Kansas
Everything we know about the Kansas bill for a new Chiefs stadium
Over the past week, there’s been plenty of news (and sports talk) regarding a bill being advanced by some members of the Kansas Legislature that is intended to lure as many as two professional sports teams — particularly the Kansas City Chiefs — to new facilities that would be built in Kansas.
Originally introduced by state representative Sean Tarwater — who represents the Kansas City suburb of Stillwell — the bill did not come to a vote during the legislature’s most recent session that ended May 1. The legislature could consider it during a special session focused on tax cuts, which is set to begin on June 18.
Tarwater and two other Kansas lawmakers — House Speaker Dan Hawkins from Wichita and Senate President Ty Masterson from Andover — now spearhead a public campaign focused on passing the legislation and getting the Chiefs on board.
On Tuesday, Hawkins and Masterson sent a letter to the team’s chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, inviting the “National Football League’s flagship franchise” to “weigh in on the bill before us” — as Tarwater began a local press tour to explain and promote the legislation.
Meanwhile, former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman of Olathe Republican is co-founder of a group of lobbyists who have created an organization called “Scoop and Score Kansas” to do the same.
What’s on the table for the Chiefs
If passed, the Kansas bill would authorize the issue of sales tax and revenue bonds — popularly known as “STAR bonds” — to finance the construction of a new stadium and practice facility. It is expected that $2 billion to $3 billion would be required.
These bonds are essentially unique to Kansas. They are meant to finance attractions that attract a significant part of their revenue from non-Kansas sources — and whose existence is intended to spur nearby development. Like other state and municipal bonds, they are sold (at a discounted price) to private investors. State sales taxes collected at these attractions are used to repay the private investors. After the bonds are repaid, those sales taxes flow into normal coffers.
According to the state of Kansas, STAR bond financing may only be used for “less than 50%” of a project’s total cost “as a general rule.” In a Tuesday interview with 810 Sports’ Soren Petro, representative Tarwater was noncommittal about how much the Chiefs would be required to contribute to what he said would not be a “rinky-dink, temporary solution.”
“The only requirement of the bill is that [the project will be for at least] a billion dollars,” he told Petro. “I don’t know how much [is] going to come out of their pocket — but some of the numbers I’ve seen, around $500 million is their part.”
Tarwater also noted that the Chiefs could buy some of the STAR bonds, allowing the franchise to profit from financing the stadium.
The location
While it is widely assumed that a Kansas stadium and practice facility would be built in Wyandotte County — near Kansas Speedway and the adjoining Legends shopping and entertainment district — Tarwater says this would be just one option.
“It doesn’t have to be there,” he emphasized to Petro. “This clause is pretty unique. We rewrote STAR bond bill to include more than one area — like the Dallas Cowboys did. They put their practice facility quite a ways away from the stadium and built a whole city around it.”
So it would be possible for these facilities to be built anywhere in Kansas — and they could be widely separated.
Pros and cons
Proponents point to Kansas Speedway (and its surrounding development) as a success story built on STAR bonds, which were paid off well ahead of schedule. Tarwater notes that no new taxes would be collected — and the sales tax revenue used to repay bondholders would come from those who benefit from the facilities rather than all the residents in a state, county or city.
“It’s like a destination tax,” said Tarwater. “If you use the stadium — or go visit the businesses it creates — then you’ll be paying sales tax, but no more than you would anywhere else in the state of Kansas. So there will be no increase.”
The representative admits that it sounds too good to be true.
“That’s the heart of the whole pushback,” he acknowledged. “People just aren’t receiving that message. You could argue that the area might be developed eventually anyway, but certainly not like it will be if the Kansas City Chiefs come to town — or the Kansas City Royals come to town.”
In short, all the risk for these potential projects would be borne by the teams and the investors who purchase the bonds; in the event of a default, state, city and county governments will not be obligated to repay them.
On the surface, it may seem unlikely that a stadium built for the Chiefs would fail to generate enough revenue to repay the bonds — but it’s also true that STAR bonds can (and do) default. In February, the “Prairiefire” development south of 135th Street between Nall and Lamar in Overland Park — defaulted on its STAR bond debt issued in 2012.
And according to the Kansas City Star, a Chiefs stadium built with these bonds might not lead to a touchdown for the bonds’ buyers.
Academics and other experts on stadium financing and municipal bonds who spoke to The Star cast strong doubt on whether a Royals or, especially, a Chiefs stadium and surrounding development could produce the sales tax revenue necessary to pay off on time a project 100% financed with STAR bonds. The amount of revenue needed would be significant, and sales taxes can be fickle, fluctuating with the larger economy and the popularity of the teams.
In fairness, it should be noted that when the Star article was published in early May, the bill was set to authorize 100% of construction expenses. Tarwater now says the Chiefs would be required to carry around $500 million of these costs, making the STAR bonds account for only 75-85% of the total.
The timetable
Representative Tarwater believes the Chiefs must act quickly.
