The Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium saga just took another turn, as Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe stepped in with a proposal to keep the Super Bowl champions in-state. While Chiefs owner Clark Hunt continues to evaluate whether the team’s next home will be a renovated Arrowhead Stadium or a brand-new domed venue in Kansas, Kehoe’s idea seeks to offer a middle ground: modernization without relocation.

According to Kehoe, the state could pursue architectural upgrades to Arrowhead that would add a partial or retractable roof, inspired by cutting-edge designs seen in European sports arenas.

”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 said.

The move could preserve Arrowhead’s iconic open-air feel while providing the weather protection and fan comfort of a modern facility. This proposal comes at a critical time. The Chiefs’ lease at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium expires in January 2031, and Jackson County voters earlier this year rejected a sales tax extension meant to fund an $800 million renovation.

That defeat left Missouri scrambling to craft an alternative offer while Kansas lawmakers aggressively positioned themselves as a viable destination, offering up to 70% of the costs for a potential $3 billion domed stadium. Missouri has countered with a plan covering up to 50% of costs and an added $50 million in tax credits, but Kehoe’s flexible roof idea could strengthen the state’s pitch.

For over five decades, Arrowhead Stadium has been a cornerstone of Missouri’s sports identity, hosting countless historic moments and fostering one of the NFL’s loudest home-field advantages. But as the Chiefs continue to thrive in the Patrick Mahomes era, the expectations for a world-class, multipurpose venue have only increased.

”We’ve learned over the years that you can’t really force them to go faster, even if you want them to,” Hunt said recently. ”And so it’s just important for us to keep working on both options.”

The organization continues to explore both states’ offers in parallel, leveraging the growing competition to secure the best long-term outcome for the franchise and its fans.

Clark Hunt weighs future beyond the Arrowhead

According to KCMO Talk Radio 95.7 FM host Pete Mundo, the Chiefs have issued requests for proposals (RFPs) to multiple architectural firms for a potential domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

The early design included 65,000 seats, a retractable grass field, and an enclosed dome. Mundo clarified that the RFPs ”does NOT mean they are going to Kansas,” but indicate that the organization is ”seriously explore a move across the state line.”

Missouri, meanwhile, is refining its own proposal, emphasizing a flex-roof renovation that would keep Arrowhead’s legacy intact at a fraction of the cost of building a full dome.

Early architectural studies suggest that such upgrades could cost less than half the cost of a complete rebuild.

At stake is more than just a building; it’s the identity of the franchise and the future of Kansas City’s football legacy. As Hunt evaluates proposals from both states, the Chiefs’ consulting partners, CAA Icon for Kansas and Populous for Missouri, are crafting competing visions of what comes next.

Whether the franchise remains in Missouri or crosses the border to Kansas will shape not only the Mahomes era but the next half-century of Chiefs football.