Tribal Warfare
08-15-2007, 11:46 AM
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2007/08/15/gretz_the_new_arrowhead/
GRETZ: The "New" Arrowhead
Aug 15, 2007, 8:35:25 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
RIVER FALLS – As a youngster, Clark Hunt would skateboard down the circular ramps that stand at the four corners of Arrowhead Stadium.
“I was six or seven years old when the stadium opened,” Hunt said. “It was a thrill going down those ramps. You could really fly. Now that I have my own kids, I’m not sure I want them to know about that.”
Today, the same Clark Hunt, sans skateboard, will unveil the new Arrowhead when plans for the renovation of the stadium are made public at a morning press conference. This will be the fans first opportunity to see what the Chiefs have come up with in working with the architects at HOK.
The Hunt children have carried this project on since Lamar Hunt’s death last December. But Clark says the changes coming at Arrowhead all have Lamar’s fingerprints on them.
“The final product that we ended up with is a design that my father would really, really be proud of,” Clark said. “He actually had a lot of influence on the design. Until a couple weeks before he passed away, he was attending design meetings and giving his input. A lot of what we unveil has his hands all over it.”
Clark, his sister Sharron and brothers Lamar, Jr. and Daniel are so intent on making sure the new Arrowhead will make their father proud that they have pushed the family’s contribution to $125 million from the original commitment of $75 million.
“We made the decision recently to significantly increase our investment to the project and we did so because we really wanted it to be special,” Clark said. “We could have done it under the original budget, but to get everything in it that we felt it needed to have we decided to make an additional investment to get it there.”
One of the aspects Lamar Hunt wanted that are visible with the designs is that all areas of the stadium will see changes.
“He wanted to make sure we not only did a nice job of renovating the club areas, but every level of Arrowhead,” said Clark. “He wanted the fans in those sections to see the benefits of the renovation.”
The goal for all those involved was to retain the unique features of Arrowhead, while bringing the stadium up to today’s standards around the NFL. A lot of the improvements won’t easily be seen with new plumbing, electrical and other systems. Others are obvious with wider concourses, more rest room facilities and more concession stands.
Clark Hunt hopes that when it’s all said and done, fans will still marvel at what they see at the Truman Sports Complex.
“I think when they drive into the complex, they are going to go WOW,” he said. “We have worked very hard to retain Arrowhead’s iconic architectural feel, but at the same time add elements to make it even more special.
“I think a fan driving into the complex are going to think it’s a really special building.”
Arrowhead is a special place to the Hunt family.
“It’s home in a sense that it’s been part of our life forever,” said Sharron. “We can’t remember a time when we weren’t going to Municipal or Arrowhead. So many memories of Dad have that backdrop.
“Some families have a lake house, or a cabin, or a beach condo. We have Arrowhead Stadium.
“That’s why this renovation is so important to us. Any time we can improve on it, that’s a very positive thing. But also it was so important to Dad; it’s really finishing Dad’s dream. That’s a very important aspect that we carry on.”
GRETZ: The "New" Arrowhead
Aug 15, 2007, 8:35:25 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
RIVER FALLS – As a youngster, Clark Hunt would skateboard down the circular ramps that stand at the four corners of Arrowhead Stadium.
“I was six or seven years old when the stadium opened,” Hunt said. “It was a thrill going down those ramps. You could really fly. Now that I have my own kids, I’m not sure I want them to know about that.”
Today, the same Clark Hunt, sans skateboard, will unveil the new Arrowhead when plans for the renovation of the stadium are made public at a morning press conference. This will be the fans first opportunity to see what the Chiefs have come up with in working with the architects at HOK.
The Hunt children have carried this project on since Lamar Hunt’s death last December. But Clark says the changes coming at Arrowhead all have Lamar’s fingerprints on them.
“The final product that we ended up with is a design that my father would really, really be proud of,” Clark said. “He actually had a lot of influence on the design. Until a couple weeks before he passed away, he was attending design meetings and giving his input. A lot of what we unveil has his hands all over it.”
Clark, his sister Sharron and brothers Lamar, Jr. and Daniel are so intent on making sure the new Arrowhead will make their father proud that they have pushed the family’s contribution to $125 million from the original commitment of $75 million.
“We made the decision recently to significantly increase our investment to the project and we did so because we really wanted it to be special,” Clark said. “We could have done it under the original budget, but to get everything in it that we felt it needed to have we decided to make an additional investment to get it there.”
One of the aspects Lamar Hunt wanted that are visible with the designs is that all areas of the stadium will see changes.
“He wanted to make sure we not only did a nice job of renovating the club areas, but every level of Arrowhead,” said Clark. “He wanted the fans in those sections to see the benefits of the renovation.”
The goal for all those involved was to retain the unique features of Arrowhead, while bringing the stadium up to today’s standards around the NFL. A lot of the improvements won’t easily be seen with new plumbing, electrical and other systems. Others are obvious with wider concourses, more rest room facilities and more concession stands.
Clark Hunt hopes that when it’s all said and done, fans will still marvel at what they see at the Truman Sports Complex.
“I think when they drive into the complex, they are going to go WOW,” he said. “We have worked very hard to retain Arrowhead’s iconic architectural feel, but at the same time add elements to make it even more special.
“I think a fan driving into the complex are going to think it’s a really special building.”
Arrowhead is a special place to the Hunt family.
“It’s home in a sense that it’s been part of our life forever,” said Sharron. “We can’t remember a time when we weren’t going to Municipal or Arrowhead. So many memories of Dad have that backdrop.
“Some families have a lake house, or a cabin, or a beach condo. We have Arrowhead Stadium.
“That’s why this renovation is so important to us. Any time we can improve on it, that’s a very positive thing. But also it was so important to Dad; it’s really finishing Dad’s dream. That’s a very important aspect that we carry on.”