In the Dotte dispatch: Inside Chiefs & KCK’s secret stadium talks
Editor’s note: The following is from today’s In the Dotte newsletter, published weekly on Tuesdays. You can sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox.
It might be another month before we have a clearer picture of what negotiations between Wyandotte County and the Kansas City Chiefs are going to look like.
I’m Sofi Zeman, your guide through all things KCK. I hope you’re not tired of Chiefs updates yet, because there are more to come. Let’s get to it.
With the local government tied up in a hushed negotiation process, we may need to wait for future public meetings to figure out what a deal for the Chiefs’ $3 billion domed stadium would entail — and what it would mean for Wyandotte.
That is, until the team, the state and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, reach a deal that commissioners would have to vote on. Meanwhile, local and state officials are insisting they can keep their discussions of the deal secret.
Although we know Wyandotte and Olathe government officials are operating under NDAs, there’s another factor keeping any and all Chiefs talks on the low: A state statute specifically designed for that.
In my recent piece, I take a look at Kansas’ special law that says stadium STAR bond talks can be kept secret.
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And, if you have questions about Wyandotte County or a tip about what else I should look into, please email me at szeman@kcstar.com.
Sofi’s selects
🏈 Despite creating a handful of success stories, STAR bond deals have failed in Kansas before. Who is on the hook for paying those off if the Chiefs’ stadium project flops?
🪧 She was a mother, friend and poet. At one point, she also lived in Kansas City. Residents have rallied in the metro to remember Renee Good. Take a look at the scene.
🏠 The man charged with dumping 13-year-old Airen Andula’s body in a ravine was once a trusted neighbor. “I thought he was a good guy,” the boy’s grieving dad said.
What’s good
👟 He walked from Lee’s Summit to KCK three times this winter, and we’re sure he’ll do it again. This Rosedale middle school teacher is putting in the legwork to find resources for local youth.
📐 After a global pandemic, major construction projects and more, the superintendent who helped put this west-KCK school district on the map is saying goodbye.
In Topeka
⚖️ Kansas lawmakers returned to Topeka yesterday for the start of a high-stakes 2026 legislative session. The Star’s Matthew Kelly has what to know.
Thank you for reading. See ya back here next week!
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