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— CH. 1 · ORIGINS AND CONSTRUCTION —

Arrowhead Stadium

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections

  • Voters in Jackson County approved a $102 million bond issue in 1967 to build a new sports complex. This decision followed the departure of the Kansas City Athletics baseball team after the 1967 season. The loss created a void that local leaders felt required government subsidy to keep professional football and major league baseball in the city. The original design called for side-by-side stadiums with a common roof that would roll between them. That concept proved too complicated and expensive, so it was scrapped for an open-air configuration. Construction began in 1968 under the direction of Denver architect Charles Deaton and Chiefs general manager Jack Steadman. The stadium opened in time for the 1972 NFL season.

  • The upper sections of Arrowhead Stadium were placed at a steep incline to increase seating while limiting the stadium's footprint. This specific angle cannot be replicated in modern stadiums due to current accessibility regulations. Lamar Hunt included an owner's suite with three bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room within the design. Kivett & Myers implemented Deaton's plans as the primary architectural firm. Sharp-Kidde-Webb construction firms executed the project as a joint venture. Some consider this structure to have influenced the design of several future NFL stadiums. The stadium has been in use since the 1972 NFL season and remains the oldest facility in the AFC conference.

  • Jackson County voters approved a tax increase on the 4th of April 2006, to finance $850 million in renovations. A second bond issue to build the rolling roof shared with Kauffman Stadium was defeated by voters. The Chiefs announced final plans for a $375 million renovation on the 15th of August 2007. The cost to the city was reduced by $50 million thanks to an additional payment by the Hunt family. Reconstruction started on the 3rd of October 2007, and both stadiums were ready for play by the 2010 season. In February 2024, the Chiefs announced additional plans to renovate starting in 2027. Those plans were shelved in April when voters rejected a 40-year sales tax increase to fund the project.

  • On the 13th of October 2013, the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium set a Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium with 137.5 decibels. That record was broken days later by Seattle Seahawks fans but reclaimed by Kansas City on the 29th of September 2014. The team hit 142.2 decibels during a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots. Since September 2014, Chiefs fans have been recognized as the loudest fan base among outdoor stadiums. The TD Pack Band served as a mainstay at every home game from 1963 until 2008. Trumpeter Tony DiPardo founded the band and wrote songs like "The Chiefs are on the Warpath" before his death in 2011.

  • Arrowhead Stadium hosted five Big 12 Conference football championship games between 2000 and 2008. The Border War between the Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers drew 80,537 spectators in 2007. In 2009 and 2010, the venue held the annual Farmageddon game between Iowa State and Kansas State. Major League Soccer began using the facility in 1996 when the Kansas City Wiz played there. A friendly match against Manchester United on the 25th of July 2010, attracted 52,424 fans. The stadium will host six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup including four group stage games and one quarterfinal match.

  • The stadium officially became GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in March 2021 following a naming rights deal with GEHA. The agreement runs from the start of the 2021 season until January 2031. On the 22nd of December 2025, the team announced their intention to leave for a new stadium in Wyandotte County. This new facility is scheduled to open in time for the 2031 NFL season. Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated renovation costs for the 2026 World Cup at $50 million. Seating capacity is expected to be reduced in the corners of the end zones to comply with FIFA field regulations.

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Common questions

When did Arrowhead Stadium open for the 1972 NFL season?

Arrowhead Stadium opened in time for the 1972 NFL season after construction began in 1968. The project was directed by Denver architect Charles Deaton and Chiefs general manager Jack Steadman.

Who designed the unique upper sections of Arrowhead Stadium?

Denver architect Charles Deaton designed the stadium with steeply inclined upper sections to increase seating while limiting the footprint. Kivett & Myers implemented these plans as the primary architectural firm.

What happened to the rolling roof plan for Arrowhead Stadium on the 4th of April 2006?

Voters defeated a second bond issue to build the rolling roof shared with Kauffman Stadium on the 4th of April 2006. Jackson County voters instead approved a tax increase to finance $850 million in renovations that year.

How loud did the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium get during the Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots on the 29th of September 2014?

The crowd reached 142.2 decibels during the Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots on the 29th of September 2014. This performance allowed Kansas City fans to reclaim the Guinness World Record for the loudest outdoor stadium.

When will Arrowhead Stadium officially close and move to Wyandotte County?

Arrowhead Stadium is scheduled to be replaced by a new facility in Wyandotte County that opens in time for the 2031 NFL season. The team announced their intention to leave on the 22nd of December 2025 following the expiration of the GEHA naming rights deal in January 2031.

