The Kansas City Chiefs are on the brink of a monumental relocation, set to depart their long-standing home at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri for a proposed new facility across the state line in Kansas.
This significant shift follows legislative approval by Kansas lawmakers on Monday, which clears the path for a major stadium construction project.
The Chiefs posted on social media Monday afternoon, “We have entered into an agreement with the State of Kansas to host Chiefs football beginning with the 2031 NFL season.”
The plan would see the NFL powerhouse leave its home since 1963, moving approximately 20 minutes west to Kansas City, Kansas, near the site of Kansas Speedway.
This anticipated move stems from a crucial decision by voters in Jackson County, Missouri, who, in April 2024, rejected a 3/8 cents sales tax.
This measure was intended to fund essential renovations at Arrowhead Stadium and contribute to a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals, currently sharing a complex with the Chiefs, are now also contemplating a similar departure from Missouri, following in the footsteps of their NFL counterparts.
The blueprint for the new Kansas stadium outlines a state-of-the-art, enclosed facility designed for year-round operation, capable of attracting prestigious events like the Final Four and major college football conference championship games.
This transition, however, would mean the Chiefs abandoning their iconic open-air setting, widely recognized for fostering one of the NFL’s most formidable home-field advantages due to the deafening crowd noise generated within the 76,000-seat stadium.
The Chiefs posted on social media Monday afternoon, “We have entered into an agreement with the State of Kansas to host Chiefs football beginning with the 2031 NFL season.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has notably included Chiefs owner Clark Hunt on her meeting schedule, teasing a “special announcement.”
Concurrently, Phil LeVota, the elected County Executive of Jackson County, Missouri, has reportedly dispatched letters to both Hunt and team president Mark Donovan, making a last-ditch effort to persuade the franchise to reconsider and remain within Missouri.
