Kansas City conjured a Royals deal without voter approval. That comes at a price

The Kansas City Council voted to provide a $600 million subsidy for a new Royals ballpark at Crown Center, totaling $1.9 billion. Critics point out that while the deal is structured as a tax-increment financing (TIF) plan, which supposedly pays for itself, the city guarantees repayment of the debt. If the development does not generate enough tax revenue, payments could detrimentally affect city services for up to three decades.