The new arrowhead??

I am going to the home opener preseason game tomorrow. I have to work first (putting stuff in the cupholders in each of the seats???) but that's okay. It will all be worth it when I can boo trent green right off the field! I hope he loses BAD!!

So, here you go - for the opening day and in honor of Lamar Hunt:

Clark Hunt on the New Arrowhead
Aug 15, 2007, 2:44:10 PM
at the New Arrowhead Press Conference

This is an exciting day for Chiefs fans and the citizens of Jackson County, and, on a personal note, it’s a very special day for our family. In a few minutes, we’ll unveil the plans for the New Arrowhead Stadium, but before we do, I’d like to take a few moments to share a little bit about the inspiration behind the plans.

As a family, we have always been very proud to call Arrowhead the “Home of the Chiefs”. Last Sunday marked the 35th anniversary (hehe...I'm going to be 35 in 2 months) of the first game ever played at Arrowhead – a Chiefs victory over the then St. Louis Cardinals (24-14). Its visionary design influenced every stadium that followed. When Arrowhead opened, famed Bears founder George Halas called it the most “revolutionary, futuristic sports complex” he had ever seen, and Jackson County was lauded across the country for its forward-thinking citizens. Thirty-five years later, we are very proud that Arrowhead is still regarded as one of the most magnificent structures in pro sports and an icon in the National Football League, but we’re even more proud of what Arrowhead has become.

Arrowhead is the home to the best fans in the NFL. Chiefs fans are knowledgeable, passionate, loyal and – most importantly – loud. The passion of our fans is the lifeblood of the team. To Chiefs fans, Arrowhead is much more than a stadium, it’s an experience, and we think the New Arrowhead will help enhance that experience for our fans.

For our family, Arrowhead is also a special place because of what it meant to my father, Lamar. This stadium was born out of his vision for the sport of pro football in Mid-America and his passion for the Chiefs. And, by his own account, it was his favorite place on Earth.

Just weeks before his passing, he was still developing ideas and attending design meetings with the architects. He made a very specific request of those of us involved in the process to “get it right” for the fans, and it’s been very important to all of us to make sure that we do so. The New Arrowhead represents our family’s commitment to my father’s vision and we’ll honor his legacy by being good stewards to the taxpayers of Jackson County.

Family’s financial commitmentAs Mike mentioned earlier, our family recently made the decision to significantly increase our financial commitment to the construction budget. While the modernization as required by our agreement with Jackson County could have been achieved within the original $325 million budget, we felt that to “get it right”, it was important to go beyond what was required to ensure that Arrowhead remains one of the greatest stadiums in the NFL for decades to come. These extra dollars will primarily go to the following areas:

Audio/Visual enhancements including a 360 degree ribbon board
A “Hall of Honor” that will offer our fans a chance to experience the rich history of the Chiefs.
Significantly improved team training facilities comparable to the very best in the NFL.
A field at the Chiefs training complex available for youth football teams in our community.
A new “Horizon Level” on the south side of the stadium that will provide fans an opportunity to view the game from a festive, open-air concourse.
Additional seating at every vantage point in the stadium for our fans with disabilities.
And finally, architectural enhancements that will ensure that Arrowhead retains its status as the most beautiful stadium in the NFL

All of these improvements are focused on our two primary goals:

To augment Arrowhead’s reputation as the best gameday experience in the NFL
To have a football team that our fans can be proud of and one that is capable of bringing home the trophy that bears my father’s name.

Conclusion
As an organization, we are very excited about the New Arrowhead, and we believe that Chiefs fans will share our enthusiasm. Now, without further adieu, I’d like to turn it over to Dennis Wellner, the principal architect for the project from HOK Sport who will walk you through a brief presentation on the “New Arrowhead”.

Want a preview? Check it out:
http://www.kcchiefs.com/newarrowhead/

Off to bed...I'm sure tomorrow will be a LOOOOOOOONG day!

C'ya!