KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected on the streets of downtown Kansas City Wednesday as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs’ second Super Bowl championship in two years.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be joined by teammates, family members and Chiefs officials as they navigate a major downtown thoroughfare in open-top vehicles.
Most schools, many businesses, and some government offices in the Kansas City metropolitan area will be closed so people can celebrate. The event begins at noon and will conclude with a victory rally at the city’s Union Station.
Officials began planning for the save even before the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 Sunday on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.
Officials said more than 19 local and area law enforcement agencies, along with firefighters and transportation leaders, are standing by for the expected crowds.
The City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to allocate $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated that overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.
The Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute an additional $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.
After decades of a championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Two years ago, the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers for the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. This followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years.
