Chiefs announce move to $3B domed Kansas stadium as Arrowhead’s five-decade era ends

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS: The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday that they will move from their longtime home at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri to a new, $3 billion domed stadium in Kansas.

The new stadium is planned to be completed in time for the 2031 National Football League season. The decision marks one of the biggest franchise moves in recent league history and brings to an end more than 50 years of Chiefs football at Arrowhead.

The announcement came after a meeting of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council to discuss the Chiefs’ stadium plans.

Kansas City Chiefs’ $3B Kansas stadium project set for post-2030 move

The Kansas City Chiefs’ lease at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, runs through the 2030 season. The team has played at Arrowhead since 1972, making it the oldest stadium in the AFC. 

Before Arrowhead, the Chiefs played at Municipal Stadium. They have not moved outside Missouri since the Dallas Texans became the Chiefs in 1963. 

Kelly said in a tweet on X, "In the years ahead, we look forward to designing and building a state-of-the-art domed stadium and mixed-use district in Wyandotte County and a best-in-class training facility, team headquarters, and mixed-use district in Olathe, totaling a minimum of $4 billion of development in the State of Kansas."

Funding battle pushes Kansas City Chiefs from Arrowhead to Kansas

A competition has been underway for months between Kansas and Missouri, with the Kansas City Chiefs ultimately deciding to move because Kansas is willing to contribute more funding than Missouri.  

The Chiefs announced Monday that Kansas’ plan to use STAR bonds would cover 60% of the project’s cost. By contrast, Missouri approved a plan in the summer of 2025 to fund up to half the cost of new stadiums for both the Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.

Efforts to renovate or replace Arrowhead Stadium stalled after Jackson County voters rejected a sales tax extension in April 2024. The proposed extension would have funded upgrades to Arrowhead and the nearby Kauffman Stadium, home of the Royals.

The Chiefs have said a domed stadium would allow Kansas City to host a Super Bowl and other major events, including the men’s Final Four.

The new stadium would be located about 20 minutes west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, near the western interchange of Interstate 435 and Interstate 70.

Kansas City has a long history of hosting National Collegiate Athletic Association events and has staged the men’s Final Four 10 times. However, as the NCAA has prioritized larger indoor venues, the Final Four has not been held in Kansas City since 1988.