Missouri's American Royal horse exhibition moving to Kansas

Kansas is committing to authorizing $80 million in bonds to be paid off with sales tax revenues collected in the area, Brownback said, and officials hope the development will attract a new hotel.

Sales tax revenues used to back bonds for such a project would not flow to the state as it wrestles with budget problems.

The show has played such an important role in Kansas City, Missouri, that after the city was awarded a major league baseball team for the 1969 season, the name "Royals" was chosen from among thousands of suggestions submitted by fans.

A report earlier this year by the Kansas Department of Commerce envisioned a Kansas-based American Royal as part of a major development near the speedway that would include a new hotel, a children's museum and a 5,000-seat arena that could be used for hockey.

The speedway is part of a thriving entertainment and retail shopping district that includes Major League Soccer and minor-league baseball stadiums — much of which Brownback credited Tuesday as being financed with bonds some lawmakers have criticized.

Some legislators wanted to ensure that sales tax revenues would begin flowing to the state, rather than having them back bonds for a new project.

The announcement about the American Royal came two weeks before the Nov. 8 election, with Brownback's allies facing a political backlash over the budget as they seek re-election to the Legislature.