Kansas, Unified Government and Chiefs Resolve Legal Issues in $4 Billion Stadium Deal, Reaching Next Milestone
The Kansas Governor's Office announced on November 9 that Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Christal E. Watson have reached a cooperative agreement with the Unified Government (UG) of Wyandotte County/Kansas City and the State regarding the Chiefs' move to Kansas, taking the stadium project to its next milestone.
The agreement finalizes the boundaries of the state's STAR Bond District and the local sales tax pledge area, and clears the way for Mayor Watson's appointment to the Kansas Finance Authority (KSFA) board. "Settling these outstanding items is a decisive step forward for all involved," Governor Kelly said. "Every detail is critical when you're working on a $4 billion deal, and our strong, committed partnerships paved the way for a shared path forward for all of us."
In a unanimous vote on November 5, the Unified Government Commission approved a local pledge of sales tax revenue and a portion of its transient guest tax revenue collected in the local STAR Bond district, which is limited to the new stadium and its immediate surrounding area. The State agreed to remove the Quindaro Ruins area from the State's larger STAR Bond District to allow potential future development at the historic location, and the Unified Government agreed to permanently dismiss its lawsuit against the state upon full execution of the agreement.
As a result of the UG amending its Pledge Ordinance, Mayor Watson will hold a voting seat on the KSFA board as well as on the Community Impact Committee described in the Chiefs STAR Bond Agreement. "This is a win for the people of Wyandotte County, the State of Kansas and the Chiefs," Mayor Watson said. The agreement will not be fully executed until it is signed by the KSFA Chair; the 11-member Authority is expected to hold its first meeting within the next two weeks.
Source: Office of the Kansas Governor
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：堪萨斯城酋长队现主场箭头球场（Arrowhead Stadium，资料图）。Conman33 摄，CC BY 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs' current home. By Conman33, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
