TOMORROW MORNING. HOW HIGH THAT CLIMB COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. WE ARE LEARNING MORE TONIGHT ABOUT THE DEAL TO CONVINCE THE CHIEFS TO LEAVE MISSOURI AND MOVE TO KANSAS. NOT ONLY IS KANSAS OFFERING STAR BONDS, THE STATE PLANS TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN $17 MILLION ANNUALLY IN RENT AND MAINTENANCE PAYMENTS, UP TO 75% OF THE STATE’S SPORTS BETTING AND LOTTERY FUND, KMBC9 BRIAN JOHNSON IS HERE GETTING ANSWERS AFTER DIGGING INTO THE DEALS TERM SHEET. BRIAN, A LOT OF NUMBERS. NOW, THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY MAP OF THE STAR BOND DISTRICT. IT COVERS BOTH WYANDOTTE AND JOHNSON COUNTIES, MORE THAN 300MI. NOT ONLY WILL KANSAS CITY, KANSAS AND OLATHE PAY FOR IT, SO WILL EDWARDSVILLE, BONNER SPRINGS, SHAWNEE, AND LENEXA. THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING CURRENTLY BEING PARADED ARE WAY TOO LOW. IT’S A 30 YEAR DEAL THAT THE CHIEFS CAN RENEW FOR UP TO ANOTHER 30 YEARS. KANSAS WILL FUND 65% OF THE PROJECT WITH STAR BONDS, COMMIT ANOTHER 10% FOR FUTURE MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND OPERATIONS, AND EXEMPT THE DEVELOPMENT FROM PROPERTY TAXES AND, IN NOMINAL TERMS, THAT’S $6.3 BILLION. BASED UPON MY BEST ESTIMATES. DOCTOR JEFFREY PROFFER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER, HAS WRITTEN BOOKS ON STADIUM FUNDING. KANSAS IS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO BEAT THE COMMANDERS, HE SAYS. THE COMMANDERS DEAL IS STILL NUMBER ONE, WORTH AN ESTIMATED 6 TO 25 BILLION BECAUSE OF COMMERCIAL RENTS ALONG THE RIVER IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR UP TO 90 YEARS. THIS CHIEFS DEAL IS THE SECOND LARGEST, BUT IT’S FAR FROM A DONE DEAL. THE BEST SIGNAL FOR ME IS IF WHEN THE TEAM FILES AN APPLICATION TO RELOCATE, HE SAYS THE CHIEFS HAVE SOME OUTS. IF THEY DON’T ACQUIRE THE LAND, FANS CAN KNOW IF IT’S FOR SURE. WHEN THE CHIEFS FILE WITH THE NFL TO CHANGE LOCATIONS. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THESE TAX INCREMENT DISTRICTS, AND THAT IS YOU’RE DIVERTING REVENUE, BUT YOU’RE STILL PAYING FOR SERVICES. SO YOU HAVE TO IN THE LONG RUN, EITHER RAISE TAXES OR CUT SERVICES OR SOME COMBINATION OF BOTH. KANSAS COLLECTS ABOUT $2.7 BILLION EACH YEAR FROM ITS STATEWIDE 6.5% SALES TAX. THAT MONEY ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF THE STATE’S GENERAL REVENUE, WHICH PAYS FOR EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, CITY GOVERNMENT GRANTS, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT, AND MORE. IF YOU BUILD THIS THING, EVERYONE AND THEIR KIDS IS GOING TO SEE, WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO COME SEE THE SHINY NEW PALACE, BUT YOU CAN’T SUSTAIN THAT DEMAND FOR 30 YEARS. BRIAN JOHNSON, KMBC, NINE NEWS. LAWMAKERS WILL PICK A SALES TAX YEAR TO SET A BASELINE. AFTER THAT, ANY MORE REVENUE BEYOND THAT AMOUNT WILL GO TO PAY FOR THE PROJECT UNTIL THE DEBT IS COMPLETELY PAID BACK. WE ALSO HEARD FROM SENATE PRESIDENT TY MASTERSON, WHO SAYS THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX, AND THE DEAL WILL HELP THE STATE ENHANCE SERVICES. I SEE THIS AS THERE’S WINNERS AND THERE’S NON-PARTICIPANTS, WRIGHT CHIEFS, KINGDOM AND KANSAS IS A WINNER BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A ENHANCED ABILITY TO HAVE A BETTER FAN EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, AND A MODERN STADIUM. AND THEN THE NON THOSE THAT DON’T CARE RIGHT. I’M NOT THEY’RE NOT SPORTS FANS DON’T CARE. AND LIFE WILL NOT CHANGE FOR THEM. MASTERSON PREDIC
Local architecture firms named as finalists for new $3B Kansas City Chiefs ‘fixed-roof’ stadium in Kansas
The new stadium would be located in Wyandotte County, but no final location has been set.
