Dispute ongoing over money for Kansas City stadium upkeep

KANSAS CITY — The dispute continues over whether Kansas City should use the money it has committed for upkeep of the Truman Sports Complex to stave off cuts to the police department.

On Monday, Mayor Mark Funkhouser held a news conference to restate his case that Kansas City should quit paying $2 million a year for upkeep at the complex, home of stadiums for the Royals and Chiefs.

The mayor said the tight city budget forces a choice between families and sports.

But county leaders held another news conference Monday to criticize the proposal, which Funkhouser first made last week. The county contributes more than $3 million a year to the complex.

Some fear that if the city stops paying, the authority's lease with the Royals and Chiefs could be voided and give the teams a chance to leave town.