The Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Western State University have reached an agreement that will keep the Chiefs in St. Joseph, Missouri, for training camp in 2019. It marks the 10th-consecutive year of Chiefs training camp at the home of the Griffons.
"After another outstanding season, excitement should be at an all-time high this summer when the Kansas City Chiefs return for their 10th training camp in St. Joseph," Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western's president, said. "Thank you to Chiefs President Mark Donovan and Coach Andy Reid for continuing to embrace Missouri Western as their team's summer training camp home. It truly is an honor. Hosting an NFL training camp is a team effort, and I'm grateful beyond words to everyone on campus and in the community that work together to make it a memorable experience for the fans."
"Missouri Western State University has continued to deliver outstanding facilities and services for our annual training camp since we moved back to the state of Missouri prior to the 2010 season," Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. "The university and the city of St. Joseph provide our team the unique ability to go away for camp, while also offering resources and amenities for fans throughout Chiefs Kingdom to have access to their favorite team. We are thankful to Missouri Western State University leadership, specifically MWSU President Dr. Robert Vartabedian and Director of Athletics Josh Looney, for their continued support. We are looking forward to another summer in St. Joseph later this year."
In January 2018, the Chiefs and Missouri Western agreed to a contract extension that ensured training camp remained in St. Joseph in 2018 and provided both parties a mutual option for 2019. In the 2018 extension, the club and the university agreed to cost-reducing measures related to rental equipment and labor expenses to help drive down operating costs. Other conditions of the 2015 contract amendment and the original 2009 contract remain in place.
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. Of the five total training camp sites used throughout franchise history, the 10-year tenure in St. Joseph is the third-longest at any one location.
