Kansas Lawmakers Approve Sports Authority for New Chiefs Stadium

The sports authority will own the $3 billion stadium, shielding over $1 billion from state income taxes.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 9:50pm

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Kansas lawmakers have approved the creation of a sports authority to own and oversee the new $3 billion Kansas City Chiefs stadium. The authority will have a nine-member board and will allow the Chiefs to keep more than $1 billion in state dollars that would otherwise be subject to income taxes if the stadium was privately owned.

Why it matters

Establishing a sports authority to own the stadium enables the Chiefs to avoid paying over $1 billion in state income taxes on the revenue used to repay the stadium construction bonds. This provides a significant financial benefit to the team and helps ensure the long-term viability of the franchise in Kansas.

The details

The sports authority will have a nine-member board, with one member appointed by the Chiefs, one by the governor, one by the Kansas Department of Commerce, and six by legislative leadership. The mayors of Olathe and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County will be allowed to serve on the board in a non-voting capacity. The authority will oversee the stadium's construction and ongoing operations, including bidding for major events like the Final Four and Super Bowl. The $3 billion stadium is slated to open before the 2031 NFL season and will be located near the Kansas Speedway.

  • The new $3 billion Kansas City Chiefs stadium is scheduled to open before the 2031 NFL season.
  • The sports authority bill took its first step in the legislative process on March 10, 2026 and still needs to pass through both the Kansas House and Senate before going to the governor's desk.

The players

Kansas City Chiefs

The professional American football team that will play in the new $3 billion stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas Department of Commerce

The state agency that will appoint one member to the sports authority board.

Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas

The local government entity that will have a non-voting representative on the sports authority board.

Olathe

The city that will have a non-voting representative on the sports authority board.

Kansas State High School Activities Association

The organization that oversees high school sports in Kansas and hopes to host events at the new stadium.

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What they’re saying

“It establishes the governance framework that allows this project to move from agreement to action, from vision to construction.”

— Korb Maxwell, Attorney for the Kansas City Chiefs

“Can you imagine even a sport like wrestling, where we can bring 24 mats in under the dome … where they would be crowned a champion in the premier venue in the state of Kansas.”

— Bill Faflick, Executive Director, Kansas State High School Activities Association

“This board does create more transparency. There will be meetings that are open to the public, agendas will be posted online, the authority will be subject to open records laws, it will get financial transparency audits, and there will be a sports authority website.”

— Rachel Willis, Kansas Department of Commerce

What’s next

The sports authority bill still needs to pass through both the Kansas House and Senate before heading to the governor's desk for final approval.

The takeaway

By establishing a publicly-owned sports authority to oversee the new $3 billion Chiefs stadium, Kansas lawmakers have found a way to shield over $1 billion in state revenue from being subject to income taxes, providing a significant financial benefit to the team and helping ensure the franchise's long-term future in the state.