we'll be very competitive," Vermeil said. Boston College wallops Iowa State in 85-78 win The Associated Press AMES, Iowa — Troy Bell scored 26 points and freshman Craig Smith had all 14 of his points in the second half, leading Boston College to an 85-78 victory over Iowa State last night. Bell opened the second half with a 3-pointer to give Boston College (4-2) a 39-26 lead and the Eagles spent the rest of the game holding off Iowa State (5-1), which got to within two points but never pulled ahead. Bell's performance fell short of the 42 points he scored in a victory over Iowa State last season, but it was good enough and he had plenty of help. Ryan Sidney added 14 points, Andrew Bryant scored 11 and Louis Hinnant 10. Jared Homan led Iowa State with a career-high 18 points. Jake Sullivan and Adam Haluska scored 16 each, but Sullivan, the Cyclones' leading scorer for the season, made just 3-of-15 shots. Homan's layup on a pass from Sullivan cut the lead to 64-62 with 7:25 left, and the Cyclones trailed 72-69 after Haluska's 3-pointer with 5:04 remaining. But Boston College scored on seven of its last nine possessions to stay on top. Sidney hit a runner and sank three free throws for an 81-75 lead. He and Bell then scored on breakaways to finish it off as Iowa State missed five straight shots with a chance to cut into the lead. Smith had made 18 straight shots going into the game, but the streak ended when Jackson Vroman blocked his first attempt of the night. Boston College built a 10-point halftime lead with Bell and Craig Smith sidelined by fouls. Bell sat out most of the final 6:57 after getting his second foul. Smith went to the bench with three fouls at the 4:49 mark. They weren't missed. Bryant, whose 3-pointer had put BC ahead to stay at 18-16, hit two more — both high arching shots from the wing — to extend the lead to 28-22. Sullivan's fadeaway jumper drew Iowa State to 30-26, but the Eagles ran off the final six points of the half. Nate Doornekamp scored on a putback and Sidney hit a spinning shot in the lane. Sidney then found Hinnant open under the basket for a layup just before the buzzer to make it 36-26. LIBERTY HALL 654 Mass 729-1912 BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (m) 4:18 7:00 9:30 FRIDA (m) 7:10 9:40 GREEK WEDDING (m) 4:30 ONLY 11 Free Drawings on Wednesday OPEN PLAY TECHNO BOWLING LEAGUE PLAY Monday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. Saturday 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. A Quiet, Relaxed Atmosphere VILLAGE SQUARE apartments - Close to campus - Spacious 2 bedroom - Laundry facility - Swimming pool - On Bus Route 9th & Avalon 842-3040 Apply to write for Tongue in Beak. 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