Garden City Commission OKs amendment to Star Bond project plan for Sports of the World

The Garden City Commission approved an ordinance on Tuesday amending the city's Star Bond project plan to add phase 2 improvements for the Sports of the World complex, a developer-led sports tourism project that backers say will expand youth-sports capacity and attract out-of-area visitors.

Supporters and opponents packed the commission chamber for more than two hours of presentations and public comment before the governing body voted to adopt ordinance number 3017-2025. The amendment now goes to the Kansas Department of Commerce for review; the department must approve the project plan amendment before the city can amend the development agreement or issue additional STAR bonds.

Why it matters: The amendment would expand the STAR bond district to include new softball and baseball complexes, additional parking and infrastructure, and other visitor-oriented facilities the developer proposes to build. Developer counsel and foundation representatives told the commission the state's STAR-bond program would provide most of the reimbursable funding and that captured sales-tax revenue inside the district would be used to repay any special-obligation bonds.

Developer counsel Mark Abbott, of Polsinelli, told the commission that STAR bonds are repaid from sales taxes captured in the district and are a limited obligation of the city. "The bond buyers are gonna be paid back by sales taxes that are captured within the district. That's it. No property taxes," Abbott said during his presentation.

The developer and foundation presenters described a phased buildout: an initial set of fields scheduled to be complete in late 2025, followed by additional fields, a soccer complex, a farmers market and destinations for families. The project plan presented to the commission lists line-item budgets and the portions of those costs the developer is proposing to be STAR-bond eligible and reimbursable.

Opponents at public comment raised financial and transparency concerns, and asked who ultimately benefits. "I don't want to see our city go bankrupt," said Judy O'Grady, who also urged clarity about who would reap the benefits. Other residents questioned whether local needs such as housing, maintenance of existing fields and rising property taxes were the community's higher priorities.

Supporters argued the project would bring new visitors and outside spending to Garden City. Ben Jackson, who identified himself as an attorney and a supporter, said capturing sales tax from chain-store purchases that otherwise would go to other counties keeps revenue local and generates visitor spending at restaurants and hotels.

What the commission decided: By roll call, the commission voted to adopt ordinance 3017-2025 (motion seconded; item passed). The ordinance approves the first amendment to the Sports of the World Star Bond project plan. Staff noted the next steps are an amended development agreement and the Kansas Department of Commerce review and approval before bonds could be sold and reimbursements pursued.

What remains unresolved: Approval by the commission does not, by itself, authorize bond issuance. The state Department of Commerce must approve the amended project plan; if approved, the city and developer would amend the development agreement and the city could then proceed with steps to issue STAR bonds. The developer also emphasized that state participation in STAR bonds is a discretionary grant of state-captured sales tax and that, if not used locally, the revenues would flow to other jurisdictions.

The commission thanked members of the public and the developer for presenting materials and asked staff to file the amended project plan for the required state review.