Kansas City Chiefs Are Leaving Missouri to Build Stadium in a New State

NEED TO KNOW

• The Kansas City Chiefs are on the move
• The AFC franchise will build a new stadium thanks to tax incentives from the state of Kansas
• The Chiefs have played at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri since 1972

The Kansas City Chiefs will soon play in a new stadium across state lines, according to multiple reports.

On Monday, Dec. 22, lawmakers in Kansas unanimously agreed to fund what is projected to be a $3 billion domed stadium, offering to cover up to 70% of the cost of the stadium and accompanying district, according to The Kansas City Star,The Topeka Capital-Journal and the Associated Press.

Gov. Laura Kelly was expected to share details of the incentive deal in an announcement at 3 p.m. local time in Topeka, the Capital-Journal reported.

Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt and team president Mark Donovan were in attendance for the lawmaking session at the state capitol in Topeka on Monday morning.

According to the Associated Press, the bonds will be paid off with state sales and liquor tax revenue generated in an area around the stadium.

The Chiefs have played at Arrowhead Stadium since the team’s inception in 1972. The team's lease with Jackson County, Missouri expires at the end of the 2031 season.

The projected location for the new stadium is about 25 miles to the west of Arrowhead, near the Kansas Speedway and The Legends entertainment district.

The franchise originally leaned towards making $800 million in renovations to the outdated Arrowhead, but Missouri taxpayers voted down a proposal last May to fund the efforts. 

According to the AP, Hunt has long been a proponent of staying put in Missouri, a beloved place for his late father Lamar Hunt, and an iconic landmark in football history.

The move could have massive economic repercussions for Missouri, which is also hoping to retain Kauffman Stadium, the Kansas City Royals’ ballpark — which sits next door to Arrowhead.

The current location for both venues has little development in the immediate area, which is southeast of downtown Kansas City, and that has made all the more room for tailgating over the years — but not much else. The aging state of the amenities at Arrowhead have been a topic of discussion, including last year, when Patrick Mahomescriticized its air-conditioning situation.

The Royals are also looking to build a new stadium, but their possible move also to Kansas was not discussed in Monday’s council session, the AP reported.

Read the original article on People