Could STAR bonds build a WSU football stadium?

There is a “conversation” to explore the possibility of building Wichita State University a football stadium in a potentially expanded STAR bonds district at K-96 and Greenwich.

“That’s all we have right now is just some conversation about it,” said City Council member Lavonta Williams. “We’re waiting to see how serious this conversation is. We’re in that stage.”

Last month, The Eagle reported that the city and partners in the Wichita Sports Forum are discussing substantial upgrades and additions to the more than 60-acre Stryker Soccer Complex north of the northeast corner of K-96 and Greenwich through the assistance of an expanded STAR bonds district.

Sales tax and revenue bonds – which divert future sales tax from a project to pay the debt to build it – were used for other improvements at K-96 and Greenwich, but the Stryker complex isn’t in a STAR bonds district. The state would have to approve the use of the bonds.

Sometime since that news first broke, an informal conversation began about the possibility of using STAR bonds to pay for a WSU football stadium.

WSU suspended its football program after the 1986 season, citing a lack of community interest.

“What’s wonderful about this town these days is that there are so many great ideas kicking around … and this may be one of them,” said Lou Heldman, WSU’s vice president of strategic communications.

“This is not something that we initiated,” Heldman said.

“I don’t believe there are ongoing conversations about this involving the university,” he said. “I know of only a single conversation.”

Heldman would not elaborate on who initiated the conversation.

“I’m not actually certain of that,” he said.

“If someone wants to build us a football stadium or soccer stadium, that would be great,” Heldman said, “but we haven’t made any decision on football, and we’ve said that quite regularly.”

WSU president John Bardo has expressed interest in restarting the school’s football program along with possibly changing conferences.

“Dr. Bardo’s been very clear that the conference decision will be made first,” Heldman said. “And the football decision is a separate decision and somewhat dependent on the conference decision.”

In December, WSU announced a study to evaluate the athletic department, including its membership in the Missouri Valley Conference. In June, College Sports Solutions issued a 69-page report that provided WSU benchmarks on football budgets at the Bowl Subdivision and the Championship Subdivisions.

Bardo estimates WSU would need $40 million to renovate Cessna Stadium and build an indoor practice facility, offices, training rooms and a weight room for football. Around $20 million would be needed for the stadium and $18 million for the practice areas.

On Tuesday, the City Council will vote on whether to set a date for a hearing about expanding the STAR bonds district.

City Council member Pete Meitzner says there are many questions that would have to be addressed before a decision about a football stadium can truly be considered for a potential new STAR bonds district.

“I can’t even imagine what the questions would be,” he said.

“It’s barely out of the batter’s box,” Meitzner said of seriously considering the issue. “It’s not even to first base.”

Williams said it’s true that there aren’t any concrete decisions about the issue.

“But it’s great conversation.”

This story was originally published September 26, 2016 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Could STAR bonds build a WSU football stadium?."