Bill authorizes Regents to convey two K‑State properties; university says sale will reduce deferred maintenance

House Bill 2120 would authorize the State Board of Regents to convey two parcels of real estate owned on behalf of Kansas State University: a 6.5‑acre site known as the Unger Complex in Manhattan (Riley County) and a parcel in Douglas County, Nebraska, previously used as a satellite veterinary referral clinic for the Veterinary Medical Center.

"The sale of that property actually accomplishes two objectives for the university," Ethan Erickson, vice president for administration and finance at Kansas State University, told the committee in proponent testimony. Erickson said selling the Unger property would eliminate about $38,000,000 of the university’s deferred maintenance backlog and would remove about $500,000 in annual operating costs. He said the Unger Complex has been appraised at about $3.5 million and the veterinary property at about $1,100,000."We have had it appraised, and the appraised value is about 3 and a half million dollars," Erickson said of the Unger site.

Erickson told the committee the university plans to relocate staff and programs housed at the Unger Complex back to the main Manhattan campus, increasing space utilization there. He said the university and partners have proposed splitting the Unger parcel into two tracts: a larger portion to be sold with the Unger building and a smaller remainder that the university would later market or that the City of Manhattan has discussed using for a roundabout on Anderson Avenue.

The bill’s committee overview said the Attorney General would be required to review deeds, titles and conveyances and that proceeds from any sale would be deposited into the institution’s restricted fee funds. The Revisor’s Office overview also noted the bill would take effect upon publication in the Kansas Register. The hearing record indicates the bill previously passed the House 118‑0.

Committee senators asked follow‑up questions about the Nebraska property’s purchase date and usage; Erickson said he did not know the original purchase date but that the veterinary clinic had not operated for several years and the property was currently under lease with the university entering the later years of that lease. The committee also discussed an amendment to split the Unger parcel into two tracts if the committee chooses to work the bill.

No neutral or opponent testimony was recorded in the committee hearing transcript. Erickson answered senators’ questions about the appraisal, operating costs, and the university’s plan to reinvest savings into maintenance and campus space utilization.

If enacted as described in the hearing, the bill would give the Board of Regents authority to convey the two parcels; the Attorney General would review conveyance documents and net proceeds would be credited to the institutions’ restricted fee funds.