Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums pass inspection

The home stadiums of the Royals and the Chiefs are in “satisfactory condition” seven years after the major overhauls paid for by the teams and Jackson County taxpayers.

That’s according to facility assessment reports done by the Burns & McDonnell architecture and engineering firm for the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.

The satisfactory rating compares to the “exceptional” rating Burns & McDonnell gave them during its full review of stadium conditions two years ago. At the time, Arrowhead was only four years removed from the completion of its redo and Kauffman was five years removed from its grand reopening.

Authority executive director Jim Rowland said it was merely a matter of semantics.

“No real substantive change,” he said.

But even after two years of more wear and tear, both stadiums suffer from only minor deficiencies, the reports said, that “may require attention in the near future.” Things like cracked concrete in some areas, flaking paint and some electrical work are noted.

The Jackson County Sports Complex Authority inspected every space within Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums last year to see if the teams were maintaining the facilities to first-class MLB and NFL standards.

That’s a requirement of leases that run until the end of January 2031. The formal assessment process was put in place after the county executive at the time, Mike Sanders, questioned whether the teams were setting aside enough money for upkeep.

The authority board is appointed by the governor and manages the Truman Sports Complex for Jackson County taxpayers. Voters approved a three-eighths-cent sales tax in 2006 to renovate the stadiums, which were built in the early 1970s.

The total cost of the renovation projects was $625 million, with the teams kicking in $150 million of their own money.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums pass inspection."