NFL’s Chiefs asked to join Kansas legislature’s stadium bond push

Kansas legislative leaders, who are seeking to coax the Kansas City Chiefs to leave neighboring Missouri, formally invited the National Football League team to join their effort to build a stadium with the help of bonds.

In . A 2021 audit found most of the 16 bond-financed attractions fell short of meeting state Commerce Department tourism-related goals.

The program, which sunsets in July 2026, experienced its first payment default in 2023 when not enough money was available to pay the entirety of debt service in December for nearly $65 million of STAR bonds Overland Park issued in 2012 for the 61.5-acre Prairiefire development that includes a museum, retail, offices, and housing.

Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ordered a June 18 special session to take up tax relief after she vetoed on May 16 tax cut legislation passed by the Republican-controlled legislature for a third time since January.

NFL teams are no strangers to public subsidies and tax-exempt bonds. Examples include the $647 million of tax-exempts that funded Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders, and $705 million of bonds to fund a new Nashville stadium for the Tennessee Titans.

The league is lobbying to make sure the tax-exemption for stadium bonds survives Congress’ next effort to tackle tax policy.