KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs remain largely in a holding pattern with respect to the team’s future at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said Tuesday that the Chiefs are still waiting for their co-tenant at the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex, the Royals, to make a decision about their future before proceeding.
“We’ve been in communication with the Royals and we’ve been waiting for them to make a decision as to whether they’re going to stay in Jackson County or whether they’re going to go to Clay County,” Hunt said. “Once they make that decision, that will help us with our process as we move forward.”
Hunt reveres Arrowhead because it was among the favorite places on the planet for his father, late Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt Sr.
“Our priority continues to be trying to figure out a way to renovate Arrowhead Stadium and extend its life,” Hunt said. “... Our thinking hasn’t changed and I’m sorry to say we haven’t made a lot of progress since the beginning of the season, but it is something we’re focused on.”
If the Royals stay in Jackson County, moving from Kauffman Stadium to a location inside the Downtown Loop in Kansas City, Missouri, instead of a site in North Kansas City, the teams will have to work out an agreement on the length of any lease extension.
The Royals are eyeing a 40-year lease agreement, but the Chiefs would prefer another 25-year lease renewal if they stay put at the current Arrowhead.
“I have heard that the Royals are focused on a longer lease, which I think makes sense particularly if they’re in a new building,” Hunt said. “For us, if we go the renovation route, we really think the shorter lease is more appropriate. Arrowhead’s 51-plus years old already and we’d be talking about a lease that wouldn’t start for five or six years from now, so 25 (years) we think would be a better fit for us.”
The teams would have to negotiate an agreed-upon lease term before taking an extension to voters, according to sources familiar with the process.
“If the Royals do decide to stay in Jackson County, that’s going to be an issue that we’ve got to resolve,” Hunt said. “We’ve got to figure out how to make that work for both teams.”
The current lease for both clubs expires in January 2031, but the Royals hope to move into a new stadium by the 2028 season.
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