Lawsuit over ‘unconstitutional’ Kansas City Chiefs stadium plan dropped 

A lawsuit against Kansas over the new Kansas City Chiefs stadium and the preservation of local control has been resolved, and the case will be dismissed.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Mayor Christal Watson announced that the Unified Government (UG) of Wyandotte County and Kansas City will drop the 74-page lawsuit it filed against the state earlier this month.

The lawsuit argued that Kansas House Bill 2466 – legislation passed earlier this year allowing the $3 billion stadium’s construction and establishing the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority to govern the facility – strips the Unified Government of its constitutional authority.

“This bill provides the necessary governance structure and guardrails to manage and oversee the team’s facilities, ensuring Kansans for generations to come will continue to cheer on our beloved team at home,” Kelly said when she signed HB 2466 into law.

The lawsuit states that the Unified Government would lose its power to tax, zone and plan, set and collect local fees, or provide utility services through the community’s publicly owned utility.

The agreement, however, allows the UG to retain authority over development surrounding the Chiefs stadium, including local planning and zoning, while requiring payment of the Kansas City Board of Utilities’ (BPU) payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT).

“The collaboration in recent days has literally been a game changer,” Watson said in the agreement release. “All of the parties remain fully supportive of the Chiefs, the stadium project and the significant economic opportunity it will create for the citizens of Wyandotte County and Kansas.”

The Chiefs announced in December plans to vacate their longtime home at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, for a new, domed structure in Kansas after the state offered an incentive package including STAR Bonds to help fund its construction. The team will also build a $300 million team headquarters and practice facility in Olathe, along with a mixed-use development.

The parking areas surrounding the stadium, which is set to open in 2031, will be owned by the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority and leased to the Chiefs for $7 million per year. The parking lots will not be subject to local zoning or building codes, the agreement states. 

The UG’s local jurisdiction will apply only to the stadium, parking areas and supporting development areas included in the stadium project.

Under the agreement, the UG has agreed to dismiss the lawsuit against Kansas without prejudice.

“This is an important step in the historic, landmark deal that will shape Kansas for generations,” Kelly said. “A strong commitment to communication between all the partner parties ensures this project will result in an incredible economic benefit for KCK and Wyandotte County residents, the State of Kansas, and the best home for the Chiefs.”

As another part of the agreement, BPU and Evergy will develop a partnership to provide energy and water services to the stadium. BPU and the UG will continue to be the sole utility providers for the supporting development surrounding the stadium.

(Photo credit: Kansas City Chiefs website; Screenshot/Laura Kelly campaign website; Screenshot/ Christal Watson campaign website)