Chiefs President on Stadium Future: 'Every Option is on the Table' with Six-Month Timetable

Chiefs team president Mark Donovan revealed the team's timeline for their next decision regarding the future of Arrowhead Stadium and the Chiefs' odds of a move to Kansas.

Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general overall aerial view of Arrowhead Stadium (foreground) and Kauffman Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs team president Mark Donovan spoke to the media on Friday as the Chiefs ramp training camp activities at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. After discussing the team's plans for this year of camp, Donovan addressed a much-discussed issue for the future of the Chiefs: their search for a long-term stadium solution.

Following a failed vote on a proposal that would have extended funding to the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals in April, Donovan reiterated several times on Friday that the Chiefs are keeping their future options open and that the team has a six-month timeline on their next step in the decision-making process.

Donovan was asked specifically about the STAR Bonds recently passed in a bill by the Kansas state legislature and how seriously the Chiefs are taking Kansas' pursuit of the team.

"We appreciate the efforts that the Kansas legislature made to really supercharge STAR Bonds to make it make sense for a professional sports team to come over there and take advantage of that," Donovan said. "It is consistent with what we've talked about, that we want to look at options. It seems, at least my general understanding of it, that this is a really good option for us to consider so we appreciate that. We are in discussions with the folks in Kansas. We are in discussions, continue our discussions, with folks in Missouri. Talking to various leaders, there seem to be other options that are coming up now on the Missouri side, so we appreciate that, and it's consistent with our strategy, which was, 'If this doesn't work,' which was our plan, that we've got to look at options, and now we'll have a couple option to look at."

In a follow-up question, Donovan was asked if the Chiefs are seriously considering going to the state of Kansas.

"Yeah, we'll seriously consider all options, absolutely," Donovan said.

Donovan was then asked about the team's timeline and potential deadlines as the team waits to find out who the next governor of Missouri will be, with primary elections taking place on August 6.

"I think when you talk about deadlines, really the deadline is: how can you be up and running in a new facility or a renovated facility for the '31 season," Donovan said. "Those are two different timelines, if you're renovating Arrowhead, GEHA Field, you're looking at an existing structure, it's something we've done a lot of work on, so it's a little bit smaller lead-time you need there. If you're building something new either in Missouri or in Kansas, it extends that lead-time by about a year and a half. So, we feel like we're in that window right now, we feel like we need to get something done in the next six months to figure out and be in a good position, so that's the timeline we're working on."

Donovan was asked, among all of the options the Chiefs are considering, if the team is still open to remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.

"Very much so," Donovan said. "Very much so. I would say every option is on the table."

Asked about the fact that the organization had previously expressed that remaining at a renovated Arrowhead was the team's preference, Donovan acknowledged that the team may be viewing their options differently, not committing to Arrowhead as their top choice.

"Given the results of the vote, we have a much more measured response to that, which is, 'We want to look at our options,'" Donovan said. "We went all-in, and failed pretty badly, and obviously a lot of different situations, lot of different variables in that, but we're looking at it as a measured response of, 'What makes the most sense for our fans, what makes the most sense for our franchise and this organization, and what makes the most sense and can have the biggest impact on this region?' And I think the positive of this is that we do have options, and we'll consider those. I've said this to you guys multiple times: this is a generational decision. This is going to impact the future of this franchise for generations. We've gotta get it right. And we are going to do the due diligence, we are going to take our time to do it right. There is a reality on the timing. You can only take so much time if you're going to get it right, so that window is starting to close a little bit."

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