The Kansas City Chiefs are moving forward with plans for a new $3 billion domed stadium, with team owner Clark Hunt confirming the franchise expects to reveal initial renderings later this year.
Speaking during a recent press conference, Hunt said the organization is already thinking beyond construction, with plans to pursue major events once the stadium is complete.
“We’re making progress,” Hunt said. “We have a design competition that’s ongoing between Manica and Populous, and I would hope in the next several months that we’d be able to make a decision on the lead architect.”
Chiefs Stadium Plans Include Super Bowl and Final Four Bids
Hunt made clear that the long-term vision for the new stadium goes beyond serving as the team’s home field.
“We plan on bidding for Final Fours, College Football Playoff games, bowl games and, of course, the Super Bowl,” Hunt said.
The new stadium is expected to be a fully enclosed dome, making it easier to host major events year-round. In contrast, Kansas City’s current home, Arrowhead Stadium, is an outdoor venue, which has made it harder to land events like the Super Bowl due to brutal Missouri winters.
Plans call for the stadium to be built in Kansas City, Kansas, near Kansas Speedway and The Legends retail district. The area is already home to Sporting Kansas City’s stadium, making it a growing destination for sports and entertainment.
The project follows a December announcement that the Chiefs would relocate from Arrowhead Stadium after Kansas lawmakers approved more than $2.4 billion in bonds to fund a significant portion of the development, including a training facility and surrounding entertainment spaces.
Clark Hunt Highlights Family Legacy and Long-Term Vision
Hunt noted that hosting a Super Bowl would fulfill a long-standing goal tied to his late father, Lamar Hunt, who helped found the franchise and coined the term “Super Bowl.”
“It will coincide with the construction of several other NFL buildings, so we will have competition,” Hunt said. “But I will make sure that Kansas City and the Chiefs put their best foot forward in that process.”
The Chiefs have already shown they can handle major events on a big stage. The team hosted the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, which drew large crowds and significant national attention.
Hunt also pointed to nearby development from the Kansas City Royals, who recently announced plans for a new stadium of their own, as another sign of continued growth in the area.
“I’m extremely happy for the Royals and [owner] John Sherman that they’ve found a solution,” Hunt said. “I’m happy they have a plan and are going to be able to execute on that now.”
World Cup and International Expansion Add to Chiefs’ Outlook
In the short term, the Chiefs are preparing to host six matches during the upcoming FIFA World Cup at Arrowhead Stadium. The venue has undergone minor upgrades to meet international field requirements.
“We’re really excited. It’s hard to believe the World Cup is a little over 45 days away,” Hunt said. “It’s going to be a tremendous opportunity for Kansas City to be seen and appreciated on a global stage.”
Hunt added that the event will bring worldwide attention to the city.
“There will literally be billions of TV viewers watching games from Kansas City,” he said.
The global focus also ties into broader conversations about the NFL’s future. Hunt addressed the possibility of expanding the regular season to 18 games, noting that it remains a topic for future discussions.
“It’s not a high priority right now for the league,” Hunt said. “It’ll be part of the collective bargaining process with the players’ union when we get to that here in a few years.”
Hunt said one potential benefit of an expanded schedule would be increased opportunities for international games.
“The one thing that’s attractive about it to me is it does open up more inventory to play internationally,” he said.
The NFL is already planning nine international games next season, with long-term goals of expanding that number.
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