[8] The stadium occasionally hosts international association football and rugby league competitions and acts as a venue for concerts by musical artists.

[7] He and his team partnered with consulting firm Drivers Jonas to explore preliminary issues such as stadium location, seating capacity, and facilities offered.

Topliss stated that his team had "a totally blank canvas" and by working with consultants they made "a thorough assessment" of what was needed.

[7] Factors contributing to the decision include transport guidance, central government planning guidelines, existing athletic facilities, isolation from residential areas, and council ownership.

[7] Despite this, the stadium complex was completed on time after fourteen months of work[8] and on budget, sitting at approximately £44 million.

[1] Plans have previously been prepared for the potential extension of the stadium following Hull City's promotion to the Premier League.

[8] Over the summer of 2007, SMC installed an LED[24] screen in the Smith & Nephew North Stand to replace the old electronic scoreboard.

[25] The screen has an area of approximately 40 m2 (430 ft.2) and displays such content as live home game feeds, match highlights, interviews, and action replays.

In the Ideal Standard Community East Stand, the seats form an image of a coronet,[15] a symbol of the city that also appears in the club crest for Hull F.C.

[27] The stadium complex also includes the 1,500 capacity Bonus Arena, a skate park, two multi-use all-weather pitches, a community learning zone complete with classrooms, a health & fitness suite, a cyber cafe, and a library.

[29] In 2011, the then-Hull City owner Assem Allam announced that he wanted to buy the stadium freehold so he could develop, as he stated, "a sports park" on the site.

[6] In February 2023, Tan Kesler, Hull City's vice chairman, announced that the club were exploring the plans that had been made during the stadium's construction to upgrade the area surrounding the ground.

Kesler stated that the club would work closely with the local council to ensure that the Hull Fair would not be impacted by any upgrades, as it occupies an area of land that could be used for potential development.

[34] Hull City moved into the stadium upon its opening and it soon became the backdrop for the club's rapid climb through the Football League.

[55] Attendances for Hull City's league games at the stadium have averaged above 16,000 in each full season they have played there, apart from a five year period between 2017 and 2022, where a mixture of protests against Assem Allam's ownership of the club and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced crowds significantly.

On 9 February 2003, they played their first match at the then-KC Stadium, a 24–16 fourth round Challenge Cup victory over Halifax in front of 15,310 spectators.

[61] They came agonisingly close to victory again the following season, reaching the Super League Grand Final but ultimately losing 26–4 to St Helens.

Therefore, half of the city's rugby league fanbase does not follow the Black and Whites, unlike in the football where there is only one professional side.

chairman Adam Pearson discussed the possibility of the club leaving the MKM Stadium, as attendances for the Black and Whites' games have generally averaged far below full capacity since arriving.

[67] Pearson admitted that although he would be happy to explore the proposed idea of having a smaller stadium that was owned by the club, it was simply a "pipe dream" and not a currently viable option.

[68] In 2009, the then-KC Stadium was shortlisted as a possible venue for games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup should England win the right to host it.

[74] The MKM Stadium has become an occasional host venue for international rugby league games, including Great Britain matches in both the Tri-Nations[10] and the Ashes[11] competitions.

[77] Due to the unavailability of its usual venue of Old Trafford, the stadium also hosted the 2020 Super League Grand Final.

[78][79] As well as serving as a sporting venue, the MKM Stadium also hosts musical events, including such artists as Sir Elton John,[12] Bryan Adams,[80] Neil Diamond,[81] R.E.M.,[82] Bon Jovi,[83] and The Who.