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Wyandotte County votes to bypass state rules tied to Chiefs stadium move

The Wyandotte County government on Thursday “voted to opt out of state rules it believes would interfere with the community’s ability to get a seat at the table” in the Chiefs’ upcoming move to town, according to Sofi Zeman of the K.C. STAR. The Unified Government Board of Commissioners during a public meeting “unanimously approved a charter ordinance and resolution that would exempt the local government from parts of the state legislation outlining rules for how Kansas can finance and manage a major sports franchise.” And, despite being presented an option to roll back community protections that they passed eight months ago, “commissioners held firm” and “did not consider an agenda item that would have asked them to repeal the terms.” The commissioners’ vote reflected that the Unified Government “took issue with specific parts of the state’s sports authority law,” specifically “with provisions involving” whether KCK Mayor Christal Watson “has a seat on the authority’s board, whether the Unified Government can amend its zoning laws and a utility law that would exempt the stadium from having to pay utility fees, in lieu of taxes, to the county’s public utility.” Under Kansas’ home rule law, local governments “can charter out provisions in state law that are not applied uniformly throughout the state.” The government believes that the sports authority law “fits that description.” Watson said that although the Unified Government has “continued negotiating in good faith with the state and team, and that it is in support of the project, there needs to be ‘give and take’” (K.C. STAR, 10/8).

Wyandotte County, KS · 29d