"It’s going to be taxpayers": Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes’ $325 million KC Current face mixed reactions over $1.4 billion stadium expansion plan

The Kansas City Current’s rapid rise has brought fresh attention to the club’s home, CPKC Stadium. But a proposed $1.4 billion development around the riverfront sparked a debate in July 2026. The ambitious project promised a bigger matchday experience, better connections and new attractions. However, its request for as much as $235 million in public bonds raised questions about who should pay for the transformation. With Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes among the club’s high-profile owners, the proposal also put the spotlight on the Current’s future in Kansas City.KC Current stadium expansion plan puts public funding under scrutinyThe proposed development aimed to turn the Berkley Riverfront into a larger sports and entertainment destination. Plans included additional seating at CPKC Stadium, new restaurants, improved walking and cycling trails, a parking garage and a pedestrian bridge linking the River Market to the stadium.New designs released by the Kansas City Current and architecture firm Gensler on June 30 offered a glimpse of how the district could change. The bridge, in particular, drew interest from people who regularly travel through the area.Tori Carter, who works nearby, welcomed the idea of separating pedestrian movement from road traffic. “A bridge would be so big — it’s kind of just annoying when you’re driving and you’ve got to wait for people crossing, so a bridge would be huge,” Carter said.Some residents also viewed the expansion as a natural next step for a neighbourhood that has changed significantly since the stadium opened. Azealia Dixon, who had lived in the area for three years, said the project could bring more activities and visitors to the city.“I think it’s awesome. It brings a lot of people to Kansas City — more expansion, more fun, more things to do. And it’s local too and it’s convenient now so everyone kind of has the opportunity to come,” Dixon said.Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes’ KC Current expansion faces mixed reactionThe biggest point of disagreement was not the proposed construction itself, but the financing. The plan asked Kansas City to support up to $235 million in public bonds. Mayor Quinton Lucas backed the request, but the proposal still needed full City Council approval before formal negotiations could move forward.For some supporters, that funding request was difficult to accept. Danielle Russell, vice president of the KC Blue Crew supporters group, pointed to the club’s original promise of a privately financed stadium.“When the stadium was first announced, a big part of it was the privately financed aspect and how special that was,” Danielle Russell said.She remained interested in the improvements but admitted that public funding changed how some fans viewed the proposal.“While I think there’s a lot of feelings that of course you’re going to need a bond, of course it’s going to be taxpayers — that’s just how reality goes — there’s just this part that’s like, man, this stinks. It’s conflicting a bit,” she said.Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes are part of the KC Current ownership group, making the club’s long-term growth a notable part of the wider discussion. Still, the July proposal was not a completed deal. City officials also had parking and traffic concerns to review before the council could decide whether to advance it.The expansion offered a major vision for the riverfront, but its future depended on whether Kansas City could agree on how to pay for it.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.