Where is the Kansas City Chiefs' Training Camp?

By Jason Bolton July 20, 2024 01:22

Photo by Colin E. Braley | AP

Since 2020, the Kansas City Chiefs have held their route training camp at the University of Kansas Health System Training Complex in Kansas City. The modern practice complex, directly east of Arrowhead Stadium, occupies the site and is an annual source for NFL preseason game preparation.

The training complex has three outdoor fields, including two natural grass surfaces and an artificial turf field. The site also has a 120-yard indoor surface in the climate-controlled setting. The space is complete with meeting rooms, film review spaces, and a full-service cafeteria.

Chiefs' Training Camp History

The history of the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp dates back nearly six decades to 1960, when it was based outdoors in Dallas, Texas, for its inaugural season as the Dallas Texans. The Texans held their inaugural training camp at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM, during its first two seasons when the team was based in Dallas. They relocated camp four times from 1961 to 1965, moving it onto the campus of owner Lamar Hunt's alma mater at Southern Methodist University.

In the years after the original team moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became the Chiefs, training camp was held at different locations. The team held camp at William Jewell College in Clay County, Missouri, from 1972 to 1991, which is probably notable because Lamar Hunt had extensive business dealings there.

The Chiefs conducted training camp at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in River Falls, Wis., for 17 years starting in 1992. That span encompassed the team's 2007 training camp, featured in the HBO/NFL Films series "Hard Knocks."

In 2010, the team moved its training camp to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, a milestone for a franchise with as rich of history as this time. Before the 2010 season, Missouri Western built a climate-controlled indoor field 120 yards long and had extra office space for the Chiefs. The relationship with Missouri Western State University spanned ten years until the team relocated their training facility to Kansas City in 2020.

Training Camp Logistics and Operations

The Kansas City Chiefs training camp is organized and well run on the day to ensure an effective preseason preparation for their squad.

Normally, a day at training camp starts early, with players arriving for breakfast and having team meetings before heading out to the practice field. Structured practices targeting different areas of the game, including individual drills, team offense, and defense work with a special team period.

The Chiefs camp is one of only two camps in NC that has strict rules about players interacting with fans regarding autographs. Typically, the team has open practices. Fans can get up close to observe them during warm-ups and even interact with players after practice. This increases the connection and interaction between fanatics, who grow even closer with their Chiefs at this access level.