Kansas lawmakers vote to approve STAR bonds stadium bill that could lure Chiefs from Missouri
The state of Kansas is one step closer to luring the Kansas City Chiefs from their neighbors in Missouri. On Tuesday, the Kansas House of Representatives voted to approve a STAR bonds bill with an 84-38 vote in a special legislative session. From there, the bill then went straight to the Senate floor where it was […]
The state of Kansas is one step closer to luring the Kansas City Chiefs from their neighbors in Missouri.
On Tuesday, the Kansas House of Representatives voted to approve a STAR bonds bill with an 84-38 vote in a special legislative session. From there, the bill then went straight to the Senate floor where it was again approved with a 27-8 vote. The bill now heads to the desk of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, whose office has indicated there is nothing in the bill that would warrant a veto.
Should Kelly approve the STAR bonds bill, it'd open up the very real possibility that the Chiefs could move from Missouri and Arrowhead Stadium to a new stadium construction in the state of Kansas. As it currently stands, the STAR bonds bill covers 70% of stadium construction costs (for both the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals) with a minimum capital investment of $1 billion.
A senator revealed during Tuesday's session that 5-6 different stadium sites are being considered. Should both the Royals and Chiefs get new stadiums in Kansas, they wouldn't share parking as they currently do at the Truman Sports Complex.
If you're unfamiliar with STAR bonds, here is a description from the Kansas Commerce Department:
Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds are a financing tool that allows Kansas municipalities to issue bonds to finance the development of major commercial, entertainment and tourism projects. The bonds are paid off through the sales tax revenue generated by the development.
Missouri, of course, had their chance to extend the 3/8-cent sales tax and keep both the Royals and Chiefs in Missouri. That was voted down on April 2. Jackson County Executive Frank White released the following statement following today's votes by the Kansas Legislature.
"In April, Jackson County voters decisively rejected a proposal to create a new 40-year countywide sales tax for the renovation of Arrowhead Stadium and the relocation of the Kansas City Royals to the Crossroads neighborhood. This decision reflected their collective demand for a concrete plan that provides definite and real benefits to the taxpayers of Jackson County.
“Now, just two months later, we face new challenges. The state of Kansas is considering using STAR bonds at unprecedented levels to attract our teams across the state line, despite the historic 2019 agreement to end the economic border war between Missouri and Kansas. This competition does not serve our residents or our communities. Instead of working together to grow all our neighborhoods, we risk hurting the very people we are supposed to serve.
“In order to subsidize the renovation or construction of any stadium for privately owned sports teams, my stance remains clear: there must be a complete and transparent plan that offers tangible benefits to our taxpayers. Ensuring we use taxpayer dollars responsibly is my top priority. My office remains open to conversations with the Royals, Chiefs, lawmakers, and other stakeholders, but any proposal must meet this standard and make sense for our community.
“We must focus on common sense over politics. Our resources should be used wisely to improve the lives of our residents, not wasted on bidding wars that only serve to drain public funds and divide our region. By working together, we can create a stronger, more resilient community that benefits all our residents.
“I urge all stakeholders to honor the spirit of the 2019 truce and refrain from engaging in a counterproductive stadium bidding war. Let us set a national example by prioritizing the well-being of our residents and fostering true economic cooperation across state lines."
Like it or not, these votes officially kick off a perceived bidding war between Kansas and Missouri for the Chiefs. But will there even be a bidding war? Given the substantial amount of money attached to the proposal from Kansas, it'll likely take a lot more than the extension of the 3/8-cent sales tax to bring the Chiefs back to the table with Jackson County.
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