TOPEKA, Kan.–The kansas city chiefs It was announced Monday that they will be leaving their longtime home at Arrowhead Stadium for a new, $3 billion domed stadium that will be built on the Kansas-Missouri state line and be ready for the start of the 2031 season.
The announcement came shortly after a council of Kansas lawmakers voted unanimously inside a packed room at the state Capitol to allow the issuance of STAR bonds to cover up to 70% of the cost of the stadium and its accompanying mixed-use district.
The bonds will be paid for by liquor tax revenues generated from state sales in and around a defined area.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said, “The location of Chiefs games will change, but some things won’t change. Our fans will still be the loudest in the NFL, our games will still be the best place in the world to tailgate, and our players and coaches will be ready to compete for championships, because on or off the field, we are big dreamers, and we are ready for the next chapter.”
The Chiefs intend for their new stadium to be built in Kansas City, Kansas near the Kansas Speedway and a retail and entertainment district known as The Legends. The field is home to Children’s Mercy Park, home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City, and Legends Field, home of the Kansas City Monarchs minor league baseball team.
The Chiefs also plan to build a $300 million practice facility in the Kansas City-metro suburb of Olathe, Kansas.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said, “Today’s announcement is truly historic. In fact, it’s a little surreal.” “Today’s announcement will impact the lives of Kansans for generations to come. Today’s announcement is a complete game-changer for our state.
“We’ve always been Chiefs fans,” Kelly said. “Now we are the head family.”
Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland, the state commerce secretary, said he has committed to issuing $2.4 billion of bonds to cover 60% of the project’s approximately $4 billion cost. State officials also expect to create more than 20,000 new manufacturing jobs.
Although the final location for the stadium has not been decided, Chiefs president Mark Donovan said it will seat approximately 65,000 fans, or about 10,000 fewer fans than Arrowhead Stadium. This follows the trend in professional sports to build stadiums and arenas that have fewer overall seats, but more amenities, luxury seating and premium spaces.
“We have a lot of work to do. We’re still in the process,” Hunt said. “In the coming months, we will hire an architect and contractor and work on a timeline over five years to build a new stadium.”
The move by the Chiefs is a major blow to Missouri lawmakers and Governor Mike Kehoe, who were working on their own funding package to prevent a third NFL franchise and the second in a decade from leaving their borders. The Rams left St. Louis for Los Angeles due to their inability to secure funding to help replace The Dome at America’s Center.
“They thought new and shiny was better than old and reliable,” Kehoe said after the Chiefs’ announcement. He said the club was in discussions with Missouri officials as late as last week about living in a renovated or renovated Arrowhead Stadium.
“We will not give up. We will look for the cracks in the armor and find out if the Missouri Show-Me through our Sports Act is the solution.”
The Chiefs originally planned an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium in a joint effort with the Royals, who similarly plan to build a new facility to replace Kauffman Stadium. The facilities are within a few hundred yards of each other across parking lots, and both teams have leases with Jackson County, Missouri, expiring in January 2031.
Last year, Jackson County voters narrowly defeated a local sales tax extension that would have helped pay for a football stadium renovation, as well as fund a new ballpark for the Royals in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas said, “While the Chiefs aren’t going very far and aren’t gone yet, today is a shock as a Kansas citizen, a former Chiefs season ticket holder and lifelong Chiefs fan.” “Business decisions are a reality, and we all understand that, but Arrowhead Stadium is so much more than that – it’s family, tradition and a part of Kansas City that we will never leave.”
Hunt has long said his priority is to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, which was beloved by his father and team founder, Lamar Hunt, until his death in 2006. It is considered one of the gems of the NFL, along with Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and is revered for its tailgating scene and home-field advantage; It currently holds the mark recognized by Guinness World Records for the loudest stadium roar.
This summer, Arrowhead Stadium will host six World Cup matches, including the Round of 32 and quarterfinals.
Lamar Hunt founded the Chiefs on August 14, 1959. The team was originally based in Dallas and known as the Texans, but then-Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle convinced Hunt to move the team to Missouri with the promise of tripling the team’s season-ticket sales and expanding the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium.
In 1972, the team moved to Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex just east of Downtown Kansas City.
The stadium has undergone several renovations over the years, allowing it to remain relevant in the changing sporting landscape. But little economic development has occurred around the stadium; Wear and tear are becoming visible at the facility itself; And there is a limit on the number of luxury suites and amenities a franchisee can use to help increase revenue.
While the Hunt family has long loved Arrowhead Stadium, the idea of replacing it has heated up in recent years.
A new facility will not only address many of the shortcomings of the chiefs’ long-standing home but also allow them to use it year-round, with a fixed or retractable roof. That would mean more concerts and events, college football bowl games, Final Fours and perhaps the possibility of hosting one of Lamar Hunt’s long-held dreams: a Super Bowl.
“Major fans on both sides of the state line can tell you that the success we have achieved together has brought great respect to the entire region,” Clark Hunt said. “Sports are woven into the fabric of this community. If you travel and go to New York or Los Angeles or Europe or South America, you don’t have to tell people what side of the state line you’re from. You tell them you’re from Kansas City, and there’s a very good chance their reaction might have something to do with the Chiefs.”
