What is MANICA? See past designs from one finalist for Chiefs’ new stadium
Two local architecture firms have been named finalists by the Chiefs to build the team’s new stadium coming to Wyandotte County in 2031, according to a statement from the team.
MANICA is one of two finalists that could take on the project.
The architecture firm is based out of Kansas City, Kansas, and was founded in 2007 by David Manica. They’re known for a recent NFL stadium design in Tennessee, an upcoming NBA arena and two local bars.
Manica’s architectural origins trace back to KC-based sports architecture firm HOK Sport, which changed their name to Populous after a management buyout from HOK Group in 2009. Populous is the other finalist named by the Chiefs.
The firm lists its size as hosting 11-50 employees, according to its LinkedIn profile.
What has MANICA designed?
MANICA is responsible for designs and upgrades to over 30 stadiums, arenas, training facilities and residential buildings around the world. Recently, the firm designed the new Nissan Stadium, the new stadium of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans in Nashville, opening in 2027.
MANICA also helped design and upgrade these venues:
- Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.
- Chase Center in San Francisco
- Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona
- Guangzhou Area in Guangzhou, China
- Aichi Prefecture Arena in Nagoya, Japan
- Lusail Iconic Stadium in Doha, Qatar, for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The firm has also designed The Mercury Room and The Monarch Bar, two upscale cocktail bars in the Kansas City area. Future plans include a planned Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and a new arena for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, scheduled to open in 2028.
“Our entire team would be thrilled to partner with the Kansas City Chiefs to help bring their new home to life,” Manica said in a statement. “The Chiefs are a storied franchise and we envision a stadium that exemplifies the organization’s championship mentality and the awe-inspiring spirit of our beloved Arrowhead Stadium.”
MANICA had published renderings of what a Kansas City Royals stadium would look like located in the city’s West Bottoms in 2024. and a Chiefs stadium at the interchange of Interstates 70 and 435 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Renderings were shown after a Jackson County’s sales tax vote to help pay for a new Kansas City Royals ballpark in the Crossroads and upgrades to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in 2024 failed.
If MANICA is selected, they will be responsible for constructing a stadium “in a first-class manner, so as to be generally comparable in overall quality and features to other domed NFL stadiums,” according to a 33-page legal contract.
One of the comparable stadiums listed in the contract is the new Titans stadium designed by MANICA.
