Can sports activities betting income be the driving issue for luring skilled sports activities groups to maneuver from one metropolis to a different? That’s the thought behind HB 2001, a invoice that was lately signed into regulation by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. Below the phrases of the invoice, sports activities betting income can be utilized to fund bonds, which might then be used to construct skilled sports activities stadiums – an important factor in attractive a staff to maneuver.

HB 2001 is especially related in Kansas, which is dwelling to Kansas Metropolis, however not dwelling to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs or Kansas Metropolis Royals. Governor Kelly, and a bunch of lawmakers, are hoping that the promise of recent stadiums, constructed partly with sports activities betting income, might be sufficient to get the groups to cross the border from Kansas Metropolis, Missouri to Kansas Metropolis, Kansas.

Whereas neither the Royals nor the Chiefs have explicitly promised to pack up and cross state strains, Governor Kelly is assured that the lure of recent, partially-sport-betting-funded stadiums will perk their curiosity. “Kansas now has the chance to change into knowledgeable sports activities powerhouse with the Chiefs and Royals probably becoming a member of Sporting KC as main league sights, all with strong, revenue-generating leisure districts surrounding them offering new jobs, new guests and new revenues that increase the Kansas economic system,” she mentioned in feedback reported on by the Missouri Unbiased.

Not each lawmaker was utterly offered on the thought, nonetheless. State Rep. Jason Probst (D-Hutchinson) tepidly supported the plan saying, “I don’t like this. It feels gross. This complete present that’s happening feels disgusting to me. And it’s nonetheless the best factor to do. That’s how I see it.”

The estimated price of a brand new stadium to accommodate the Chiefs and Royals is someplace between $1.5-$2.5 billion.