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All sources

48 references cited across the entry

  1. 1webTruman Sports Complex Renovation NewsletterJanuary 2010
  2. 2webArrowhead Stadium | NorthBridge® Bermudagrass
  3. 3webKansas City Chiefs' new Arrowhead Stadium opens for first sporting eventSuzanna Stagemeyer — July 23, 2010
  4. 4newsEngineering Firm's Founder Has RetiredSteve Everly — January 13, 1991
  5. 5webStadium HistoryChiefs War Path
  6. 6webOfficial Website of the Kansas City Chiefs | Chiefs.com
  7. 7newsColts Rout Bills, 58-20, for Title; Steelers Playoff FoeThomas Rogers — December 13, 1976
  8. 8newsChiefs Make KC's Pitch for Big 12 Football Title Game Arrowhead is Biggest of Four Stadiums in the Running Get EventRandy Covitz — September 8, 1995
  9. 9newsChiefs Master the Art of Marketing in a Small MarketLarry Felser — September 21, 1997
  10. 10webFans can take Metro bus to Kauffman StadiumRobert Cronkleton — April 3, 2015
  11. 11press releaseChiefs and GEHA Announce Naming Rights Agreement for GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
  12. 12newsChiefs announce naming rights agreement with GEHA for field at Arrowhead StadiumCharles Goldman — March 4, 2021
  13. 13webArrowhead Stadium was originally designed to have a few extra featuresAlan Shope — January 29, 2022
  14. 14webWebb Spinner, 1969-1970
  15. 15webMiami Topples Sluggish ChiefsSeptember 18, 1972
  16. 16web1971 AFC Divisional Playoff Game
  17. 17webPat Bickle Benefit Game - Raytown High School vs Center High School At Arrowhead Stadium 11-24-1973September 20, 2015
  18. 18webChiefs Kansas City Chiefs Contracts With Daktronics for HD Video Displays Archive - ChiefsPlanet
  19. 20newsThe 2026 World Cup is coming to Kansas City. When can you get tickets?Joseph Hernandez — June 17, 2022
  20. 21webKansas City Chiefs reveal an $800 million vision for the future of Arrowhead StadiumFebruary 28, 2024
  21. 22webSales tax vote to fund Chiefs, Royals stadium fails in Jackson CountyApril 3, 2024
  22. 23webChiefs' move to Kansas leaves Missouri fans heartbroken over another NFL franchise leavingDave Skretta — 2025-12-22
  23. 24newsChiefs Ready for Playoff Nemesis Indianapolis2004
  24. 25webCeltic's win over Rangers made Hampden roar like a lion, say sound expertsBBC — April 17, 2018
  25. 26webRemember When: Chiefs crowd makes life hard for Elway in 1990November 25, 2014
  26. 27webArrowhead Sets World Record For Loudest StadiumAndrew Kuhla — October 13, 2013
  27. 28webSeahawks take back the Guinness World Record for crowd noise at 137.6 decibelsFrank Schwab — Yahoo! Sports — December 2, 2013
  28. 29webChiefs break Guinness crowd noise record at Arrowhead against the PatriotsMicah Peters — September 29, 2014
  29. 30newsMissouri Beats KansasNovember 24, 2007
  30. 31webCyclone Football Team to Play in Kansas CityIowa State University Athletic Department
  31. 32webKansas Football to Play 2 Games at Children's Mercy Park; 4 at Arrowhead Stadium in 2024January 30, 2024
  32. 33webT-Bones Welcome Major League Soccer to CommunityAmerica BallparkKansas City T-Bones
  33. 34tweetAnd we're here to answer. Only actual cost right now is $50M of improvements to Arrowhead Stadium. Look for an ask to the state on that in addition to private fundraising to fund that step. That is unless the future of the stadiums chat progresses further.Quinton Lucas — June 17, 2022
  34. 35news2026 World Cup schedule reveal: FIFA picks New York for final, Mexico for opener, West Coast for USMNTHenry Bushnell — February 4, 2024
  35. 36newsKansas City OKs sales tax for sports renovationsApril 5, 2006
  36. 37webChiefs, Royals sign lease extensionsJanuary 24, 2006
  37. 38inlineNo rolling roof, no Super Bowl at Arrowhead Associated Press. May 25, 2006.
  38. 39inlineChiefs unveil the new Arrowhead KCChiefs.com. August 25, 2007.
  39. 40webKansas City Chiefs To Show Off New Arrowhead Stadium RenovationsChris Thorman — September 13, 2010
  40. 41webChiefs Announce Arrowhead Stadium Renovations for 2020Zach Spedden — January 27, 2020
  41. 42webVoters reject sales tax measure to help fund Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium renovationsNikki Chavanelle — April 3, 2024
  42. 43webKansas City Chiefs Stadium Renovations Shut Down by Local TaxpayersJames Brizuela — April 3, 2024
  43. 44webDiPardo's band ending longtime engagement at ArrowheadLisa Gutierrez — December 9, 2008
  44. 45webMr. Music is ailingKansas City Chiefs — March 19, 2008
  45. 46webPhotos: Taylor Swift the Eras Tour at GEHA Field at Arrowhead
  46. 47webBeyoncé Returns to the Global Stage for Renaissance World TourFebruary 1, 2023
  47. 48newsWhere to Park? A Crown Center stadium site already had 19,000-plus spaces within walking distanceThomas Friestad — September 13, 2024
  48. 49newsHow much is Kansas City charging for World Cup stadium transit? A lot less than other citiesGabe Rosenburg — KCUR — April 16, 2026