KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, approved a STAR Bond district for the new Kansas City Chiefs stadium in February, but the state may consider redrawing its boundary — and residents aren't happy about it.
Background
The UG passed an ordinance agreeing to help finance the project only if the district boundary remains near 126th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.
Months later, the state may consider expanding it, something the previously approved ordinance allows for.
In the current agreement, the UG pledged its 1% city general sales tax collected within the defined area.
The base revenue was set at $0.00, meaning the UG pledges all sales tax revenue generated in the district, not just growth above a previous baseline.
The agreement did not pledge to give up taxes voters have already dedicated to specific purposes — like emergency medical services and public safety.
Those are currently protected and cannot be redirected to the stadium bonds.
The only taxes on the table are those generated within the defined Base Revenue Area and not already committed elsewhere.
The bond is set for 30 years.
Resident concerns
Stephanie Pujol-Burch and Evangelina Garcia-Meza say they're worried about KCK's next chapter, and the new Chiefs stadium is a large part of that concern.
Both women say the process lacked transparency.
"There was a lot of secrecy," Garcia-Meza said.
Garcia-Meza says commissioners were not given adequate data and had to sign NDAs.
She also questions whether the project will deliver on its promises.
"The same dream in essence was sold to Kansas City, Missouri, that this was going to be a huge economic development for this area,” Garcia-Meza said. “You just have to drive there now and see if that's the reality that played out. It's not.”
She says the state is now adding pressure to make things worse.
"Now the state seems to be putting a significant amount of pressure to expand that STAR bond district, and that's a problem. That is a huge problem," Garcia-Meza said. "That's not something that Wyandotte County should foot," she said.
Garcia-Meza says expanding the district would create financial problems for a county already struggling.
"That creates huge deficits for a county that's already struggling from a revenue generation perspective," Garcia-Meza said. "We have to take care of the community, the infrastructure needs, whatever other needs that we don't know exist today," she said.
She says the impact will be felt for years to come.
"I won't feel the full brunt of this,” Garcia-Meza said. “Future generations will feel the brunt of this.”
She also pushed back on the argument that taxpayers won't be on the hook.
Garcia-Meza says the community deserves accountability.
"We already have a proven track record that we can say, 'this was a bad deal,' and this is how we improve it in the future. And there's never any of that," she said. "This is not a matter of 'I don't like the Chiefs,' this is a matter of, is this economic development truly a benefit to this community?"
Her motivation is simple.
"The fight's not over till it's over," she said.
A business perspective
Pujol-Burch, a business owner and landlord who has lived in Wyandotte County since 2003, says the UG gave up too much.
"As a business owner, I don't give up a commission just because somebody wants it," Pujol-Burch said. "I think that the only thing that we have a say in is where they place the district," she said.
Pujol-Burch says the financial burden will ultimately fall on residents.
"It's much more difficult in Wyandotte County to pay for those services because of our lower income, and now we have higher property taxes, so in the end, it will come to our property taxes,” Pujol-Burch said. “We will have increases in our property taxes.”
If the district expands, Pujol-Burch questions why Johnson County isn't part of the conversation.
"Why doesn't the state look and expand it and have Johnson County and Wyandotte County be the entire district so Johnson County can participate because they're reaping more rewards by having the tourism part of the offices and the training fields?" Pujol-Burch said.
She says the government should treat public finances like a business.
"You just don't give up something that's going to contribute to your business and your livelihood. And our government is our livelihood," Pujol-Burch said.
Some residents are already considering leaving.
Pujol-Burch says she has heard from many people weighing that option.
"I can't even tell you how many people that I have spoken with that said, 'we're preparing to move from Wyandotte County,'" Pujol-Burch said.
Mayor Watson's response
Mayor Christal Watson says she does not believe the county is in a difficult position.
"No, I do not feel like we're in a tough spot,” Watson said. “I believe that we have a very good understanding with the state.”
Watson says if the state decides to expand the district, the commission will have a say.
"The state will need to just come back to us after they review their numbers, and if they decide that they want to expand the STAR bond district, then our commission board will have to look at what they bring to us in a document, we go over that and just work with them and negotiate it," Watson said.
Watson says any expansion beyond the current boundary would rely only on state sales tax, not local tax.
"It will just be the state sales tax. It will not be our local tax," Watson said.
She says the UG has not yet seen what the state plans to present.
Watson says she has a seat at the table and that her voice is being heard, though she acknowledges the process is new to her.
"I've never been through this process before, so I'm just kind of waiting for directions from the state's office," Watson said.
Watson says guardrails are in place to protect the county.
"We put guardrails in place to ensure that whatever the decision is made at the state level, that they would just have to come to us for approval,” Watson said. “I’m very confident that our discussions will lead to a positive outcome, hopefully.”
She says expanding the district countywide would be harmful.
"The whole county, I think, would hurt Wyandotte County as a whole,” Watson said. “We want to be able to have other STAR bond districts within our community. I don't want to see us go down everywhere around the stadium. That's not the intent."
Watson says she expects to hear back from the state at the end of June or in early July, and says the commission may have to hold another public vote depending on what the state presents.
Watson says the focus now should be on making the most of the situation.
"At this point, it's not even a matter of if it's a good deal or not,” Watson said. “The deal is done. I really want people to focus on moving forward, and how do we make the best out of it if they think it's a good deal or a bad deal.”
As for her opinion, it’s not concrete.
"I don't have an opinion one way or another. At this point, because it doesn't matter. I feel like the milk is spilled," she said. "Our focus is on doing what is in the best interest of Wyandotte County, period.”
KSHB 41 reached out to the chair of the House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development for Kansas and the Kansas Department of Commerce for a response and will update if there is one.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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