The skinny The new Kauffman Stadium, which cost $250 million to renovate, opened last season and drew 1,797,891 fans, the most since 1993. No doubt more folks would have come through the turnstiles had the team not had another dismal season going 65-97. Few franchises have squandered the fortune they have gotten from baseball's revenue sharing system as much as the Royals. Adding some vinegar to the bitterness that many taxpayers who funded the stadium have is a feud between the city and the state over who will pay $4 million a year in ongoing upkeep and improvements. The city nearly defaulted on its lease last year because of lower tax revenue due to the bad economy and this year Kansas City's mayor is proposing to stop city funding for the Jackson County Sports Complex. If the city defaults on their 25-year lease with the Royals, the team can bolt Kansas City.