The large white building rises stoically from the historic West Bottoms of Kansas City. Exposed trusses reach out from its lumbering profile, creating an exoskeleton that supports the structure and allows for pillar-free interior space.
a $39 million makeover that included creating a second floor to accommodate a total of 12 basketball courts on 82,000 sq. ft. of hardwood; building a 350-meter indoor track; and opening up space for more than 40 vendors. The facility is now called the Hy-Vee Arena, and it celebrated its grand opening in October 2018. A KANSAS CITY ICON The large white building rises stoically from the historic West Bottoms of Kansas City. Exposed trusses reach out from its lumbering profile,
creating an exoskeleton that supports the structure and allows for pillar-free interior space. The building’s unique construction, completed in 1974, was considered revolutionary—and for decades it made Kemper Arena the premier event venue in Kansas City. The iconic building has been the home to professional basketball, hockey, soccer, and arena football. It hosted the NCAA men’s and women’s Final Four basketball tournaments. Throngs of people watched hundreds of big rock and country concerts here. The American Royal utilized the space every year.
But after the Sprint Center arrived in Downtown Kansas City in 2007, big-name events migrated away from the West Bottoms. Kemper Arena became underutilized. And in 2011, the American Royal announced a proposal to demolish the big white building and replace it with a smaller event space. Coincidentally, the same week the American Royal’s plan hit the news, some friends approached Steve Foutch and told him that if Kansas City wanted to host large youth tournaments, they needed an event space large enough to accommodate at least eight
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