A newly introduced bill in the Kansas Legislature could play a major role in the ongoing effort to bring the Kansas City Chiefs to the Kansas side of the state line.House Bill 2793, introduced Friday by state Rep. Sean Tarwater, would create a new Kansas Sports Authority to oversee the construction, financing and long-term management of a potential professional football stadium and surrounding facilities.Under the proposal, the authority would be governed by a nine-member board responsible for planning and overseeing major sports venue projects.The bill would give the authority broad powers, including the ability to acquire land, build or manage stadiums and develop surrounding infrastructure such as parking, roads and utilities.It would also allow the authority to enter agreements with professional sports teams and generate revenue through sources like ticket sales, naming rights, concessions and advertising.One key piece of the proposal involves financing. The authority would be allowed to issue special bonds to help pay for stadium projects. Those bonds would be tied to the authority itself and would not count as debt for the state of Kansas, according to the bill.Board members would be appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. The plan would also include the state commerce secretary and a representative from the professional team that ultimately uses the facility.The structure is similar to the Jackson County Sports Authority, which was created decades ago to oversee the construction and operation of the Truman Sports Complex in Missouri.Lawmakers are expected to get their first public look at the proposal during a hearing Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Kansas Statehouse.But some legislators say the timing of the bill’s release is frustrating.State Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat who is running for governor, said lawmakers are being asked to review a complicated proposal late in the legislative session.“Often this is what we see in the legislature, a bill is put together and then kind of given to us hurriedly and then we are told we only have a certain amount of time left, this needs to be done right away,” Holscher said. “Sometimes it just feels like this is all by design with this hurrying up process.”
TOPEKA, Kan. —
A newly introduced bill in the Kansas Legislature could play a major role in the ongoing effort to bring the Kansas City Chiefs to the Kansas side of the state line.
House Bill 2793, introduced Friday by state Rep. Sean Tarwater, would create a new Kansas Sports Authority to oversee the construction, financing and long-term management of a potential professional football stadium and surrounding facilities.
Under the proposal, the authority would be governed by a nine-member board responsible for planning and overseeing major sports venue projects.
The bill would give the authority broad powers, including the ability to acquire land, build or manage stadiums and develop surrounding infrastructure such as parking, roads and utilities.
It would also allow the authority to enter agreements with professional sports teams and generate revenue through sources like ticket sales, naming rights, concessions and advertising.
One key piece of the proposal involves financing.
The authority would be allowed to issue special bonds to help pay for stadium projects. Those bonds would be tied to the authority itself and would not count as debt for the state of Kansas, according to the bill.
Board members would be appointed by the governor and legislative leaders.
The plan would also include the state commerce secretary and a representative from the professional team that ultimately uses the facility.
The structure is similar to the Jackson County Sports Authority, which was created decades ago to oversee the construction and operation of the Truman Sports Complex in Missouri.
Lawmakers are expected to get their first public look at the proposal during a hearing Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Kansas Statehouse.
But some legislators say the timing of the bill’s release is frustrating.
State Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat who is running for governor, said lawmakers are being asked to review a complicated proposal late in the legislative session.
“Often this is what we see in the legislature, a bill is put together and then kind of given to us hurriedly and then we are told we only have a certain amount of time left, this needs to be done right away,” Holscher said. “Sometimes it just feels like this is all by design with this hurrying up process.”