Missouri Governor’s Latest Pitch to the Chiefs: Add a Roof, Not a Move

As Missouri tries to keep the Chiefs from potentially leaving Arrowhead Stadium and moving across the state border, Gov. Mike Kehoe has a potential answer: Put a lid on it. 

The governor is proposing the installation of a roof on the 53-year-old venue, marking the Show Me State’s latest salvo in a long-running stadium consideration by the Chiefs.

“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 Associated Press. “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.”

A substantial renovation of Arrowhead Stadium has long been one of the Chiefs’ options as it mulls its facility future, but Kehoe’s latest remarks represent a more specific and substantive notion along those lines. Among the venues that Kehoe references as a model for the Chiefs is Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, where the team played an international game two years ago against the Dolphins. That stadium, now a century old, has a translucent roof membrane, supported by cables, that is adjustable depending on the weather conditions. 

Kehoe’s more out-of-the-box thinking arrives as the Chiefs are looking to make a decision about a stadium, something that originally had been expected by this past summer, and then around the start of the 2025 NFL season. The Chiefs have not commented about Kehoe’s proposal, but last month, team owner Clark Hunt stressed patience as it continues deliberations on what will be a franchise-altering decision.

“I wouldn’t say we’re in limbo. Stadium projects move at their own pace,” Hunt said. “We’ve learned over the years that you can’t really force them to go faster, even if you want them to. And so it’s just important for us to keep working on both options.”

A final decision is now possible before the end of December.

In the meantime, neighboring Kansas has already approved a funding mechanism that would support a domed facility that would also enable major events in the Kansas City area such as the Super Bowl, Final Four, and College Football Playoff. That mechanism was extended to June 2026, but Kansas officials made it clear they want a decision from the Chiefs by year’s end. Missouri also has a state-level stadium funding plan in place.

NFL sources said the roof idea from Kehoe came as a surprise, as the renovation option for Arrowhead Stadium heretofore has been in the context of keeping it as an open-air venue. Installing a roof, even a fabric one, would likely push a renovation project already estimated at $1.15 billion beyond $2 billion and much closer to the cost of simply building a new venue. 

Taking Notes

While the Chiefs continue to evaluate their stadium options, they are taking copious notes of what other NFL teams are doing with their venues. Many road trips for the Chiefs this season, including a recent one to Buffalo, have been paired with stadium tours for team executives to get a deeper sense of the design choices and deal structures for other franchises.

Industry sources said Hunt also met recently in Kansas City with Commanders owner Josh Harris, who similarly negotiated with multiple jurisdictions in the Washington area before landing on a deal with the District of Columbia to build a new venue there. 

The Chiefs additionally have received a likely political boost on the Missouri side of this equation as Jackson County executive Frank White, a former Royals star and longtime opponent of stadium funding for both pro teams, was recently recalled.