By MARGARET STAFFORD
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets of downtown Kansas City on Wednesday as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs’ second Super Bowl championship in two years.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be joined by teammates, family and Chiefs officials as they ride in open-air vehicles down one of the city’s main downtown streets.
Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area will be closed so people can celebrate. The event starts at noon and will end with a victory rally at the city’s Union Station.
Officials began planning the parade even before the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 Sunday on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.
Officials said that more than 19 local and area law enforcement agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders are ready for the anticipated crowd.
The City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to earmark $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.
The the Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute another $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.
After decades of 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. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years.
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