“So to build a structure of this magnitude, they’ve got to act right now,” he told Petro. “That’s why we’re doing it now; [we’re] not waiting until next year. They’ve got to act now. They’ve got to make a decision. But if they don’t, this bill is good for one year. [If it is passed by the legislature], it will expire July 1, 2025.”
While the bill creates a deadline for the team to accept the state’s plan, the deadline facing the Chiefs might be a little later. Tarwater said it might take up to two years for construction to begin. So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles took almost four years to build, but Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, California and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas were both completed in less than three years. So it could take anywhere from 4-6 years for new facilities to be built in Kansas.
Since the Chiefs’ current lease at the Truman Sports Complex runs through January 2031 — enough time for seven full seasons of football — the team might not have to decide in the next year. Kansas could also extend its deadline — and the Chiefs and Jackson County could extend their lease, too.
Team interest
At several times during his interview with Petro on Tuesday afternoon, Tarwater implied that team executives are discussing this proposal with Kansas lawmakers. He said the bill’s first draft had been reviewed “with some members of the Chiefs’ family.” He also said the Chiefs “view this as an incredible offer” — and that if the bill is passed, “the chances of them coming to the state of Kansas are extremely high.”
There has also been a social media post from a Kansas City news outlet trumpeting that the Chiefs had “agreed to engage with Kansas lawmakers on special stadium financing” — although the story to which the post linked did not make that statement.
But despite being given opportunities by multiple news outlets this week, the Chiefs have declined to comment on the Kansas bill. It’s reasonable to assume the team is watching the situation carefully — team officials have previously stated they are considering all options — but for now, we cannot gauge the team’s interest.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — It’s been a week since the World Cup began in Kansas City, but some local businesses aren’t feeling the expected influx in traffic and are asking for support.
On Thursday, KC2026 provided numbers for the FIFA Fan Festival and the ConnectKC26 transportation system.
From June 11 to June 16, KC2026 said more than 63,000 people attended the FIFA Fan Festival.
There are mixed results for where everyone is from:
- 52% from Kansas or Missouri
- 33% from the United States
- 15% from out of the country
As of 2 p.m. on June 17, ConnectKC26 has a total of 86,540 registered passes.
Breakdown of routes from KC2026:
- Stadium Direct: 57,302
- Regional Direct: 17,284
- Airport Direct: 11,954
As for business traffic, it depends on where you look. Some businesses in the Country Club Plaza said they’ve seen an uptick, especially on the first match day.
“We just had a really fun time with all of the fans, and I think we did a good job preparing for it,” said KC Style Haus Owner, Deserae Minor.
But many businesses are sharing their disappointment online.
‘Ghost town’
Caitlin Benedict, who owns Bisou, a European-style coffee and pastry shop, took to Instagram after shopping at a Crossroads night market.
“We are all in this together, it sucks. It was dead. It’s been dead everywhere,” said Bisou Owner, Caitlin Benedict.
After sharing her disappointment online, she saw an uptick in business on Thursday.
“It’s nice when the community can help out, and you can back up your own hometown at the same time,” said Janet Garciga, who drove in from Lee’s Summit to visit Bisou.
“I don’t want them to just come to Bisou, and I don’t want it to just be for a day. I want them to go everywhere else, and I want them to support everyone else, and consistently, especially for the next month and a half while FIFA is here,” said Benedict.
She heard from businesses experiencing the same issues in Mission, other spots downtown, Kansas City, Kansas, and Overland Park.
Down the road in the Crossroads, Buffalo State Pizza saw fans for the French match on Tuesday.
“But after that, I mean, we even close early on Tuesday because that was, it was dead,” said Buffalo State Pizza Owner, Phillippe Lechevin.
Shopping bags and matchas aren’t filling up at Dear Society either.
“The 10 years that I’ve been here in Kansas City. I have seen a lot of these big events coming into town, and we’ve been told to prepare and get ready for these huge crowds. And to be honest, after the NFL draft and after so many things that I’ve seen in 10 years, I didn’t do anything different,” said Dear Society Owner, Chanel Jezek. “I kind of knew. I had a feeling like we weren’t going to be as busy as they were projecting because they’ve done this to us before.”
Multiple factors = slow traffic
All three, Bisou, Buffalo State Pizza, and Dear Society, said there isn’t really someone to blame, but rather multiple factors that could be part of the issues.
A lot of eateries in town added a 20% automatic gratuity to bills, Bisou and Buffalo State Pizza decided not to take part, but worry that it is keeping locals away.
Visit KC projected 650,000 visitors throughout the entire tournament, and these businesses wonder if the possibility of large crowds and no parking is also keeping residents at home.
“I think we lost a lot of the regular ones. You know, the number was shown earlier back in February, you know, the 600,000 people. People who have the option to work from home, but maybe they didn’t want to deal with the traffic, since there’s no traffic. So hopefully they’re going to come back,” said Lechevin. “People may realize, actually, you know, it’s not as crazy as it is. I can still park in my regular spot and have lunch at my regular spot without being, you know, charged an extra amount.”
