The American Royal will be moving from Missouri to Kansas. At an event Tuesday, officials announced the agreement and a new $160 million complex in Wyandotte County.
Governor Sam Brownback hopes moving the program to Kansas will attract additional events and help highlight the area’s animal and agriculture-related industries.
“It’ll be a world-class facility that’s going to attract a lot of livestock shows, a lot of horse shows, and we believe will be an anchor for this region of America to be the agriculture technology and animal genetics capital of the world,” says Brownback.
American Royal officials say the annual horse and livestock exhibition attracts more than 250,000 people.
The governor’s office says up to $80 million in STAR bonds will be used for the project. Earlier this year some lawmakers raised concerns about that funding method, which diverts sales tax revenue to pay back the bonds.