KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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The silence above Arrowhead on Monday night reflects what many Kansas City Chiefs fans fear will become permanent in 2031, when the team opens its new stadium in Kansas.
For longtime fans who have spent most of their lives around the stadium, the news feels like losing a close relative.
At Dixon's Chili, a Kansas City classic that has stuck to its 1919 roots, Chiefs fans gathered to process Monday's announcement.
For fans like Leroy and Cissy McElwee of Independence, their team's roots are heading to Kansas — a pain no comfort food can fix.
"All the years we paid the 3/8's sales tax, they don't care. They just move away because it doesn't cost them anything," Leroy McElwee said.
At Derrick Pelzel's table, the reaction to the news doesn't sit well.
"To see them leave the Kansas City, Missouri, area and go to Kansas, almost abandonment," Pelzel said.
Like a cup of Dixon's chili, Arrowhead Stadium holds loads of memories — from the McElwees' first game standing in pouring rain to future memories Pelzel plans to make at the Christmas game. The news remains tough to swallow.
"I'm still a fan, so would I still go over there? Yeah, but I feel like this is what they want to do and we as fans have to accept it. Whether we agree with it or don't," Pelzel said.
With limited time left in the house Lamar Hunt built, what comes next for the legacy stadium might be the toughest thing to watch.
"I don't know what will happen in 2031 when they move. Something's gotta take care of that stadium when there is nobody there," Leroy McElwee said.
"It's still gonna be an empty stadium in 2031, and that's gonna be hard to watch," added Cissy McElwee.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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