Detailing the process that could bring the Chiefs or Royals across the state line

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) - On Tuesday, the Kansas Legislature passed the STAR Bonds bill to attract a professional sports team, like the Chiefs or Royals, to move to the Sunflower State. As they wait for Gov. Laura Kelly’s signature, the work doesn’t stop there.

Kelly said she intends to sign the bill into law but getting the Royals or Chiefs to Kansas will take much more than just the Governor’s signature.

The first step in the STAR Bonds process would be a city, county, or developer showing interest in the project for a professional sports team.

The clock then starts ticking.

“So they have one year to have an agreement,” said Stilwell Republican Rep. Sean Tarwater. “We did that on purpose we don’t necessarily want it sitting out there too long.”

Negotiations can start on July 1, 2024.

“This will be the biggest STAR bond project that we have ever done,” said Rep. Tarwater.

Also known as Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, the Kansas Department of Commerce is the one to work through the project process.

“We wouldn’t do that until we have an expressed interest from a city that is has a project that it wants to pursue,” said Kansas Department of Commerce Chief Counsel, Bob North.

Once they have that interest, they go through a lot of work to make sure this can happen.

The next step would be a Preliminary Visitation Analysis by a third-party vendor of the county or city to see who would visit the project.

The third step would establish the STAR Bonds District: what will be there to visit and will create the sales tax.

The fourth step would be to create a project plan. A project plan includes a market study, an economic impact outlook, and a feasibility plan to see if the STAR Bonds project can generate enough sales tax.

READ MORE: Kansas offers unprecedented tax incentives to lure Chiefs, Royals

This can take some time to get through. It could be anywhere from nine to 18 months.

If negotiations are happening before June 30, 2025, the deadline could be extended by a year with this new legislation.

“They gotta have a developer that steps up, they gotta find the land, they gotta go through the whole process and it is going to take a lot of thought,” said Rep. Tarwater.

The Department of Commerce, the city or county, the developer, and the team would all work together as they move through each step.

There would also be an opportunity for public input.

If all those steps go as planned, the city or county would get authorization to issue STAR Bonds and then they would go through the price process.

“A project is not for sure definitely going to happen until the city or the county has priced the bond and identified a bond buyer or a series of bond buyers,” said North.

It would also need to be approved by the Secretary of Commerce Lt. Governor David Toland and the Legislative Coordinating Council.

The local government will also have to pass an ordinance to allow the project to happen, according to Rep. Tarwater.

It is a long road ahead for Kansas.

“It will bring in a lot of money in immediately,” said Rep. Tarwater.

He is hopeful if it happens it will bring plenty of new benefits to Kansas.

There has been a lot of discussion on if this is a war between Kansas and Missouri.

Rep. Tarwater said this is Kansas’ part in trying to keep the teams here as that is their ultimate goal.

“We are offering our deal to make sure that they stay here if Missouri can’t come up with something we certainly will,” said Rep. Tarwater.

The Chiefs and Royals did not have any further comment on this when KCTV5 reached out on Wednesday.

Learn about the most recent annual report on STAR Bonds in Kansas here.

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