Kansas committee approves substitute for sports tourism grant program with $1.5 million cap and local match

The House Committee on Commerce on Wednesday approved a substitute for House Bill 2346 to establish the Kansas Sports Tourism Grant Program, which would be administered by the Secretary of Commerce and funded up to $1,500,000 to help communities support and host sports events.

The substitute, described to the committee by Revisor Reimer, rewrites the original bill to make grants matching awards awarded as a pledge after events, require post‑event reporting and economic-impact calculations, and remove a separate advisory committee so that the secretary approves awards. "The bill before the committee establishes the Kansas Sports Tourism Grant Program, administered by the Secretary of Commerce for the purpose of assisting communities to develop and continue as a venue for supporting events," Reimer told the panel.

The change reduces this year's fiscal note by requiring a local match; Reimer said grants are matched on a 1-to-1 basis with funds from one or more sponsors and that grants will be…