Why It Matters
Kansas has reached an agreement ending a lawsuit over control of land, utilities, and development tied to a proposed Kansas City Chiefs stadium. The settlement preserves a role for local government while designating the stadium and parking areas as state facilities.
What Happened
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City agreed to dismiss its lawsuit against Kansas without prejudice, the settlement was announced Friday. The case challenged the state’s agreement with the Chiefs to build a stadium and sought to halt implementation of House Bill 2466, the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority Act.
That law authorized Kansas to negotiate stadium agreements with the Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. The Unified Government had raised concerns about losing local control over the project.
Under the agreement, the Unified Government and the Wyandotte County Board of Public Utilities will retain jurisdiction over development surrounding the stadium. That authority includes local planning and zoning matters, as well as the BPU payment in lieu of taxes.
The stadium and its parking areas will be owned by the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority as state facilities. They will not be subject to local zoning or building codes, and the Chiefs will lease the properties.
The settlement also defines the Unified Government’s local pledge area to include the stadium, parking, and related development areas. The BPU may work with Evergy on electric service for the stadium.
By the Numbers
Friday — settlement announcement
House Bill 2466 — Kansas Sports Facilities Authority Act
$7 million per year — Chiefs stadium lease amount
Zoom Out
The agreement separates state control of the stadium and parking facilities from local authority over surrounding development, planning, utilities, and related payments. The arrangement involves the State of Kansas, the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority, the Chiefs, the Royals, the Unified Government, the BPU, and Evergy.
What’s Next
The Unified Government will dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice. Gov. Laura Kelly and Mayor Christal Watson said the agreement had “satisfactorily resolved concerns related to the Kansas City Chiefs Stadium project.” Watson also called the recent collaboration “literally a game changer.”