KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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From the ninth-floor headquarters of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor/CEO Christal Watson is navigating a massive Kansas City Chiefs stadium deal.
The announcement came just two weeks into Watson's new job leading the UG.
Watson made it clear that despite the state's announcement, no final decisions have been made locally.
"I want to be very clear, at the local level, no final decisions have been made," Watson said in a video message to constituents.
Under the state's stadium deal, Wyandotte County can contribute a portion of its sales tax to help pay for the stadium. That decision that would require a vote by county commissioners.
Watson created the video to address growing concerns from residents about the potential financial impact of a new Chiefs stadium.
"No agreements have been finalized. No commitments have been locked in," she said in the video.
The mayor said she's hearing significant feedback from Wyandotte County residents about the proposal.
"There's great concern," Watson said.
Derrick Lasley, who lives in Wyandotte County, expressed worry about the tax burden.
"The tax already is high there, for sure," Lasley said.
Alex Sanchez, another Wyandotte County resident, echoed those concerns.
"The burden is going to fall on the taxpayers," Sanchez said.
Watson said the community's message is clear about their priorities.
"The overarching feedback from the community is we don't want our taxes raised," she said.
Before any negotiations can begin, Watson said she needs crucial information about the stadium's location.
"Right now, this is the state and the Chiefs, and there will be a local responsibility," she said. And until we know the location, and other specific information nothing has been done."
Watson emphasized that she won't make promises until residents feel protected from potential tax increases.
Some residents remain skeptical about the county's ability to manage large projects effectively.
"There's a history in WyCo not doing a very good job of planning, funding and getting projects to fruition," Sanchez said.
Watson hopes to find out the stadium's location by the end of January. She promised transparency with residents.
"I'll share with you everything I can share," she said.
In an online comment, Watson outlined her personal stance on the deal.
"My personal stance is that if there is even the slightest chance that this deal will raise property taxes — as a result of the ongoing public safety and infrastructure requirements for around the stadium — we need to change the terms of the agreement to benefit our people," she wrote.
Watson acknowledged that the state's announcement hasn't changed the local situation significantly.
"We really haven't gone anywhere, if you will, based on the announcement," she said. "That was the state making the announcement. I felt it was necessary for the community to understand where we were locally."
The mayor emphasized her commitment to avoiding tax increases before supporting any potential decision.
"Down the road, I don't want to have to raise the taxes in order to support the decision," Watson said. "We still have the rest of the county to take care of. I live here too, whatever decision is made. Whether I'm the mayor or someone else, I want them to be considerate of that."
Watson described the opportunity as both challenging and exciting.
"I literally had this opportunity land in my lap," she said. "I feel like there's so much more to learn, but we are up for it."
As she works on shaping Wyandotte County's future, Watson stressed the importance of building positive relationships.
"It's important we grow a positive relationship with the state, as well as a great partnership," Watson said. "There's still work to be done, and moving forward in a positive way with a growing and stable relationship with the state matters," she said.
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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