By at least one metric, the incentive deal that lured the Kansas City Chiefs across the state line from Missouri to Kansas is the largest public subsidy in the history of American professional sports, a leading researcher on the subject told The Star.
In a celebratory announcement on Dec. 22, state officials unveiled plans for Kansas to publicly finance $1.8 billion of construction costs on a $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County through sales tax and revenue, or STAR bonds.
Kansas also plans to issue up to $975 million in STAR bonds to support privately owned mixed-use development around the stadium and in Olathe, where the Chiefs envision building a new training facility and team headquarters.
kansas.com
By Matthew Kelly
December 31, 2025