Chiefs moving from Missouri to Kansas following the approval of a new tax-funded stadium

After spending 62 years in Kansas City, Missouri, the Chiefs have announced that they are moving to Kansas after the team made a deal to build a new football stadium with the help of government tax revenue. 

On Monday, a committee of top Kansas lawmakers approved the subsidy deal with the Chiefs. The Legislative Coordinating Council, after meeting in executive session to hear the details of the deal in secret, voted unanimously to "approve the STAR bond and STAR bond district for the sport stadium to support the Kansas City Chiefs."

"We have entered into an agreement with the State of Kansas to host Chiefs football beginning with the 2031 NFL season," Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. "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, and a best-in-class training facility, team headquarters, and mixed-use district in Olathe, totaling a minimum of $4 billion of development in the State of Kansas."

Clark said that the move and building of the new stadium will be a "benefit to the entire region." 

"A stadium of this caliber will put Kansas City in the running for Super Bowls, Final Fours, and other world-class events," he said. "A brand new training facility and headquarters will allow the Chiefs to continue to attract top talent. And the vision for a new mixed-use district will rival that of any sports-anchored development anywhere in the country."

Founded in 1960, the franchise moved from Dallas to Kansas City ahead of the 1963 season. Three years later, the Chiefs played in the first Super Bowl and three years after that won the final Super Bowl prior to the AFL-NFL merger. 

In 2019, the franchise broke its 50-year drought without a championship after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Since then, the Chiefs have won two more Super Bowls while appearing in two others. Last season, the Chiefs joined the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots as the only franchises to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls. 

"Of course, it will be difficult to bid farewell to Arrowhead Stadium in a few years," Hunt said. "Like so many of you, Arrowhead reminds me of family memories and unforgettable moments. But the truth is, what makes Chiefs gamedays so special is you. Seats don't make noise, concrete doesn't intimidate opponents, parking lots don't cook barbecue. You do. 

"From the day the Chiefs came to Kansas City, you have energized this team, and this team has elevated the profile of the city and the region. It's the reason kids from coast to coast wear red and gold t-shirts, and sports fans around the world will watch soccer games from our backyard this summer. This next step will further elevate the entire region in the eyes of the country and the world."