New T-Bones owner details efforts to rebuild team, ballpark

In October 2019, the Kansas City T-Bones franchise learned there was still baseball in its future.

On Tuesday, that future came into sharper focus.

"REVAMPED T-BONES" --FROM THE TEAM'S NEWOWNER."it"ll be a different feel forsure //just creating a better fanexperiencein the parTHE T-BONES ARE BACKAFTER YEARS OFFINANCIAL TROUBLE.THE TEAM COMES WITH ANEW LOOK -- ON THEUNIFORMS AND IN THESTANDS.41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR JESSICAMCMASTER IS HERE WITHHOW THE NEW OWNERPLANS TO MAKE ACOMEBACK -- STARTINGWITH THE CHIEFS TAKINGTHE FIELD.Jessica McMaster / ReportingTHREE MONTHS FROMNOW THE SEASON WILLKICK OFF...WITHKICKBALL.THE T-BONES WILL HOST ACELEBRITY CHARITYEVENT PUT ON BY THETYRANN MAHTIEUFOUNDATION.WE TALKED TO THE T-BONES' NEW OWNERABOUT THAT-AND WE ALSOASKED HIM HOW HE CANASSURE TAXPAYERS INwyandotte county WON'T BEFOOTING many of THESTADIUM'S bills LIKE INYEAR'S PAST.FOR 17 YEARS, THE T-BONES HAVE BEEN AFIXTURE IN KCK.BUT, IT HASN'T BEEN EASY.THE PREVIOUS OWNERSOWED THE BOARD OFPUBLIC UTILITIESHUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.THE UNIFIED GOVERNMENTof Wyandotte County TRIEDTO KEEP THE TEAM AFLOATBY PAYING 55 PERCENT OFITS UTILITY BILLS - BUT THEteam's DEBT STILL KEPTPILING UP.At one point the county helpedfight off a foreclosure and helppay off the ballpark's propertytaxes.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones Ownerthis would've been a shameto lose this asset for KansasCity."new owner of the T-BonesMark Brandmeyer says thePAST, IS HISTORY.Brandmeyer says HE WASAPPROACHED ABOUTTAKING OVER OWNERSHIPOF THE T-BONES last year.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones owneroriginally I said no because itwasn't really my background.HE CHANGED IS MIND - ANDIS CHANGING A FEWOTHER THINGS, TOO.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones ownerwe're adding a craft beergarden.

May not be ready byopening day."NEW SUITES, NEWSEATING WITH A BAR, YARDGAMES AND AN OUTDOORAREA FOR KIDS are SOMEOF WHAT T-BONES FANSCAN EXPECT THIS SEASON.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones ownerthis is the way baseball shouldbe watched."THE UPGRADES ARE BEINGPAID FOR WITH STARBONDS -- which will usefuture sales taxes to pay backthe upfront costs, includingUPDATING THE STADIUM'SUTILITIES.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones ownerone of the things that wereworking on is to lower theelectric bill out there."WE CAUGHT UP WITH KCKMAYOR PRO TEM TOMBURROWS AT A TUESDAYPRESS CONFERENCEANNOUNCING THE PLANSAND SPOKE WITH HIMABOUT THE NEWOWNERSHIP.17:38 we"ve got an ownernow who"s willing to investthe time and energy andbrings a top onotchmanagement team w baseballexperienceTHE UNIFIED GOVERNMENTWILL CONTINUE TO PAYmore than halfOF THE STADIUM'SUTILITIES FOR THE FIRSTYEAR.AFTER THAT, the full bill willfall to BRANDMEYER.He says TAXPAYERS THEYWON'T BE ON THE HOOKFOR THE COSTS.Mark Brandmeyer, T-Bones ownerI can't speak on how the oldownership did it all I can sayismoving forward we're going topay our bills and be goodpartners w the city."Jessica McMasterTHE FIRST T-BONESEXHIBITION GAME IS ONMAY 11TH.BUT, THE FIRST SEASONGAME WILL BE MAY 22NDRIGHT AFTER TYRANNMATHIEUS' CHARITYKICKBALL EVENT.TICKETS TO both EVENTSare on sale right NOW.JESSICA MCMASTER 41ACTION NEWS.THE PROCEEDS FROMBOTH THE CHARITY GAMEAND THE T BONES GAMEON MAY 22ND WILL GOTOWARD THE TYRANNMATHIEU FOUNDATION,WHICH GIVES BA TOCHILDREN WHO