Chiefs President: Team Weighing These Factors in Stadium Decision

Fast forward several years and imagine Marcus Spears Jr. and the Kentucky Wildcats tipping off in college basketball’s Final Four against Malik Olajuwon’s Houston Cougars. Now imagine the game taking place at a domed stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

Or even better, imagine Patrick Mahomes playing Arch Manning in Super Bowl 67 – in the new home of the Chiefs.

The NFL’s resident dynasty is facing a dynastic decision: Will the next generation of players and fans gather at a new domed stadium in Kansas, or a sparking, freshly renovated Arrowhead Stadium?

Postseason games in cold weather

“There's a home-field advantage to playing playoff games in the cold,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan told Forbes writer Jeff Fedotin in an exclusive interview this week.

Indeed, the Chiefs beat Miami in a 2023 AFC wild-card (Jan. 13, 2024) that was the NFL’s fourth-coldest contest ever. Air temperature at kickoff was minus-4. The wind chill was minus-27. Kansas City won, 26-7.

Nick Bolton, Tyreek Hill — Jan 13, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) makes the tackle in a 2024 AFC wild card game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Additional revenue streams

But two of the team’s recent Super Bowl victories came under roofs. And aside from the NFL and the 2026 World Cup (hosted by the Chiefs at Arrowhead), the team could tap into significant revenue streams by hosting Final Fours, Super Bowls, College Football Playoff national championships and more.

“There's a huge advantage from an event standpoint,” Donovan told Fedotin, “and from a fan experience.”

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) cuts the net after defeating the Houston Cougars in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Key in the fan experience is tailgating, and Chiefs fans are routinely lined up in their cars awaiting parking-lot entrance sometimes 24 hours before kickoff. Kansas City tailgaters are arguably the most passionate in the NFL.

And if the Royals leave adjacent Kaufmann Stadium – which like Arrowhead is 53 years old – those fans will have even more tailgating space, assuming the baseball facility would face a wrecking ball. A new entertainment district is a distinct possibility for the Missouri location, too.

Humbling choice

Donovan made clear that both states, Missouri and Kansas, badly want the Chiefs and he’s been humbled by their offers. Kansas has already approved funding up to 70 percent of the cost to build a dome, the centerpiece of a multi-purpose sports and entertainment mecca. Missouri, meanwhile, is expected to cover up to 50 percent of Arrowhead renovations, Fedotin reported.

There’s a sentimental attachment to Arrowhead Stadium, too. The Chiefs have the NFL’s third-oldest relationship with their home venue, behind Chicago’s Soldier Field and Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.

Donovan along with chairman and CEO Clark Hunt have heard what fans want most in the new stadium, regardless of location. They don’t want to lose two hallmarks of Arrowhead, tailgating and noise.

“Frankly, the biggest competitive advantage we have is our fans and that energy they create,” Donovan added.

And whether their future is in a new dome or a renovated stadium, the Chiefs continue to meet constantly with all stakeholders.

“We continue to work on a long-term stadium solution,” chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said Friday on KSHB’s game broadcast. “We're continuing to have great conversations with both the State of Kansas and State of Missouri.”

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