KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – The Kansas House passed a bill overnight to create a sports authority, a board that would oversee a new stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and a team headquarters in Olathe.
The legislation is written for a professional team in the National Football League.
Background on the Chiefs’ planned move
In December, the Kansas City Chiefs announced the team will move to Kansas by the 2031 season. The team plans to build a new domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and a new team headquarters and practice facility in Olathe.
Rep. Sean Tarwater, R-Stilwell, introduced the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority bill in the House to help provide the construction, financing, and management of sports facilities. The state and team are looking to have a publicly owned stadium in KCK. Tarwater noted that 26 of 30 NFL stadiums are publicly owned and said the plan is designed to align with the state’s use of STAR Bonds to bring the Chiefs to Kansas. Lawmakers used Minnesota’s stadium authority as a model when drafting the bill.
What the board would look like
The board would have 11 voting members, including legislative appointees, the state commerce secretary and a representative of the team. If the stadium is built in KCK, both the Olathe and KCK mayors would receive a direct vote on the board.
The authority’s governing board includes appointed members from the governor, House speaker, House majority and minority leaders, Senate president, Senate majority and minority leaders, and the team. The secretary of commerce serves by virtue of holding office. The two mayors of the host cities serve as ex officio members if they elect to participate.
What supporters say
Supporters say the authority does not create new tax breaks, but adds oversight to a deal they say is already in place.
“It provides the legal structure necessary to move forward with the stadium project while ensuring clear oversight and accountability,” said Rep. Tarwater. “And while it protects the state, preserving legislative oversight and ensuring the stadium can operate as a true year-round public asset.”
Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, right, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, pose for a photo during an event announcing the team will leave Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. for a new stadium that will be built across the Kansas-Missouri state line and be ready for the start of the 2031 season, during an event Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charrlie Riedel | AP)
Tarwater said the authority is designed to set up a long-term structure to protect the state, support the commitments in the agreement, and keep the project from being a burden on Kansas taxpayers.
“This is actually the last piece of the legislative portion of this journey. And when the term sheet was signed, it had in there that the state had to own the stadium. And this is the most efficient way that the state could own the stadium and pass all the expenses on to the team,” Tarwater said.
The bill would also give the state enforcement of the deal in court if the team were to walk away.
Opposition and questions
Not everyone agrees on who should hold the power. Democratic Sen. Cindy Holscher of Overland Park raised concerns about what the deal means for residents of Johnson and Wyandotte counties.
State leaders and Chiefs officials announce that the team will move to the Kansas side of the stateline.(KCTV5/Rilee Malloy)
“In terms of again, property tax relief for the people versus giveaways to billionaires. Again, we have an affordability crisis across this entire state, and we are looking at missed revenue in terms of this stadium. And this is revenue that could be used for schools, roads, and highways,” Holscher said.
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