The Kansas City Chiefs had every intent to remain at Arrowhead Stadium, extending the lease in a renovated facility and stadium complex that would keep the franchise in the state of Missouri for the next several decades. The renovation plans still have a hurdle to clear, however, and the state of Kansas is officially ready to pounce.
Kansas lawmakers approved a House bill that would change certain criteria for STAR (sales tax and revenue) bonds qualification, via the Associated Press. 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 measure now goes to the Kansas Senate.
The attempt to lure the Chiefs to cross the state line from Missouri to Kansas is seriously in play. The bill will also require any pro sports team development to include a 30,000-plus seat complex with at least $1 billion in investment. This is also an attempt to lure the Kansas City Royals’ new MLB stadium plans into Kansas.
The Chiefs announced plans to renovate GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium this year, but those plans may be changing, thanks to some developments back in April. The voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected a sales tax measure that would have helped fund major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium and a new downtown ballpark for the Royals.
With the measure not being passed, the Chiefs may have to look elsewhere and build a new stadium. A potential move to Kansas doesn’t force the Chiefs to relocate to another city if they can’t reach a deal with Jackson County. Kansas legislation doesn’t have to put a stadium sales tax up to vote, giving the Chiefs an option they’ll strongly consider.
“I do feel very much a sense of urgency, and we will approach it from a broader perspective going forward because time is short for us at this point. So, we need to see what other options…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/could-chiefs-move-out-of-missouri-kansas-house-approves-proposal-to-fund-new-stadium-across-state-line/
Author : Jeff Kerr
Publish date : 2024-06-19 12:28:20
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