What is the ultimate fate of Kemper?

[Tosspot]

Someone please fill me in here-- if it's been mentioned previously I never saw it...

What is going to happen to Kemper once Sprint Center is online? Bulldozed to tarnations?

The one redeeming quality of Kemper Arena is that odd seventies architecture that won an award so long ago...

[KC0KEK]

The last I heard, a study was underway to figure out what to do with it. It's supposed to be used for American Royal events, but the study will determine details such as whether it should be remodeled. I don't remember when the study is supposed to be released.

EDIT: The study will be released by late summer. More info at www.intix.org/news.php?ArticleID=994.

[shinatoo]

I don't see why it can't still be used. If we get a NFL or NBA team then there will be a lot of nights that the Sprint center will not be available. It's a paid for building, hate to tear it down. Plus, I think it's pretty cool looking on the outside. And even if you don't like the outside you have to admit its a unique building, and it's not like it's setting right downtown. I say spruce up the inside and keep renting it out. Wal-Mart might need a space that big someday.

[KC0KEK]

I like Kemper. It has outstanding sight lines for hockey. It probably would be in better shape if it still had an NHL or NBA tenant.

My guess is that Kemper can't be used for events that could go to the Sprint Center. It's pretty common for new arenas to be built with the condition that the existing one not compete for the same events. (That's why the St. Louis Arena went dark after Kiel Center opened and why Houston's former Compaq Center is now a church.) If Sprint Center has a similar stipulation, then it will be interesting to see whether Kemper can support itself or whether doing so would require major renovations. Then the question becomes whether it's cheaper just to tear it down than to remodel it or maintain it as is just for the American Royal.

[KCMax]

We could airlift it to OP so they can have their precious arena.

[kcdcchef]

have you been down there in october and november? the american royal has shit going on out  the wazoo. they will use it and use it well. so what if it is only 2 months a year, we spend millions on one arrowhead drive, for 10 days  a year. hopefully this year 12

[dangerboy]

We could airlift it to OP so they can have their precious arena.

GREAT IDEA!

Actually, the American Royal would get a lot of use out of Kemper.  The concept is that the Royal could significantly expand it's programming for much more of the year, with lots of other horse shows, contests, etc. and other Ag-related events and festivals.  One idea mentioned was decking over the lower level of the arena bowl in order to create a smaller arena on top and use the lower as exhibit space.

We should know more in a few months when the reuse study is released to the public.

[kcdcchef]

i had heard that too about making it one deck, with the lower bowl becoming exhibit space, but will require close to 80m to do that from what i heard, and that is darn cost inhibitive to ask taxpayers for since they are shelling out the bucks for the sprint center

[dangerboy]

i had heard that too about making it one deck, with the lower bowl becoming exhibit space, but will require close to 80m to do that from what i heard, and that is darn cost inhibitive to ask taxpayers for since they are shelling out the bucks for the sprint center

$80 seems *really* high for something like that.  Whatever happens, it will probably have to get by without much new public subsidy.  If the Royal or a private sponsor what's to step up then cool, otherwise I don't see taxpayers having much of an appetite for this after spending money on the Sprint Center, Truman SPorts Complex, and the debt service on the last Kemper renovation.

[kcdcchef]

hey, i was making a guess based on something similar done with the old washington arena in dc. the public will pay nothing for toilet bowl arena, trust me. we agree there

[knucklehead]

One crazy idea is some sort of rec center. There are a couple of commercial ice rinks in town. Apparently suburban parents shell out big money so their kids can practice figure skating and ice hockey. Also, If a pro team hockey team was located in sprint center, they may be interested in a practice facility.

May be it could be converted into a double hockey/ice rink on a bottom level and put in indoor tennis courts and indoor basketball courts on the top level.

That is probably not economically feasible but it would be one heck of a recreational facility.

[KC0KEK]

Doesn't the ice rink in Shawnee have an NHL-size sheet?

[kcdcchef]

yes, it does. the probelem with most of the ice rinks in the metro (crown center ice terrace, line creek) is they are not regulation size, making them hard to be used ever for hockey games. this would be neat, and as an avid hockey fan, i would love it, but i am not sure how much of a hockey town kc is.

[Hull-Os]

There are a couple of commercial ice rinks in town.

Actually four rinks with five sheets.

the probelem with most of the ice rinks in the metro (crown center ice terrace, line creek) is they are not regulation size

This isn't right at all.

Pepsi Ice Midwest has two regulation size ice surfaces. Ice Sports Kansas City has one. Line Creek has a 185' x 85' sheet of ice, which is plenty big enough for youth/high school practices and adult league games. NHL rinks at 200' X 85'. I don't know the exact size of AMF Ice Chateau's surface, but it feels like it is the same size as Line Creek.

Crown Center is not an ice rink. It is a ice skating terrace located within a retail shopping facility.

They will always have the pipes and chillers at Kemper for ice skating events (Stars on ice, exhibition hockey, etc.). I'd love for it to be a rec. center with ice. Topeka uses the Landon Center in this way.

Heck, if someone at Global Spectrum or the KC Sports Commission had any foresight or brains we would have an AHL team playing at Kemper.

Instead, they tried to shove that UHL garbage down our throats.

[kcdcchef]

that was my point, the nhl size is what i was referring to, that line creek does not have

and i know crown center well, we played 3 on 3 hockey there after work once a week from 89-94.

and i believe that neither of pepsi midwest's sheets are 200. i thought they were 185 both?

[Hull-Os]

Nope.

Ice Sports and Pepsi are both NHL sized rinks.

From Ice Sports Web site:
Ice Sports Arena features an NHL-sized (200' x 85') rink with seating for 800 spectators and on-premise parking for approximately 300 cars. There are a total of 7 team locker rooms as well as an Officials room within the facility.

Pepsi's surfaces are the same size.

[kcdcchef]

most of that is after my time, do not forget i moved from kc in the mid 90's, but i can vouch for the ice terrace, we played hockey there many nights.