Jezek said she’d love to see KC2026 and FIFA add more locally owned businesses on their website so fans know where to find them.
“We are not seeing an increase in traffic on the streets. We are not crowded like they were predicting. You can still come in. You can still support your local businesses, your favorite coffee shops, your favorite places to grab your gifts, or whatever. We’re here. We’re slow. And there are more places to park,” said Jezek.
Benedict said it is an honor to have the World Cup here, but wants to see more honesty and support from leaders.
“I feel like it’s good for our city. It’s recognition. But at the same time, I want leadership to step in and say, okay, we didn’t get as many travelers as we should have,” said Benedict.
These businesses are hopeful that fans, locals, and other owners all come out and support these small shops throughout the metro during the World Cup and beyond.
“I would say just keep coming and supporting us and showing up,” said Jezek.
KCTV5 reached out to Visit KC, but did not have any numbers it could share at this time.
Mayor Quinton Lucas’ office shared the statement below after this story aired on Thursday:
“While the economic impact of a global event of this magnitude will naturally vary by business and by neighborhood, Mayor Lucas is encouraged by what he is hearing from Kansas City’s entertainment and hospitality sectors. Hotels, bars, and restaurants reported strong activity as Kansas City welcomed tens of thousands of guests for the opening match. As we look toward this weekend’s games and the remainder of the tournament, we’ll continue to highlight opportunities for our visitors and residents alike to join in the fun and celebration of this one in a generation moment.”
Businesses are hopeful that the longer the World Cup goes on, the more people will show up. KCTV5 plans to check in with these businesses throughout the tournament to see if traffic picks up.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Cooler temperatures today, but we will keep a chance of thunderstorms going in south-central Kansas this morning. One or two could be strong.
Temperatures stay cooler in southern Kansas thanks to clouds and rain in the area. Warmer temps and sunshine to the north.
Another chance of severe weather will visit Kansas this weekend, with a complex of strong storms rolling across the area Saturday night.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Jack Maney:
Wichita:
Today: Mostly cloudy. 60% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 80 Wind: NE 8-18
Tonight: Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers. Lo: 62 Wind: NE/E 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 85 Wind: E/SE 5-15
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 68 Wind: SE 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 87 Lo: 73 Partly to mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 92 Lo: 67 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 82 Lo: 65 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 84 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 86 Lo: 68 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 88 Lo: 69 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
SOUTHWEST: Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Greensburg, Guymon
Southwest:
Today: Partly to mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 84 Wind: NE/E 10-25
Tonight: Mostly to partly cloudy. Lo: 58 Wind: E/SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 85 Wind: SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 62 Wind: SE 5-15
Southwest Weekly
Sat: Hi: 92 Lo: 66 Mostly cloudy. 40% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 91 Lo: 59 Mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 82 Lo: 58 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 83 Lo: 60 Mostly to partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 85 Lo: 61 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 89 Lo: 62 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
NORTHWEST: Colby, Goodland, Hill City, Oberlin, McCook
Northwest:
Today: Partly cloudy to mostly sunny. Hi: 86 Wind: NE/E 5-15
Tonight: Mostly clear to partly cloudy. Lo: 61 Wind: E/S 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 86 Wind: S/SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 61 Wind: SE 5-15
Northwest Weekly
Sat: Hi: 90 Lo: 61 Partly to mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 84 Lo: 55 Mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 78 Lo: 56 Mostly to partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 82 Lo: 58 Partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 85 Lo: 59 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 87 Lo: 60 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
NORTHCENTRAL: Salina, Great Bend, Hays, Russell, Beloit, Osborne
North Central:
Today: Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 83 Wind: NE 8-18
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lo: 60 Wind: NE/SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 86 Wind: SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 66 Wind: SE 5-15
North Central Weekly
Sat: Hi: 88 Lo: 70 Partly to mostly cloudy. 70% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 88 Lo: 63 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 81 Lo: 62 Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 84 Lo: 64 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 86 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 88 Lo: 67 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Kansas fire department is asking people to be more careful about what they throw away.
The Mulvane Fire Department was called to a vehicle fire Wednesday afternoon. The driver of a trash truck had smelled something burning and pulled over to call 911.
When firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming from the back of the truck. In the trash bay, a firefighter discovered a discarded laptop computer with a lithium battery that was heating up.
The department said it was able to remove the battery from the truck and flood the truck with water to cool off the trash. This is the second incident involving a lithium battery crews have responded to this month, according to Mulvane Fire.
Lithium is highly reactive, and when batteries are damaged, they can heat up uncontrollably. The reaction cascades, with the battery getting hotter and hotter until all of the lithium is consumed. In some cases, when exposed to oxygen, lithium can ignite instantly.
The fire department is urging residents to never throw computers or anything with batteries in the trash. Sedgwick County offers this free recycling guide with information on how to properly dispose of a wide variety of household goods and chemicals.
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