Chiefs show off $3 billion dome plan for Kansas move
The Chiefs’ planned 70,000-seat enclosed stadium in Kansas is slated for the 2031 NFL season, with a design nodding to Arrowhead.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
The Kansas City Chiefs have released the first images of a planned $3 billion enclosed stadium in Kansas, a 70,000-seat home the team says is scheduled to open for the 2031 NFL season.
ESPN reported that the renderings, unveiled Wednesday, come from MANICA, the Kansas City architecture firm behind the design. The building is planned as a fully enclosed dome with a translucent ceiling made from ethylene tetrafluoroethylene panels.
The look is meant to carry some Arrowhead DNA across the state line. According to the team’s announcement, the new building would use a curved, symmetrical exterior and include scalloped upper-deck sections in both end zones, details intended to echo the Chiefs’ current Missouri home, which opened in 1972.
A dome built to get loud
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said in the team statement that fan noise shaped the design after season-ticket holders raised the issue in surveys. The club said the stadium will be built with the goal of boosting crowd sound.
Arrowhead’s reputation is part of the sales pitch. ESPN noted that in 2014, Chiefs fans reclaimed the Guinness world record for loudest stadium after Seattle Seahawks fans had taken it, with Arrowhead reaching 142.2 decibels.
Hunt said in the statement that the plan is meant to improve game day for fans while honoring the franchise’s history and pointing toward its future. He also said earlier this year that he was excited by the dome’s potential and believed it could serve the community for at least 30 years, and possibly closer to 60.
Parking lots, tailgates and premium perks
The Chiefs said the new stadium is being planned with tailgating in mind, a central part of the Arrowhead experience. The proposed site would include more than 20,000 parking spaces around the building, according to the team.
Inside, the stadium is expected to feature a seating bowl inspired by Arrowhead. The club said its ring of honor would sit above that bowl, while the team’s hall of honor would be twice the size of the one at Arrowhead. The team store is expected to be four times larger.
ESPN reported that the project is also expected to expand luxury suites and other amenities as the franchise looks to increase revenue.
Where in Kansas is still unsettled
The exact site has not been chosen, ESPN reported. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in late December that the stadium would be in Wyandotte County.
The Chiefs previously have shown interest in a Kansas City, Kansas, location near Kansas Speedway and The Legends, a retail and entertainment district. The area also includes Children’s Mercy Park, home of Sporting Kansas City of MLS.
Kansas lawmakers voted unanimously in late December to allow sales tax and revenue bonds, known as STAR bonds, to cover up to 70% of the stadium and surrounding mixed-use district costs, including a new Chiefs training facility, ESPN reported.
Hunt said he and his family plan to commit $1 billion in additional development, with part of that spending incentivized through the STAR bonds.
Starting with the 2032 calendar, the Chiefs plan to pursue major events for the dome. Hunt has said the team intends to bid for Final Fours, College Football Playoff games, bowl games and a Super Bowl. He also said the field would be designed with future World Cup hosting in mind, avoiding the width expansion work needed at Arrowhead.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.