Arrowhead of the future? Chiefs reveal $800M vision for sports complex (without Royals)

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter.

The Kansas City Chiefs released Wednesday renderings of their reimagined Arrowhead Stadium at the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex.

The renderings include what the Chiefs call a new “activation zone,” and more parking on the site of where the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium presently stands.

The total cost of the proposed renovations is estimated at $800 million. Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt says the Hunt family would pay $300 million of that total. Jackson County taxpayers would be on the hook for the remainder, funded through the extension of a 3/8th-cent sales tax that is on the April 2 ballot.

While announcing their future plans in eastern Jackson County, the Chiefs pushed for a renewal of that tax.

“The 3/8th-cent sales tax is designed to do exactly what it’s done since 2006,” said Chiefs President Mark Donovan during a press conference. “It is going to pay for repair and maintenance of the building.”

If voters pass the sales tax extension, renovations at Arrowhead won’t start until after the 2026 World Cup, though stadium modifications for the World Cup are set to begin after the 2024 Chiefs home season.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Wednesday their plans for renovating Arrowhead Stadium, which include improvements across all three levels, “offering an enhanced experience for every fan that walks into the stadium,” according to the team’s website; image courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs

Unlike the Royals, who last year cited structural concerns at Kauffman Stadium as one of the main reasons for building a new downtown facility, the Chiefs intend to stay in the same arena bowl over the long haul. Arrowhead opened in 1972, one year before Kauffman Stadium.

Donovan chalked the contrast up to construction differences.

“Believe it or not,” Donovan said, “One team got a good batch of concrete, one team didn’t.”

Donovan reiterated during the news conference that the Royals would pay for demolition of Kauffman Stadium, and “that the taxpayers and the county will not have any responsibility for that.”

In a statement released after the Chiefs’ reveal, a community group opposing the Royals’ departure from the Truman Complex urged residents to reject the sales tax extension.

“To demolish Kauffman Stadium and replace it with additional VIP suites, at the expense of affordable seating options for the average fan, is unacceptable,” wrote Becky Nace, chair of the Committee Against New Royals Stadium Taxes. “The Chiefs are effectively pricing out dedicated fans from attending games. Further widening the gap between the privileged few and hardworking residents of Jackson County.”

The group also called into question Donovan’s assertion that the Royals’ stadium was built with a bad batch of concrete.

“We stand firm in our opposition to the proposed $2 billion in additional sales tax over the next 40 years, which only serves to enrich billionaires at the expense of hardworking residents of Jackson County,” said Nace.

According to the Chiefs’ website, planned renovations at Truman Sports Complex are aimed at elevating Kansas City’s unique tailgating culture. Arrowhead Stadium was last renovated in 2010; image courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are working on renovation plans with the Populous architectural firm, the same company that the Royals are consulting for their future stadium plans and the state of their current facilities.

The reimagined Arrowhead does not include a roof, which former owner Lamar Hunt dreamed about.

Jackson County voters rejected a proposal in 2006 that would have funded a rolling roof for both stadiums at the Truman Complex, and Clark Hunt said future plans do not include the concept.

“Certainly I’d like to think that Kansas City has an opportunity to bring a Super Bowl,” said Hunt, referencing the NFL’s tendency to hold the championship games in indoor arenas, “but I also know that our football team likes playing in the elements.”

Improvements to video boards, concession stands, retail spaces, and restrooms at Arrowhead Stadium would improve access and reduce wait times, according to the Kansas City Chiefs’ website. The team revealed renderings of their planned renovations on Wednesday; image courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have also given up on the idea of retail development on the complex after the baseball stadium vanishes.

“Right now in this market, this is not a location that is worthy of developing,” said Donovan. “As harsh as that sounds, it’s just the reality from a business standpoint.”

Donovan added that the Chiefs organization is expecting an extension of the current lease with Jackson County in “the very near future,” he said. “We have a very good lease. We’ll extend that lease.”

But that extension is unlikely to happen without the continued financial support of the state of Missouri, Clark Hunt said.

“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” he said.

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