Kansas City, Mo. ? A letter obtained by The Kansas City Star shows a developer withdrew plans to renovate Kemper Arena after the American Royal Association threatened a lawsuit.

The newspaper reports an attorney for American Royal, which hosts livestock exhibitions and professional rodeos, told Foutch Brothers in a letter to quit its efforts to have Kemper Arena declared a historic structure.

The designation would have helped with financing for Foutch’s proposal to turn the arena into a youth sports facility.

Foutch and American Royal have spent months pitching plans for the future of the arena. While Foutch’s proposal would preserve the arena, plans by American Royal call for tearing it down and replacing it with a multipurpose building.

The letter claims a historic designation would negatively affect American Royal’s lease with the city for the American Royal Complex that includes the arena.