The Chiefs’ season ended in the worst way possible. A mediocre season breathed its last breath when Patrick Mahomes, the face of the franchise, went down and tore his ACL in Week 15. The final nail in the coffin came with Gardner Minshew’s injury. However, the heartache does not end for Kansas City fans here. The Chiefs, as reported by the Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell, have decided to relocate from Missouri to Kansas to build a new stadium. The news has been further made official with a glowing red sign in the state office building, which reads, “Chiefs in Kansas.”

This move comes after an official letter from Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota to Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. In the letter, the Missouri executive highlighted how the Chiefs could lose a whopping $524 million in incentives if they leave Kansas City. However, with Arrowhead Stadium aging, the incentives are seemingly not enough to keep the Chiefs there anymore.

In case you’re wondering why, it probably has something to do with the fact that Kansas legislative leaders, in a unanimous vote behind closed doors, agreed to issue STAR bonds, which will help the Chiefs pay for 70% of the cost of the new stadium, which is estimated to be around $2 billion. The following is the official announcement from the Chiefs:

“Today, we are excited to take another momentous step for the future of the franchise. We have entered into an agreement with the State of Kansas to host Chiefs football beginning with the 2031 NFL season. In the years ahead, we look forward to designing and building a state-of-the-art domed stadium and mixed-use district in Wyandotte County and a best-in-class training facility, team headquarters, and mixed-use district in Olathe, totaling a minimum of $4 billion of development in the State of Kansas.”

With those words, decades of continuity suddenly gave way to finality.

62-year-long history ends with one decision

The Chiefs moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1962 after winning the AFL Championship. They changed their name to the Kansas City Chiefs from the Dallas Texans in the following year. Since then, the team has appeared in the playoffs 27 times and won four Super Bowls. Three of them were won with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, earning the tag of a dynasty. And now, this dynasty is choosing a new home. The relocation is the consequence of Missouri’s decision to vote down a sales tax measure that would have helped the Chiefs with their $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead, the stadium that they have called home for 53 years.

Now, the Chiefs are set to announce the construction of the new stadium in Kansas. The only thing standing in their way is the approval of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC). The Chiefs will continue to play in Arrowhead Stadium till the 2031 season, waiting out the expiration of their current lease. The Legends, a massive retail and entertainment district located near the Kansas Speedway, is being reported as the new landing place for the Chiefs. This move will be a huge blow to the Missouri government, as a second NFL franchise leaves the state in a decade after the Rams’ move from St. Louis.