In what Kansas Governor Laura Kelly called the largest economic win in state history, the Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they will relocate to Kansas, building a $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County and a new training facility in Olathe.

The announcement, made at a packed press conference in Topeka following unanimous approval by the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council, marks a transformative moment for Kansas City, Kan., which will become home to one of the NFL’s most successful franchises beginning with the 2031 season.

Her voice bursting with excitement, newly-elected Unified Government Mayor/CEO Christal Watson closed out the press conference with a warm welcome the team. “Chiefs, Clark Hunt family, welcome to Kansas!” She followed it up with a friendly hug for Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, who stood just behind her at the podium.

“Major economic win” for KCK and Wyandotte County

Although the exact site of the new stadium was not announced, it’s expected to be near the I-70/I-435 interchange. The location, also near The Legends, Kansas Speedway and Children’s Mercy Park, will place the Chiefs at the heart of an already-thriving sports and entertainment corridor.

In her remarks, Watson expressed gratitude for the many individuals who worked together to bring about the deal. “We want to thank the governor and lieutenant governor for their leadership on behalf of the great state of Kansas and for delivering this major economic win,” Watson said at Monday’s announcement. “I also want to thank the commissioners and the administration from Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas. We also thank the Kansas City Chiefs for choosing Kansas as their next home.”

Projected economic impact for the region

The numbers are staggering for Kansas City, Kansas and the surrounding region. During the construction phase alone, the project is expected to create more than 20 thousand jobs and generate $4.4 billion in economic impact for Kansas. Once operational, the stadium is projected to bring over $1 billion in annual economic impact.

“The new stadium will be a world-class facility, the envy of professional sports,” Kelly said. “It will be surrounded by an entertainment district to beat all entertainment districts — hotels and restaurants and bars and more. Game day will be all day.”

The project represents the largest of a series of major recent economic wins for Kansas, which has now attracted over $30 billion in committed private sector investment and 80 thousand jobs to the state.

For KCK specifically, the development has the potential to transform the community into a national and international destination. The mixed-use development surrounding the stadium could include sports venues, entertainment facilities, dining, shopping, office space, hotels, and residential properties, creating an attraction that will draw visitors from across the region and beyond.

“We are turning Kansas into a national center for sports and entertainment,” Kelly said. “We are making Kansas a tourist destination for the region, for the nation, and for the world.”

Stadium and training complex

The agreement includes two distinct components. The $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County will open at the start of the 2031 NFL season, while a new Chiefs headquarters and training facility will be built in Olathe in Johnson County for approximately $300 million. Both sites will feature mixed-use developments with a minimum total investment of $4 billion in Kansas.

Hunt emphasized the significance of the move, calling it another step in the franchise’s legacy of innovation. “We have entered into an agreement with the State of Kansas to host Chiefs football beginning with the 2031 NFL season,” Hunt said in a statement on the team’s website. “In the years ahead, we look forward to designing and building a state-of-the-art domed stadium and mixed-use district in Wyandotte County.”

The domed stadium will position the region to host major events that were previously out of reach, including Super Bowls, Final Fours, and other championship sporting events.

Taxpayer impact

A critical aspect of the deal for Wyandotte County residents is the financing structure, which officials emphasized protects taxpayers while enabling the massive development.

The project will be funded through a 60-40 public-private partnership, with the Chiefs contributing 40 percent of the costs. The public portion is financed through Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds and the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund, which was established as a funding mechanism that allows no new state taxes and no impact on the state budget.

“The state’s portion of this project is paid for with revenue generated from the project, not with new taxes, not by shifting funding from other essential state services, but with the new revenue that will be generated by the project itself,” Kelly emphasized.

The STAR bonds allow the state and Wyandotte County to designate a portion of new sales tax revenues generated by the project and neighboring communities to fund the development. Revenue from sales and liquor taxes in the district will help repay the development costs.

“We would never use state general fund money or implement a sales tax just for this purpose like we’ve seen other states do,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins. “That’s simply not the Kansas way.”

Regional collaboration

The announcement highlighted unprecedented regional cooperation, with cities across the Kansas City region celebrating the win. In addition to Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County, the cities of Lenexa, Shawnee, and Olathe partnered on the initiative.

“We appreciate the cities of Lenexa, Shawnee, and Olathe for partnering with Wyandotte County on this bold collaborative initiative,” Mayor Watson said. “We are excited about this regional partnership and committed to delivering real results that benefit Kansas, strengthen our region, and uplift our local community.”

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland, who led the state team that negotiated the deal, praised the bipartisan cooperation that made the agreement possible. Kelly emphasized this point “This got done because we brought Republicans and Democrats together at the local and state level. Everyone committed to doing what’s best for Kansas and for our future.”

Across state lines

The Chiefs have called Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. home since 1972, establishing one of the NFL’s most iconic venues known for its passionate fans and legendary tailgating culture. The team was founded by Lamar Hunt, who moved the franchise from Dallas to Kansas City in 1963.

The move to Kansas became possible after Jackson County, Mo. voters rejected a 3/8-cent sales tax extension in April 2024 that would have funded renovations to Arrowhead Stadium and helped build a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals. While Missouri lawmakers later approved an incentive package and Jackson County officials made last-minute proposals to keep the team, Kansas’s STAR bonds package ultimately prevailed.

The Chiefs’ move may not be the last in the high-stakes, cross-border battle. Sources around the capitol in Topeka say that the Royals are still open to a move to Johnson County.

Jackson County Legislature Chairman DaRon McGee expressed sharp disappointment with the outcome. “Like many Jackson County residents, I am deeply disappointed by today’s news,” McGee said in a statement. “For years, I worked in good faith to keep the Chiefs in Jackson County, where they directly employ hundreds of residents and support thousands of additional jobs tied to game-day and stadium operations.”

McGee also raised concerns about the regional economic dynamics at play. “When states and counties compete by shifting public incentives back and forth across the state line, taxpayers lose,” he said. “Moving a stadium a few miles does not create new regional wealth, but it does drain public resources and undermine trust in government.”

Kansas City, Mo. Mayor Quinton Lucas acknowledged the team’s decision with reluctant grace. “We are professionals and understand the Chiefs have a business to run and today made a business decision,” Lucas said in a statement. “Business decisions are a reality, and we all understand that, but Arrowhead Stadium is more — it’s family, tradition, and a part of Kansas City we will never leave.”

Looking ahead

The Chiefs will continue playing at Arrowhead Stadium through the 2030 season, with the new Kansas facility scheduled to open for the 2031 NFL season.

Hunt said the team will spend the next several months hiring design teams and working out specific details, including final facility locations and renderings.

“When my father started the American Football League, he had big dreams both for the league and for his team,” Hunt said at Monday’s press conference. “And as he moved the team from the Cotton Bowl to Municipal Stadium to Arrowhead Stadium, his focus in every instance was to give the fans the best possible experience. Today is another step in that legacy of innovation and that fan-first mentality.”

For KCK and Wyandotte County, the arrival of the Chiefs represents a historic opportunity to showcase the community on a national and international stage while creating thousands of jobs and spurring significant economic development.

“We’ve always been Chiefs fans, and now we are Chiefs family,” Kelly said. “Welcome home to Kansas.”