The Kansas City Chiefs have intensified their efforts to evaluate options for their next home stadium. According to KCMO Talk Radio 95.7 FM host Pete Mundo, the Chiefs have begun issuing a request for proposals to multiple architectural firms for a potential new domed stadium in Kansas City.

Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt had characterized the decision to build a dome as “a tremendous asset,” which would allow hosting significant events. The reported stadium would feature 65,000 seats, a dome, and a retractable grass field similar to the technology used at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.​

According to Mundo’s report, the Chiefs have sent out the RFP to 10 architectural firms for a potential stadium at the intersection of Interstate 435 and Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Kansas. The team plans to narrow the list from 10 firms to two finalists by early 2026 for a design competition.

Importantly, Mundo emphasized that this development “does NOT mean they are going to Kansas,” but rather represents the team continuing to “take steps forward to seriously explore a move across the state line.”

The proposed 65,000-seat capacity represents a reduction from Arrowhead’s current capacity of 76,416. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas features a similar 65,000-seat capacity and serves as a model for the proposed Kansas facility.

The stakes became urgent because the Chiefs’ lease at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium expires in January 2031, forcing the organization to make a decision.​ Clark Hunt has used leverage from both states competing for the franchise to extract concessions. Initially, Kansas offered a financing package worth an estimated $3 billion to build a brand-new domed facility in Wyandotte County.

Missouri countered in June 2025 with its own package that includes bonds paying for up to 50 percent of a new stadium or renovated Arrowhead, plus up to $50 million in tax credits.

The Chiefs now have simultaneous design proposals in development for both options: renovating their historic 53-year-old Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri or building an entirely new domed facility in Kansas. But beyond all this lies a deeper implication: this stadium choice will determine where Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes concludes his tenure with the franchise during the most successful era in Chiefs history.

The $3B decision shaping the Chiefs’ future

The timeline is particularly significant during Mahomes’ championship window. Patrick Mahomes was drafted by the Chiefs in 2017 and has already won three Super Bowls (2019, 2022, and 2023 seasons). The team wants clarity on its stadium situation so it can occupy either a renovated or new facility during the next phase of the franchise’s competitive cycle, with Mahomes potentially still playing at the highest level.​

The franchise has hired consulting firms CAA Icon (to design the potential Kansas stadium) and Populous (to redesign the Arrowhead renovation option). Kansas legislators set an informal deadline of December 31, 2025, for a stadium concept decision, though Kansas formally extended its financial offer deadline to June 30, 2026.​

The outcome will likely depend on negotiations with newly appointed Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota and voter approval in Missouri, as Hunt acknowledged a potential ballot measure for 2026 if the Chiefs pursue renovation. The decision will fundamentally shape the Chiefs’ venue during what could be critical years of Mahomes’ prime playing years.