Chiefs Announce Two Local Design Firms as Finalists for KCK Stadium

The Chiefs announced Populous and Manica are the two finalists up for which firm will lead the team's next KCK stadium project. Image credit: MANICA.

Posted January 27, 2026

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that two architectural design firms, Manica and Populous, are in the final stage of selection for the new Chiefs KCK stadium.

It was announced in December that Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt entered into an agreement to bring the sports team to Kansas.

A new $3 billion state-of-the-art domed stadium would be built for the Chiefs, surrounded by a mixed-use development that could include sports, entertainment, dining, shopping, office, hotel, and residential spaces. Additionally, the new Chiefs headquarters and training facility would be built in Olathe.

Populous and Manica are both local firms in the Kansas City area, with Populous headquartered in Missouri and Manica in Kansas. Populous has designed notable projects, including the New Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, NY and the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. Manica has designed projects such as the New Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and Oklahoma City’s new arena.

“We’re thrilled to take this next step in our new stadium journey and announce the two finalists in our search for lead designer,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in a Tuesday release. “The Kansas City region is the central hub of global sports and entertainment venue architecture and design, so we didn’t need to go far to identify the top options to explore final concepts for the future home of Chiefs Kingdom.”

In February 2024, Populous helped the team conceptualize the $800 million renovation plans for Arrowhead Stadium, but ultimately fell through after Jackson County voters chose not support the 3/8th-cent sales tax for the Chiefs and Royals stadium projects. 

In May 2024, Manica owner and president David Manica released renderings of a new Chiefs stadium in KCK. At the time, the stadium would be located at I-435 and I-70 across from the Legends Outlets and would feature an enclosed stadium, outdoor amphitheater, mixed-use development, a new modern training facility and parking for tailgating experiences.

Kansas officials estimate that the KCK stadium project will generate more than 20,000 jobs and over $4.4 billion in economic impact during the first phase of construction. The overall project is expected to generate over 3,500 jobs and more than $1 billion in annual economic impact.

The project will be financed through a public-private partnership (60% public – 40% private). The Hunt Family is also committing to $1 billion in additional development, a portion of which can also be incentivized by STAR bonds.