Kansas lawmakers adjourned early Wednesday morning without debating a proposal that could open a more lucrative route to luring chefs and royals across the state line.
It’s a break.
In the debate.
But certainly not among the contenders.
We already have a first glimpse of the latter. Sports stadium architect David Manica and developer Robb Heineman have proposed a vision for a new Chiefs stadium in Wyandotte County – on the northeast corner of the I-435 and I-70 interchange – with photos and images they shared with The Star.
Before we go any further, let me add some critical context at the top, because that’s the kind of context often left out when pretty pictures are shared on social media platforms.
I told you who is involved in this project.
Let me share who isn’t:
• The Chiefs
• The owners of the land on which the coatings rest. Much of the acreage is owned by the Breidenthal family, who could not immediately be reached for comment.
Those would be two vital parts in this conversation.
This shows how this concept is in its infancy. Heineman told the Star he has not yet started a conversation with leaders about the proposal in Wyandotte County, near the Legends. He said he was considering approaching them.
“Everything I’ve seen about stadium design is just guesswork, right?” he said. “They’re going to do what they want and design it the way they want. …
“But I’m just trying to suggest something that can be versatile, something that has great access and visibility and is surrounded by a lot of supporting infrastructure.”
If this sounds like a recruiting pitch, well, that’s because it is.
Think of it like this: This is the first publicly known proposal for a move to Kansas.
Not the last.
After Jackson County voters rejected a 3/8th cent sales tax to help finance a renovated Arrowhead Stadium and a new Royals stadium in East Crossroads, you can bet a handful of Kansas developers have put updated their dating profiles, hoping that these two were suddenly on-market teams would notice.
Last weekend during the NFL Draft, Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt echoed the sentiment the team shared before the vote failed: The Chiefs will expand their options to include the possibility of ‘a new building in a new location.
This is what Heineman and Manica propose: a possibility.
Heineman, minority owner of Sporting Kansas City, and Manica, president of MANICA Architecture, could be the first to release their proposal with renderings, but others will try to find ways to steer the Chiefs and Royals to new locations .
And that’s true on both sides of the border, especially if potential suitors are led to believe that teams are once again listening to options.
They’ll be comfortable anticipating answers to key questions: Are teams ready to turn their attention to a move to Kansas? Would this option be more attractive than what Kansas City’s attempt to retain the teams might entail? Although less likely, will there be an alternative route through Jackson County after a vote fails?
This is far from an exhaustive list.
Some Kansas lawmakers are trying to tip the scales of those responses, however, with a measure proposed by state Rep. Sean Tarwater for a steroid-induced version of Kansas’ sales and revenue tax bond program ( STAR) which they believe could fully finance a stadium for the teams.
This is the legislative measure suspended for the time being, but not permanently.
A proposal that’s moving forward in the meantime: Heineman and Manica put the hypothetical stadium in a location — which, again, doesn’t belong to them — and offered the Chiefs an appealing vision of what life elsewhere might be like.
Heineman joined the Privitera family in trying to sell the Royals at the East Crossroads site, where the family owned the former Kansas City Star press box. This is the location the Royals used to vote on April 2.
Heineman said he tried to buy the Wyandotte County land for his latest Chiefs proposal, but was unsuccessful, or at least hasn’t yet been successful.
The renderings released Tuesday evening also include the Chiefs’ practice facility, which currently sits on the west end of the Truman Sports Complex parking lot that houses Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.
The Heineman/Manica sales pitch includes the aforementioned aesthetics and accessibility of the venue. With a domed stadium, the complex could be considered suitable for major events — such as the Super Bowl, Final Fours, College Football Playoff games — which Arrowhead did not do.
Heineman and Manica’s renderings include a translucent roof over the stadium, which Heineman said would allow for natural turf with the help of grow lights.
Most notably, they involve the construction of an entirely new building, which leaders previously estimated would cost more than $3 billion.
Would STAR bonds cover the bill? This is to be determined.
A fitting phrase, as it covers the context of both teams’ plans.
To be determined.
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