Remarks by Mayor Lucas on Today’s Chiefs Stadium News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas today issued the following remarks regarding the Kansas City Chiefs' announcement about their future at Arrowhead Stadium:

"I received a call earlier today from Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan informing me that the Chiefs currently intend to leave Arrowhead Stadium upon the end of their lease with Jackson County following the 2030 season. Shortly thereafter, I received a very gracious call from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly informing me of the same.

"I also have spoken this afternoon with Governor Mike Kehoe and Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota concerning both the Chiefs and the Royals. While the teams are tenants of Jackson County, Kansas City government has worked hard along with the State of Missouri, and the new county administrative team to put before the Chiefs a compelling offer of more than $1.5 billion in public support for the Chiefs to remain at their legendary home at Arrowhead Stadium. One city or one county cannot outmatch competing offers from a state in modern professional sports, and our collaboration with our Missouri partners has been essential. Although our conversations with the team extended to as recently as late last week, we understand our very fair, but very responsible financial offer of taxpayer support was surpassed thus far by an even more robust public financing package in Kansas. We are professionals and understand the Chiefs have a business to run and today made a business decision. We wish them well as they pursue their legislative and administrative steps ahead in Kansas, but remain committed to ensuring Arrowhead Stadium, Missouri, Jackson County, and Kansas City remain an option should the deal not conclude. In the event a new Kansas-based facility is built, we will wish them great success in their new suburban home.

"While I had my serious differences on this issue with former Jackson County Executive Frank White and wish the processes and obstacles in 2023 and early 2024 could have proceeded differently, I along with our new County Executive Phil LeVota, Governor Mike Kehoe, City administrative staff, and other officials have worked collaboratively and non-stop over the past year to provide a fair and robust offer for the teams, exceeding almost all prior pledges of public support in NFL markets. Our unified, hardworking, and exceptional team will continue our strong efforts as we work to retain the Kansas City Royals in a transformational downtown facility.

"Great cities hold great venues, which provide not only revenue benefits, but also employ thousands, expose residents and visitors alike to new areas and businesses, and provide brand and cultural benefit to key parts of our community.

"While the Chiefs aren't going far away and aren't gone yet, today is a setback as a Kansas Citian, a former Chiefs season ticket holder, and a lifelong Chiefs fan. Today is a loss for the communities of East Kansas City, Independence, Raytown, and some of our favorite places en route to the stadiums like LC's Barbecue.

"Today is a loss for the Arrowhead tradition that so many of us in the Chiefs Kingdom hold dear. At the new location, folks will make new memories. But for those of us who remember the painful days like three missed field goals as a playoff one-seed and the joyous ones like hoisting the Lamar Hunt Trophy for that first time inside Arrowhead Stadium in 2020, years growing up and growing old in the Arrowhead parking lot and the outdoor stands that in the elements is one of the few places in our community where we came together breaking through divides of age, hometowns, race, income, and politics, this will be a tough adjustment. I wanted my two young sons and your children and your grandchildren to get to experience the same.

"Years ago as a kid, my family was homeless for a while and we lived in a motel not too far from the stadium. I knew we struggled, but I believed nothing was cooler than living within a stones throw of what I thought then and today is the greatest stadium in football. Like a lot of parents in Chiefs Kingdom, my single mother scraped some money together to get me to Arrowhead for my first game-300 level upper deck for a 30 to 7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills in 1993. I've been hooked ever since.

"Business decisions are a reality, and we all understand that, but Arrowhead Stadium is more-it's family, tradition, and a part of Kansas City we will never leave."

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