The Kansas City Chiefs might get a new Kansas home or stay in Missouri. Either way, the window to decide is closing fast enough that we should find out where they’ll play NFL games in six months or less.
With veterans expected to report to training camp today, the Kansas City Chiefs on the field are attempting to set the table to become the first Three-Peat Super Bowl Champion. Off the playing surface, the team is currently negotiating with both the state of Missouri and Kansas about a new home.
It’s too early to predict who wins the ultimate border war for the right to call the Chiefs a hometown commodity. Let’s be honest: a great deal is at stake should the Chiefs leave Missouri for Kansas. Conversely, Kansas loses much if they can’t sway them to jump states.
On Friday, Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan spoke to reporters about the looming stadium situation. He indicated that the Chiefs have options and will do what’s best for the franchise for the next generation of fans.
So what does that mean?
If the Chiefs move to Kansas, they’ll do so because Missouri could not develop the right financial package to limit their expenditures. If they choose Missouri and spurn Kansas, all the behind the scenes work the Governor’s office has done to lure the Chiefs the last two years.
There is a vast difference between the two states. Kansas is a shiny new opportunity to create a real destination experience for the Chiefs, their fans, and those visiting the state. In Missouri, because the Truman Sports Complex sits on a vast wasteland of space that can’t be developed like the Legends area in Wyandotte County, that’s a huge disadvantage.
Donovan stated the Chiefs plan to stay at Arrowhead through the 2030 season. Though that might be the sentiment, if the team moves to Kansas, they could break dirt early in 2025. Arrowhead is already undergoing the necessary changes to host six World Cup matches, so time is running out.
I’ve been on record as saying the Chiefs are better suited to Kansas because they’ve outgrown Arrowhead Stadium. As one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL, it’s also one of the most beautiful. The fans love it, and having 20,000-plus parking spots has created the best tailgate experience anywhere.
Yet, owners such as Chairman Clark Hunt have other ideas that expand the opportunity to make money outside of football games. That means a new stadium with a retractable dome could be a huge financial windfall for the Chiefs and the county that secures their next home.
Donovan has done a brilliant job marketing the stadium and creating revenue-producing events that add to the wonder of Arrowhead Stadium. However, hosting a Super Bowl, a Final Four, or getting into the rotation for the NFL combine won’t happen without a cover over the top.
The Chiefs are the best team in the NFL and deserve the best stadium in the NFL. The fact they are considering moving to Kansas tells me that Missouri has not come up with the financial package to keep the team in either Jackson County or another area of the state.
For their son, who has to make this decision, Lamar and Norma Hunt’s nostalgic tug to remain at Arrowhead is a strong deterrent to moving across state lines. However, the Chiefs are a business, and in the end, that’s what will decide this move.
These are anxious times, but as Donovan said, they have to get it right. What that will be is anyone’s guess, but we should have our answer by the end of 2024.
