As the Kansas City Chiefs weigh staying at a renovated Arrowhead Stadium or moving to a proposed dome in Kansas, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has another idea. A full dome might not be in the cards, but that doesn’t mean Arrowhead can’t get a protective roof of its own.

“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 on Tuesday. “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 was in Germany in November 2023, while the Chiefs played the Miami Dolphins at Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park, which opened in 1925 but has undergone numerous renovations. Now, the home of soccer club Eintracht Frankfurt has a flexible, translucent roof membrane supported by cables that can be opened or closed depending on the weather.

If something similar is implemented at Arrowhead, it would preserve the stadium’s outdoor environment while also offering an indoor-like option when needed.

Kehoe further stated how Chiefs fans “like the rough and tough and getting outside.

“I think the ownership group does realize that the fan base likes the environment they’re in and would love to continue with a legacy experience at Arrowhead.”

However, the Chiefs declined to comment on Kehoe’s statements when The Associated Press reached out.

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 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 countered with a plan covering up to 50% of costs and an added $50 million in tax credits, and 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,” Clark Hunt, CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs, said a day ago. ”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 the future beyond the Arrowhead Stadium

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 new stadium to be built at Interstate 435 and Interstate 70.

The early design included 65,000 seats, a retractable grass field, and an enclosed dome. Mundo clarified that the RFPs do not necessarily mean they are going to Kansas, but indicate that the organization is seriously exploring 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.

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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.