As the Kansas City Chiefs weigh whether to renovate Arrowhead Stadium or build a new home in Kansas, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe this week floated the possibility of a retractable roof at the team’s current stadium.
Kehoe told The Associated Press on Tuesday there have not been discussions about building a domed stadium in Missouri. But the Republican governor suggested there could be other options on the table for Arrowhead.
“There’s some interesting architectural improvements to make to Arrowhead that could be conducive to an all-weather protective environment without being a full dome,” Kehoe told the AP. “I would say, look at some of the structures that are in Europe that may have some sort of fabric device that goes over it.”
Kehoe’s comments come as officials in Kansas and Missouri have fought over the right to host the Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals, with both states offering incentive packages. The protracted battle intensified after Jackson County voters last year rejected a sales tax that would have guaranteed both teams remained within the county limits.
When asked to expand on the governor’s comments, Kehoe’s spokesperson sent an email to The Star on Tuesday that referenced the state’s sweeping incentives package that allows Missouri to pay for up to 50% of a new stadium for the team.
“While decisions about stadium design and renovations ultimately rest with the team,” said spokesperson Gabby Picard, “the Governor believes there are many creative opportunities to utilize Missouri’s Show-Me Sports Investment Act to support improvements that enhance the fan experience—while preserving the iconic Arrowhead atmosphere that Chiefs fans know and love.”
Picard added that Kehoe “remains confident that Missouri is the best home for the Kansas City Chiefs.”
A Chiefs spokesperson declined to comment on Kehoe’s idea on Wednesday. But the Republican governor has remained in close talks with the team’s leadership in recent weeks.
Records obtained by The Star last month revealed that Kehoe held several private meetings with both the Chiefs and Royals in October, illustrating the significant role the governor has played in negotiations over the teams’ future.
As the fight over the teams drags on, revelations and reports on both sides of the state line have only intensified speculation about either team’s intentions.
A Chiefs lobbyist told Missouri lawmakers in legislative hearings over the summer that, if the team stayed in Missouri, officials planned to renovate their current spot at Arrowhead Stadium.
A lobbyist for the Royals was less specific about the team’s intentions in Missouri at the time, telling lawmakers that there were “a couple of locations in consideration in Missouri.”
Amid the debate in Missouri, Kansas lawmakers also ratcheted up the pressure over the summer when they voted to extend their massive incentives deal for the teams through the end of the year. The Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR bonds incentive package was initially slated to expire in June.