KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Unified Government says more information will be released tonight on STAR bonds and the Chiefs stadium proposal when they gather for their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday night, dozens of people packed a public hearing regarding the proposal.
More than 50 Wyandotte County residents spoke to Unified Government commissioners about the proposed STAR bonds district that would pay for a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Many of those who spoke demanded more transparency and community input before any final decision is made.
Speakers raised questions about property taxes, infrastructure impacts and whether local businesses would benefit from the development.
Another speaker asked that commissioners put the proposal to a public vote.
Several residents questioned spending public money on a stadium when the community faces other needs, including education, roads and support for the homeless community.
Property tax concerns were also brought up.
A few residents who spoke expressed support for bringing the Chiefs to Kansas City, Kansas.
Numerous questions were not answered about the proposal's financial details, but Wyandotte County commissioners told the crowd that more information would be released at Thursday night's meeting.
There is an agenda item for commissioners to vote on whether to approve the STAR bonds district.
It reads as follows:
Approval of an ordinance electing to participate in a STAR bond project by pledging local sales and use taxes as a source of payment of STAR bonds issued by the Kansas Development Finance Authority related to a sports stadium.
If you would like to attend tonight's meeting, click here for more information on how to access the meeting.
KSHB 41 has also been digging into what would happen if Kansas City, Kansas opts not to pledge local sales tax to the Chiefs stadium project.
In a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Commerce told KSHB 41's Charlie Keegan, "revenue from the local level is a key part of the financing structure. If the local taxes are not pledged, it would create a significant funding gap."
The city of Olathe has already approved using STAR Bonds to help pay for a new Chiefs headquarters and training facility to be built near College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road.
