Kemper Demolition Dreams Denounced

A movement to save the aging Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., is gaining steam more than a year after demolition plans were introduced for the venue.

The 38-year-old, 18,000-capacity arena may have hosted artists including The Rolling Stones, Elton John, George Strait  and Jay-Z during its heyday, but those days have waned since the Sprint Center opened in 2007.

In 2011, the American Royal Rodeo that rents the Kemper came up with a plan that would see the building razed to make way for new development. The proposal was estimated to cost $60 million and would feature a 5,000-capacity coliseum, an open-air pavilion with space for showing horses and livestock, and an outdoor plaza.

Although it may have taken a while, preservationist groups have finally come out of the woodwork to voice their disapproval for the demolition dreams.

“I felt that it was very shortsighted to rush to demolish the building, rather than repurposing it,” chairman of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, Erik Heitman, told the Kansas City Star. “The first response is that they wanted to tear down an event space to build another event space. That cannot be an efficient use of a community asset.”

So what, exactly, would be a more efficient use for the building?

One proposal that’s been floated would convert the venue into a youth sports facility, the paper reported. Other plans call for staging additional agricultural events at the arena to broaden its exposure in the region.

No matter what happens, the city will need to consult with the American Royal Association, which holds a lease on the arena through 2045.

“The American Royal has veto rights on that facility,” City Manager Troy Schulte told the Star.