Kansas lawmaker thinks KCK has plenty to offer to Chiefs, Royals

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Just days after STAR bond legislation passed for potential new stadiums in the Kansas legislature, state Sen. David Haley is beginning to dream.

“We might see in the future, a new Chiefs stadium with a roof or a dome, quite possibly hosting the Super Bowl as the home team and having the Super Bowl there,” Haley said. “These are real possibilities.”

Haley also does not see the recently passed legislation as a violation of the economic border war truce between Kansas and Missouri. He thinks Kansas is making a fair play – and one that may keep the teams from moving away from KC.

“I was not privy to the truce or what it was. I certainly do appreciate the points they are trying to make,” Haley said. “This is for one Kansas City. This is what other jurisdictions do.”

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Haley thinks the teams’ best path forward is to move to his home county – Wyandotte – where similar, but smaller projects have been successful.

“STAR bonds have a very successful track record, certainly in Wyandotte County, having produced everything from [Kansas] Speedway to our Sporting KC and other venues,” said Haley. “There has been very little, if no impact, on the existing taxpayers or taxpaying Kansans and the benefit has been phenomenal.”

Haley told KCTV5 he is not a fan of the placement of the West Bottoms rendering released by Manice on Thursday. He said that stadium site is too close to Missouri, and Kansas needs to keep as much sales tax revenue on their side of the border as possible in order to pay back the STAR bonds. Haley prefers a location near Kaw Point, closer to downtown KCK.

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