Feb. 14, 2020— The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms on a three-year deal that would make Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, the home of Chiefs training camp through the 2022 season. The agreement includes an option to extend the partnership an additional two years after 2022.
As part of the new agreement, Missouri Western is making a number of updates to better serve fans, the club, the community and Missouri Western students. Most notably, this includes the development of a new seating area on the north end of the existing practice fields to better accommodate Chiefs fans who are viewing practices. These improvements are already underway and are being completed through a collaboration with the city of St. Joseph and Buchanan County. In addition, the university is taking steps and working with others to renovate Scanlon Hall in preparation for housing Chiefs players, coaches and staff. These updates will benefit both the club and university students.
“We are thrilled to announce that we will return to Missouri Western State University and the St. Joseph community this summer, and that we will remain there for the foreseeable future,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “Our team researched and reviewed a number of viable options over the past six months. Through those meetings and discussions, we unanimously decided to return to St. Joseph. I want to thank President Matt Wilson and Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Josh Looney for their leadership throughout this process and we look forward to starting our 2020 season at Missouri Western again this summer.”
“Missouri Western is elated to welcome the champions back home to our campus,” Wilson said. “Working together with the Chiefs over the past decade has clearly been beneficial for the club, the university, our community partners and the state of Missouri.”
“The Chiefs magical Super Bowl season kicked off at Missouri Western, and we hope to see similar results in the future,” Looney said. “We continue to have a tremendously positive relationship with the Chiefs and appreciate the club’s interest in our world-class facilities and beautiful campus. After another outstanding season, we anticipate that excitement will be at an all-time high.”
The Chiefs have held training camp on the campus of Missouri Western State University every year since 2010, when the club returned its training camp to the state of Missouri for the first time in 20 years. The 2020 edition of Chiefs training camp will mark the 11th-consecutive year at the home of the Griffons. Of the five total training camp sites used throughout franchise history, the 11-year tenure in St. Joseph is the third-longest at any one location.
Dates and additional details for 2020 Chiefs training camp will be announced on www.chiefs.com in mid-June.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.