The Kansas City Chiefs are leaving Missouri.
After 53 years at Arrowhead Stadium, the NFL franchise officially announced Monday it will build a new £2.24 billion ($3 billion) domed stadium in Kansas, with construction set to finish by the 2031 season.
Kansas lawmakers unanimously voted to approve the deal, which includes a separate £224 million ($300 million) training facility in Olathe, Kansas, bringing the total project cost above £2.99 billion ($4 billion), according to CNN.
‘Today is an extraordinary day in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs,’ team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the announcement in Topeka.
How Kansas Won the Bidding War
The Legislative Coordinating Council met behind closed doors for less than 30 minutes on Monday before voting to issue Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds covering up to 70% of the stadium construction costs, per the Kansas Reflector.
The bonds will be repaid using state sales and alcohol tax revenues generated within a designated area around the sports complex. No new taxes will be levied on Kansas residents, and the deal requires no funds from the current state budget.
‘This agreement to bring the Chiefs to Kansas elevates our state’s status,’ Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said, sporting Chiefs red at the announcement. ‘Kansas is not merely a flyover state; it is a destination of achievement.’
The stadium will be built in Wyandotte County, likely near The Legends shopping district and Kansas Speedway. State estimates project the construction phase alone will create more than 20,000 jobs and generate £3.29 billion ($4.4 billion) in economic impact, according to KCUR.
Missouri’s Last-Minute Push Falls Short
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe called the decision ‘deeply disappointing’ after his state had spent months trying to keep the Chiefs. Missouri’s proposal would have covered 50% of renovation costs for Arrowhead Stadium, plus £37.4 million ($50 million) in tax credits and unspecified local government aid.
But the effort hit a wall. Jackson County voters soundly rejected a sales tax extension in April 2024 that would have helped fund a £598 million ($800 million) Arrowhead renovation. That vote threw the Chiefs’ future in Missouri into serious doubt.
Hunt acknowledged the long partnership with Missouri officials. ‘We had a great dialogue with Missouri, all the way through the end of last week,’ he said. ‘Frankly, not everything was resolved that needed to be resolved.’
The sticking point? Coordination. ‘The big difference is we were working with one party here, the state of Kansas, and in Missouri, we were working with the governor’s office, the county, and also the city,’ Hunt explained.
What the Move Means for Fans
The Chiefs have called Arrowhead Stadium home since 1972. The venue is legendary for its deafening crowd noise and massive tailgating culture. Hunt promised those traditions won’t change.
‘The location of Chiefs games will change, but some things won’t change,’ Hunt said. ‘Our fans will continue to be the loudest in the NFL, and our games will remain a prime location for tailgating, and our players and coaches will be ready to compete for championships.’
The new domed stadium opens possibilities Arrowhead never could. Kansas can now bid to host Super Bowls, Final Fours, and other major events previously impossible at an outdoor venue, according to the Missouri Independent.
Fans have at least five more seasons to watch games at Arrowhead. The team’s lease at the Truman Sports Complex doesn’t expire until January 2031, the same deadline as the Kansas City Royals, who share the complex.
A Franchise with a Moving History
This won’t be the Chiefs’ first relocation. The franchise started in 1960 as the Dallas Texans before owner Lamar Hunt moved them to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1963. They’ve called three stadiums home over six decades and won four Super Bowls.
‘We have numerous cherished memories at Arrowhead, but this decision is fundamentally about the future,’ Hunt said. ‘We’re going to be investing in a stadium that can last for multiple generations of Chiefs fans.’
The move won’t affect the Chiefs’ name. Unlike other franchises that have crossed state lines whilst keeping their original city name, the Chiefs are named after Kansas City itself, which exists on both sides of the state border.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas seemed resigned to the loss. ‘While the Chiefs aren’t going far away and aren’t gone yet, today is a setback as a Kansas Citian, a former Chiefs season ticket-holder and lifelong Chiefs fan,’ he said, NBC News reported. ‘Arrowhead Stadium is more than just a venue. It represents family, tradition, and an integral part of Kansas City.’
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised the deal. ‘This public-private partnership will build upon the Hunts’ generational legacy by boldly investing in one of America’s greatest fan bases,’ he said. ‘The Chiefs’ new enclosed stadium will be a stage for unforgettable moments, whether it’s playoff games, concerts, or championship events.’
The physical move may only be about 23 miles, but for Missouri, losing the Chiefs represents a significant loss. It’s the third NFL franchise to leave the state and the second in a decade, following the St Louis Rams’ departure to Los Angeles in 2016,
Originally published on IBTimes UK
