Chiefs unveil renderings of planned $3B domed stadium in Kansas

The Kansas City Chiefs have unveiled the first renderings for a new $3 billion fully domed stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas, scheduled to open for the 2031 NFL season, according to ESPN's reporting.

The facility represents a major infrastructure commitment for the franchise and the region. The stadium will hold 70,000 seats and feature a fully enclosed dome with a ceiling made of translucent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene panels. The design comes from MANICA, a Kansas City, Kansas-based architecture firm.

The financing structure leverages public investment alongside private capital. Kansas lawmakers voted unanimously in late December to allow sales tax and revenue (STAR) bonds to cover up to 70 percent of the cost of the stadium and an accompanying mixed-use district that will include the Chiefs' new training facility, per the reporting. Owner Clark Hunt and his family have committed $1 billion in additional development, with a portion incentivized by the STAR bond framework.

The design pays homage to the Chiefs' current home, Arrowhead Stadium, which opened in 1972. The new stadium will feature a symmetrical and curved exterior with a scalloped upper deck in each end zone. The design was intentionally built with the intention of amplifying crowd noise, in reference to Arrowhead's legacy: in 2014, the current stadium regained the Guinness world record for loudest stadium, with fans' collective voices generating 142.2 decibels, according to ESPN's reporting. The new facility will surround more than 20,000 parking spots.

Inside, the hall of honor will be twice the size of the one inside Arrowhead, and the team's store is expected to be four times larger. The ring of honor will be placed above the bowl. The new stadium is expected to increase the Chiefs' luxury suites and other amenities to help boost the franchise's revenue.

The field design includes a feature aimed at future versatility: it will be built so that work is not required to expand the field's width for World Cup hosting, which owner Clark Hunt said will be needed when the World Cup returns to America in 25 or 30 years. Starting for the 2032 calendar, the Chiefs intend to bid on hosting several major sporting events, including a Super Bowl, Final Fours, College Football Playoff games, and bowl games, per ESPN.

Clark Hunt stated in late March that the stadium will serve the community well for a minimum of 30 years and hopefully closer to 60 years. However, the specific location within Wyandotte County has still not been finalized, despite Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's announcement in late December that the stadium will be sited in that county. The Chiefs have in the past been interested in building near the Kansas Speedway and The Legends retail and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas, where the MLS club Sporting Kansas City's home, Children's Mercy Park, is also located.