Kansas lawmakers last week passed a measure that would authorize retail, online and mobile sports betting. Tax revenue mostly would be dedicated to luring the Kansas City Chiefs football team from Missouri to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area. The bill would allow sportsbooks at the four state-owned casinos and up to 50 other locations selected by the casinos. Betting apps would use geofencing and geolocation to assure bettors are located within Kansas borders.
The Senate approved the bill by a 21-13 margin, sending it to the desk Governor Laura Kelly who is expected to sign it.
House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer said the state budget “is in very strong shape” so sports betting revenue would not have to go to the general fund.
“The consensus estimating group upped the revenue estimates to $760 million over the next two years,” he said, based on a 10 percent tax rate. The bill would direct 80 percent of the revenue to a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to come to Kansas. That could include Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals or pro basketball or hockey teams.
Some lawmakers, however, expressed skepticism over proposed special fund. State Senator Jeff Pittman called it a “slush fund” and said sports betting revenue would not be enough to attract a new team.
“Where’s this money going to go?” he asked. “What happens if it’s just a pipe dream? That money is just going to sit there for five years?”
Kansas state Rep. Stephanie Clayton said it was worth a try.
“It remains to be seen if any professional sports team would look at that but again this is not much different than a lot of economic development incentive packages,” Clayton said.
The Royals have a decade left on their lease at Kauffman Stadium. But team officials are said to be considering options including a new stadium in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs and Royals stadiums opened next to each other in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early 1970s.
The proposal to attract professional sports teams came about after Chiefs President Mark Donovan said at a recent National Football League owners’ meeting that the team was considering options for a new stadium in Kansas. The rumor mill said the Chiefs could end up at the Legends, a shopping and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas. A NASCAR racetrack, professional soccer’s Sporting KC stadium and a state-owned casino already are located there. State Senator Rob Olson said the Legends area has room for building condominiums and more retail stores. “I think it’s probably one of the best areas to do something like that in,” he said.
Opponents of the legislation included state Rep. Paul Waggoner. He said he was disappointed that fellow Republicans supported the bill. “You’re supposed to be the party that is promoting, you know, family values, or family cohesiveness,” Waggoner said.
