The Kansas City Chiefs announced in December that the team would be building a new stadium across the border in Kansas. The move is estimated to take place in 2031, leaving Arrowhead Stadium vacant following the 2030 NFL season.
According to The U.S. Sun, the Chiefs have played at Arrowhead since 1972, and without the team using the facility, the state of Missouri is likely going to be tasked with demolition.
That demolition is estimated to cost roughly $150 million.
Said Jonathan Patterson, Missouri’s House of Representatives majority leader, “It is unbelievable what it costs to demolish those things.”
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That staggering demolition cost is nothing compared to the price tag Kansas taxpayers are facing, as the Chiefs’ new stadium will require roughly $3 to $4 billion in Kansas’ Star Bonds, funds allocated from retail sales tax.
According to Missouri’s lawmakers, legislation may be introduced this month that would “put departing teams on the hook for demolition costs.” That could be a troubling reality for the Chiefs as they prepare to pay $7 million per year in rent to the new stadium.
“What is frustrating is that there were communities that were negotiating departures, you know, other arrangements with businesses while that was still in place,” said Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas.
If Missouri chose to maintain Arrowhead Stadium, it would need roughly $20 million each year for maintenance, and it is unclear what the facility would be used for if the state chose that route.
