The Kansas City Chiefs announced that the club has selected Kansas City-based MANICA as the lead design architect for their new stadium.

In addition, the Kansas City-based sports architecture firm HNTB has been selected as the architect of record (AOR) for the project.

CAA ICON is serving as owner’s representative on the stadium project, having led all elements of the RFQ, RFP, and lead design competition processes.

Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said:

“From the beginning, our goal has been to build something that improved the gameday experience for every single fan. This new stadium will do just that.

“It’s breathtaking. It honors the rich legacy of this franchise while setting a bold course for the future of Chiefs Kingdom.

“While we’re still finalizing many of the details, there are few things we know for sure: it will hold 70,000 fans, it will still be the best place in the world to tailgate, and the whole building will be built for noise.”

The $3 billion state-of-the-art stadium will be fully enclosed with a translucent ETFE roof and is expected to have a total capacity of approximately 70,000.

The team, along with MANICA, has worked to incorporate – and improve – many of the club’s and fanbase’s beloved traditions.

Parking lot infrastructure will be built specifically to enhance the tailgating experience. The stadium’s size, shape, and roof geometry have been studied by audio engineers to maximize crowd noise and help ensure that Chiefs fans can continue to provide an unrivaled homefield advantage.

The stadium’s seating bowl is reminiscent of Arrowhead Stadium; it will include a Drum Deck for pregame and in-game ceremonies, as well as the prominent placement of the Chiefs Ring of Honor above the bowl.

And the roof will include more than 400,000 square feet of translucent panels directly above the playing surface, maximizing visibility for military flyovers.

Chiefs President Mark Donovan said:

“We’re proud to name MANICA as our lead design architect and HNTB as the architect of record for this transformational stadium undertaking which will come to life over the next five years.

“We are incredibly fortunate that Kansas City is home to world-class sports and entertainment design talent, and that has been on full display throughout this process. David and the MANICA team stood out throughout a rigorous months-long process, honoring and embracing our history while presenting a bold and dynamic vision for the future.

“We look forward to working alongside both firms to refine these plans and deliver the premier sports and entertainment venue not only in the Midwest, but in the world.”

The appointment concludes a six-month lead design competition process between the two finalists.

David Manica, president and owner, MANICA, said:

“It is the honor of a lifetime to be entrusted with designing the next home of the Kansas City Chiefs in our hometown.

“My entire team is committed to creating a stadium that honors the legacy, tradition, and unmatched energy of Arrowhead while boldly reimagining its future. This stadium is being designed not just for today’s fans, but for the generations of Chiefs Kingdom to come – a place that reflects the passion, pride, and enduring strength of one of the greatest fan bases in all of sports.”

Outside the stadium, Chiefs fans will be able to visit the Lamar Hunt statue in a modern plaza, access a specially curated Chiefs Hall of Honor more than twice the size of its current space, and peruse an expanded Chiefs Team Store approximately four times larger than the current store.

The stadium will also anchor a vibrant mixed-use development which will further augment the gameday experience.

Tom O’Grady, president of HNTB and project executive, said:

“The opportunity to help shape the next home of the Kansas City Chiefs is deeply meaningful to HNTB.

“This project brings together our deep roots in Kansas City and our experience delivering transformative sports and entertainment venues that elevate the fan experience and strengthen community connections. Together with MANICA, we look forward to creating a destination that reflects the legacy of the Chiefs and becomes an enduring landmark for generations of fans.”

Based on the most recent economic impact figures released by the club, the fixed-roof stadium project in Wyandotte County, Kansas, – along with the practice facility/team headquarters in Olathe, Kansas, and two private ancillary mixed-use development districts – is slated to deliver 36,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) job-years and $8.2 billion in economic impact for the Kansas City region during the construction period.

The stadium – along with the practice facility and surrounding developments – is slated to support 8,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs and generate $1.5 billion in economic impact annually for the region once operational.

The project is being financed through a public-private partnership, with the public portion funded through Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds and the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund.

Both funding mechanisms were established specifically to ensure that there will be no new state taxes and no negative impact on the state budget.

The remaining portion will be privately funded. The project also includes $1 billion in additional development in the State of Kansas.

Source and images courtesy of Kansas City Chiefs