This loyal University of Kansas alum wonders about wisdom of pricey athletics project

The years that I spent at the University of Kansas were some of the best of my life, and I will never forget the experiences that carried me down many roads over the years in a multidimensional career. But I question the outsized role of athletics in so many institutions of higher education, and KU is not an exception.

I view the so-called Gateway District project, encompassing a new stadium and surrounding attractions, with great concern.

At a time when the average cost of a four-year education (per the admissions office) at KU is about $96,000 for in-state students and $168,000 for out-of-state students, and when student debt levels upon graduation continue to increase, one has to wonder about the priorities of the university. It should be noted that, per collegefactual.com, 42% of all undergraduates at KU have federal student loans averaging about $6,700 a year. That figure does not include private loans or parental loans.

The Gateway District project cost is estimated at $450 million. That is more than 450 times the reported operating income in KU Athletics’ fiscal year 2023 audited financial statement.

While I realize that the project is expected to generate revenues from “other activities,” the level of new revenue needed to pay for the project dwarfs historical income. And while I also know that money has been committed from the Endowment Association, along with a $50 million “state grant,” and some money from private sources, some would say those commitments are based on a wing and a prayer.

In recent years, sports at the college and professional levels have been promoted as a driver of all sorts of new economic activity. “Entertainment districts” are often mentioned when money is being sought for new stadiums and the like. Just recently, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, did not buy into the idea of a higher sales tax to pay for improvements for stadiums used by the pro football and baseball teams there. That same topic is being debated in other parts of the country.

In the context of Lawrence, it is legitimate to ask how much this venture will siphon from existing businesses. Some will say that the venture will bring new business. Is that not always the claim when a new and shiny project is being touted? It is all about the additional dollars. What if they do not materialize? How will this “entertainment district” compete with the attractions located in major metro areas just east and west of Lawrence?

To circle back to the heart of the issue here, the essence of a college education is to prepare students for their careers and lives once they get out of the relative serenity of academia. To this day, I mentor students and recent graduates via an organization of which I am a member. I do that because I will always hold dear the mentoring that I received at KU beginning early in my freshman year. And that had nothing to do with any athletic program.

The success or failure of teams at KU, or, for that matter, at any other school, makes not a nickel’s worth of difference in the direction of one’s professional and life trajectories.

Big money “investments” in college sports are being driven in part by egos and perhaps some wish on the behalf of certain donors to relive some college memories. The best “investment” for these donors is to help students deal with the crushing burden of educational debt. Give them the best opportunity to take directions post-college that are not shaped by the need to repay student loans. There is no better “return” than doing just that.

That is the legacy that truly matters.

My message to KU: Quit trying to compete with other schools based on how bright and shiny the athletic facilities might be. Focus on what matters. Help students learn and grow. Attract top-notch professors and pay them, along with staff, accordingly. Do not lose sight of your true mission in Kansas.

Ben Palen is a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant in Colorado and Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.