TOPEKA — The Kansas City Chiefs are officially relocating to Kansas under a $3.3 billion public-private development plan that includes a domed stadium, entertainment district, new team headquarters and a training facility, state officials confirmed Monday.
Kansas legislative leaders unanimously approved the issuance of Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds following a closed-door meeting, clearing the way for more than $1 billion in taxpayer-backed financing to support the project.
“Today, we are announcing an agreement to bring our beloved Kansas City Chiefs right here to Kansas,” said Gov. Laura Kelly, speaking at a packed news conference at the Docking State Office Building. “For the rest of the nation, I say take heed. Kansas is not a flyover state. We are a touchdown state.”
“In my seven years as governor, I’ve had the privilege of making some really big announcements, but none bigger than this. It’s truly historic,” she added.
Kelly emphasized that the funding structure limits risk to taxpayers.
“The state portion is coming from revenue generated by the stadium, entertainment venues, STAR bonds and lottery funds,” she said. “Not with new taxes.”
The project will place a new domed stadium and entertainment district near the Legends area in Wyandotte County, with a new Chiefs headquarters and training facility in Olathe, according to team owner Clark Hunt, chairman and CEO of the Chiefs.
“The stadium we estimate will be approximately $3 billion,” Hunt said. “The practice facility will be approximately $300 million and then we have committed to do a mixed-use district that will have at least $700 million invested both in Olathe and Wyandotte County, and it could go up from there.”
Hunt said private investment will cover 40% of the total cost, with public funding accounting for the remaining 60%.
Kelly said construction is expected to generate 20,000 jobs and deliver more than $4 billion in economic impact during the building phase.
Design work is expected to take two years, followed by approximately three years of construction, with an anticipated opening in fall 2031. Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as Kansas commerce secretary, said planning will begin immediately.
Hunt acknowledged the difficulty of leaving Missouri and Arrowhead Stadium, but said timing made the decision unavoidable.
“We had a great dialogue with Missouri, all the way through the end of last week,” he said. “Frankly, not everything was resolved that needed to be resolved. The big difference is we were working with one party here, the state of Kansas, and in Missouri, we were working with the governor’s office, the county and also the city.”
“We all have a bunch of really great memories at Arrowhead, but this decision is really about the future,” he added. “We’re going to be investing in a stadium that can last for multiple generations of Chiefs fans.”
Hunt said fan feedback played a central role in shaping the project.
In a survey completed last year, he said, fans emphasized the importance of noise and tailgating — both of which will be core features of the new stadium design.
While public subsidies for stadium projects often draw skepticism, Toland said Kansas conducted a thorough economic review.
“Every deal is different,” Toland told Kansas Reflector, “but this one we’ve done an extensive economic impact study that shows this is a huge net positive for the state of Kansas.”
Toland described the agreement as “the largest economic win in Kansas history.”
The incentive package allows sales tax revenue generated by the stadium and surrounding development to be redirected to pay off construction bonds — covering up to 70% of stadium costs. The deal also positions the Chiefs to host future Super Bowls, made possible by the domed design.
The agreement marks a major shift in the long-running Kansas-Missouri rivalry for economic development projects. Kelly downplayed any connection to the broader “border war.”
“This is a sports team versus a corporation,” she said. “It’s very different.”
Outside the Statehouse, Chiefs flags lined the street, and supporters gathered to celebrate the announcement. Steve Bushnell, a longtime Chiefs fan from Topeka, called the moment emotional.
“It’s certainly a little bit bittersweet with the nostalgia of Royals stadium, Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium,” he said.
But he said he “jumped at” the chance to witness what he described as a “historic event.”
The Chiefs join a growing list of NFL franchises securing new stadium deals, including the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans, both set to open new facilities in 2026.
Hunt said the move represents both change and continuity for the franchise.
“But some things won’t change,” he said. “Our fans will still be the loudest in the NFL. Our games will still be the best place in the world to tailgate. Our players and coaches will be ready to compete for championships because on the field or off the field, we’re big dreamers, and we’re ready for the next chapter.”
Originally reported by Morgan Chilson and Anna Kaminski in Kansas Reflector.