Updated: 9:09 AM CST Jan 27, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that two local design firms have been named finalists in the “competitive design process” for a new stadium.As part of that announcement, we continue to learn more about plans for the new stadium, which team officials say will be located in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The team announced MANICA and Populous as the two firms advancing to the final design process. “We’re thrilled to take this next step in our new stadium journey and announce the two finalists in our search for lead designer,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “The Kansas City region is the central hub of global sports and entertainment venue architecture and design, so we didn’t need to go far to identify the top options to explore final concepts for the future home of Chiefs Kingdom.”The team said in a news release Tuesday that the $3 billion stadium and surrounding mixed-use development that could include sports, entertainment, dining, shopping, office, hotel and residential properties will be located in Wyandotte County. However, no official location has been announced beyond the county.This is the first official update from the team since it was announced on Dec. 22 that the team would cross the state line, leaving Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and moving to its future home in Kansas. The team said, based on State of Kansas estimations, the fixed-roof stadium project is projected to deliver more than 20,000 jobs and a more than $4.4 billion economic impact to the state during the construction phase alone. The team said the overall project is expected to generate more than 3,500 jobs and more than $1 billion in economic impact annually. MANICA and Populous are both world-renowned architectural design firms. MANICA’s previous work includes the New Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nevada), New Milan Stadium at San Siro (Milan, Italy), Oklahoma City’s new arena (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Chase Center (San Francisco, California), Miami Freedom Park (Miami, Florida), Birmingham City Football Club’s new stadium (Birmingham, United Kingdom), and VTB Arena Park (Moscow, Russia).Populous is behind the New Highmark Stadium (Buffalo, New York), New AS Roma Stadium (Rome, Italy), New Kai Tak Stadium + Sports Park (Kowloon, Hong Kong), Wrexham AFC New Kop Stand (Wrexham, United Kingdom), Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, United Kingdom), Co-op Live (Manchester, United Kingdom), Sphere (Las Vegas, Nevada) and the New Grand Stade Hassan II Stadium for the 2030 World Cup (Casablanca, Morocco).The team said the project is being financed through a public-private partnership. The public portion, accounting for 60% of the $3 billion, will be funded through STAR bonds (Sales Tax And Revenue), and the “Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas” Fund. The team said the remaining portion of the project, 40%, will be privately funded. The team said the Hunt Family is committing $1 billion in additional development as part of the team’s move to Kansas.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. —
The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that two local design firms have been named finalists in the “competitive design process” for a new stadium.
As part of that announcement, we continue to learn more about plans for the new stadium, which team officials say will be located in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
The team announced MANICA and Populous as the two firms advancing to the final design process.
“We’re thrilled to take this next step in our new stadium journey and announce the two finalists in our search for lead designer,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “The Kansas City region is the central hub of global sports and entertainment venue architecture and design, so we didn’t need to go far to identify the top options to explore final concepts for the future home of Chiefs Kingdom.”
The team said in a news release Tuesday that the $3 billion stadium and surrounding mixed-use development that could include sports, entertainment, dining, shopping, office, hotel and residential properties will be located in Wyandotte County. However, no official location has been announced beyond the county.
This is the first official update from the team since it was announced on Dec. 22 that the team would cross the state line, leaving Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and moving to its future home in Kansas.
The team said, based on State of Kansas estimations, the fixed-roof stadium project is projected to deliver more than 20,000 jobs and a more than $4.4 billion economic impact to the state during the construction phase alone.
The team said the overall project is expected to generate more than 3,500 jobs and more than $1 billion in economic impact annually.
MANICA and Populous are both world-renowned architectural design firms.
MANICA’s previous work includes the New Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nevada), New Milan Stadium at San Siro (Milan, Italy), Oklahoma City’s new arena (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Chase Center (San Francisco, California), Miami Freedom Park (Miami, Florida), Birmingham City Football Club’s new stadium (Birmingham, United Kingdom), and VTB Arena Park (Moscow, Russia).
Populous is behind the New Highmark Stadium (Buffalo, New York), New AS Roma Stadium (Rome, Italy), New Kai Tak Stadium + Sports Park (Kowloon, Hong Kong), Wrexham AFC New Kop Stand (Wrexham, United Kingdom), Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, United Kingdom), Co-op Live (Manchester, United Kingdom), Sphere (Las Vegas, Nevada) and the New Grand Stade Hassan II Stadium for the 2030 World Cup (Casablanca, Morocco).
The team said the project is being financed through a public-private partnership. The public portion, accounting for 60% of the $3 billion, will be funded through STAR bonds (Sales Tax And Revenue), and the “Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas” Fund. The team said the remaining portion of the project, 40%, will be privately funded. The team said the Hunt Family is committing $1 billion in additional development as part of the team’s move to Kansas.