KANSAS CITY, MO. — The NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs have announced plans for an $800 million renovation of the team’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Developed in 1972, the stadium most recently underwent large-scale renovations in 2010. Plans for the new renovation were created in collaboration with a team of experts from Populous, a locally based sports design and architecture firm.
The Kansas City Chiefs plan to pay $300 million of the $800 million total price tag, with the remainder coming from Jackson County taxpayers funded through the extension of a 3/8th-cent sales tax, according to reports by The Kansas City Star. County voters will go to the polls April 2 during a special election to decide the issue.
Plans for the project include the addition of a new turf-covered “activation zone” with tailgate areas and covered entertainment space at the current site of Kauffman Stadium, home to the MLB’s Kansas City Royals. The baseball team also recently announced plans to develop a new stadium in downtown Kansas City.
The stadium’s upper concourse will receive a new connection bridge and canopy, providing weather protection for fans and additional space for food and beverage offerings. New VIP entry points and sideline clubs under the lower level seating bowl will also be added, alongside new video boards and technological upgrades to support better fan connectivity and higher quality game presentation.
All existing suites and club lounges will be fully renovated, and plans call for the addition of new end zone clubs and suites. New concession stands, retail spaces and restrooms will also be constructed, with a number of existing concession stands set to be converted to ‘Grab-n-Go’ markets. These additions are expected to increase speed of service by 30 percent to 40 percent.
Three new pedestrian bridges, a dedicated ride share zone and a new parking deck round out planned additions for Arrowhead Stadium, with existing parking lots set for reorientation and expansion in select areas, including the site currently occupied by Kauffman Stadium.
A timeline for the project and additional development partners were not announced, but The Kansas City Star is reporting that renovations to Arrowhead will follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where six games are scheduled to take place in Kansas City during June and July of that year. Work is scheduled to begin in 2027 with targeted completion by 2030.
“Today is a major milestone in a very long and complex process that has taken place behind the scenes for more than two years,” says Mark Donovan, president of the Chiefs. “There will continue to be many steps, tweaks and updates as we move forward, but we hope Chiefs fans are excited and encouraged by the significant progress and investment that has been made and will continue to be made going forward.”
On Feb. 11, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to win the 2024 Super Bowl, their second championship in a row and third in the last five years.
— Katie Sloan