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Manica Architecture has been selected to design the Kansas City Chiefs' new stadium. The Kansas City, Kansas-based firm went through a formal proposal and design competition before coming out on top.
Kansas City native David Manica leads the firm.
"This project, for me, means everything to me. I was born in KC, went to KC schools, I went to KU, I came back and started my company here," Manica said. "I have the good fortune to work all around the world. I've done multiple projects in multiple continents and all around our country, and to do this one at home is a really, really special day for me."
Manica Architecture has designed more than 60 projects across the globe, including some of the largest and most recognizable sports venues.
The firm's portfolio includes Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (Raiders), Chase Center in San Francisco (Golden State Warriors), and the nearly-opened Tennessee Titans stadium in Nashville. Internationally, Manica Architecture worked on VTB Arena Park in Moscow and Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. The firm is also currently leading the design of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium, estimated at $5 billion — one of the largest sports construction projects in the country.
Manica's biggest projects
- Chicago Bears stadium: $5 billion (proposed)
- Nissan Stadium (Titans): $1.8 billion
- Allegiant Stadium (Raiders): $1.5 billion
- Chase Center (Golden State Warriors): $1.4 billion
- VTB Arena Park: $850 million
- Camp Nou renovation: $750 million
Manica said he can balance multiple stadium projects simultaneously because of the different phases each project is in.
'New body, same soul'
The inspiration for the new Chiefs stadium came directly from Arrowhead, preserving its feeling and "keeping the classics."
"The inspiration comes from the existing stadium," Manica said.
Keith Robinson, principal and creative director at Manica Architecture, said the team spent significant time studying what made Arrowhead so beloved.
"We spent a lot of time talking about how Arrowhead made you felt. That was what stuck with everybody," Robinson said. "No matter what age you were, it's how it made you feel. You wanted to come back over and over again. It was always less about the appearance; its appearance was authentic, it was driven by its purpose."
The central question the team wrestled with: How do classics evolve?
"Our challenge was taking the best parts of Arrowhead and making it better, and taking the parts of Arrowhead that weren't approved and making them better," Manica said. "The comment, 'New body, same soul,' was really the ethos and the driving factor behind everything we did. I'm happy to say it will be louder, it will be more comfortable, but it will still feel like home."
Built to be loud
Fan noise and flyovers played a major role in shaping the roof design.
"When you think about the roof form and you look at that hyperbolic shape, it's a very unique geometrical engineering marvel, really," Robinson said. "It's driven by that same performance pursuit. It's there to compress the air out of the building to suck as much volume out, to make it as loud as possible as we can."
The roof will feature the same curves as Arrowhead and a translucent cover designed to nearly disappear, maintaining the feeling of an outdoor stadium, preserving sightlines for flyovers and keeping the ceremonial atmosphere fans expect on game day.
Built for tailgating, not just games
The new stadium will seat 70,000 fans — the same as Arrowhead. Fans will also get more parking than the current setup with over 20,000 spots.
Manica said the team spent considerable time on the parking lot experience, "obsessing over it," knowing game day begins well before kickoff.
"It's going to be well considered from the width of the stall to the tailgating footprint of each car, really well-organized pedestrian access points and promenades," Robinson said.
Robinson said the design prioritizes both safety and the sense of community that builds as fans make their way into the stadium.
"It's intended for safety, procession and building the atmosphere of the community forming to head into the building," Robinson said. "It's this opportunity to create a better experience inside the parking lots with better amenities, and more avenues to safely bring people in and out of the game when it's over with, still embracing the camaraderie of the community."
Manica said the thinking behind the entire surrounding experience goes beyond logistics.
"This stadium is not a stadium in the middle of a parking lot. This is a stadium in the middle of a tailgating experience, and that's really how we thought about it," Manica said.
Seats, clubs, Kansas City feel
Seating options will be varied and, according to Manica, all inspired by Kansas City storylines, vibes and feelings. Plans include sky decks designed for viewing flyovers, balconies overlooking the field, and multiple club spaces. Manica emphasized that seats throughout the stadium will be comfortable, and noted that not all seating will be traditional.
Manica — who started his own firm in 2007 after working at HOK Sport, now known as Populous — is known for his various stadium projects and innovative seating concepts, including bridge seats where fans are suspended over the crowd and the Wynn Endzone Field Club, which blends a nightclub atmosphere with a football stadium setting.
When I spoke with Manica in 2024 about his desire to design Kauffman Stadium, he spoke at length about his love for Kansas City.
Manica said he will remain involved with the new Chiefs stadium through opening day and beyond.
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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