Legislative Leaders in Kansas Explore Incentives to Lure Kansas City Chiefs
The Senate president and House speaker in Kansas have expressed interest in creating an incentive package to attract the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to a new stadium complex in Kansas. They will be considering a tax relief bill during a special session starting on June 18th, with the potential for a deal for the NFL franchise on the table.
Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins believe that bringing the Chiefs to the Kansas side of the state line could lead to significant economic benefits. They have reached out to the Chiefs organization to discuss the possibility of utilizing Kansas’ unique STAR bond funding tool for the project.
The idea of relocating the Chiefs to Kansas gained traction after previous discussions about the Kansas City Royals moving across the state line fell through. The support for landing the Chiefs includes a lobbying organization called Scoop and Score, led by former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman and several registered Kansas lobbyists.
The key element of any potential deal would be the use of STAR bonds to finance the construction of a new stadium and related infrastructure. These bonds have been successfully used in the past for economic development projects in Kansas, with debt repayment coming from sales tax revenue within the designated business district.
The legislative leaders are optimistic about the potential benefits of bringing the Chiefs to Kansas and are looking forward to further discussions with the team’s chairman, Clark Hunt. The opportunity to secure a second professional sports franchise for the state is also being considered as part of the economic development package.
Overall, the leaders believe that a partnership with the Chiefs could create mutually beneficial opportunities for both the state of Kansas and the franchise, enhancing the region’s sporting tradition and economic prospects.