Kansas City Chiefs Bring Drew Brees-Linked HNTB On Board For $3 Billion Stadium

Kansas City Chiefs prepare for a new era as the team moves ahead with plans for its $3 billion stadium.© X/@Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for a new home, and a familiar NFL name has now become part of the project's story. Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees celebrated after HNTB, the architecture firm he has partnered with, secured a long-term deal with the Chiefs. The agreement made HNTB the team's official architect as Kansas City moved ahead with plans for its new $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The venue is expected to welcome fans in 2031.

Drew Brees gets involved in Kansas City Chiefs' stadium plans

Brees shared the news on Instagram, where he welcomed HNTB's new role with the Chiefs. His partnership with the company has focused on sports architecture and infrastructure, with his experience playing in different stadiums offering another perspective on how sports venues serve players and fans.

"Great sports environments are about more than the game," Brees wrote. "They create unforgettable experiences for players and fans and meaningful connections with the communities they represent."

He added that his work with HNTB had been built around that idea and called the Chiefs' agreement an opportunity to shape the team's next home while making a difference beyond the stadium.

The announcement came at the inaugural Power Brokers Sports-Anchored Development Summit in Las Vegas. Chiefs president Mark Donovan and HNTB president Tom O'Grady announced the multi-year partnership, which will run for five years.

HNTB joins MANICA for the Chiefs' new stadium

HNTB will serve as the architect of record, working alongside MANICA, which was previously selected as the lead design architect. The company brings experience from several major sports venues, including Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. It also handled program management for the new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport.

The relationship between HNTB and the Chiefs goes back much further than this latest agreement. It dates to the 1970s, when HNTB acquired Kivett and Myers, the original firm behind Arrowhead Stadium's design.

That history gives the company a connection to both the team's current home and its next one. Clark Construction Group and AECOM have already been named to the construction team.

The planned stadium will hold around 70,000 fans and feature a domed roof, with more than 400,000 square feet of ETFE panels. Plans also include over 20,000 parking spaces. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the new venue scheduled to open in 2031.