KC Current owners announce plans for stadium district along the Kansas City riverfront

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The ownership group of the Kansas City Current announced plans Monday for the development of the Missouri River waterfront, where the club recently opened a purpose-built stadium for the National Women’s Soccer League team.

CPKC Stadium will serve as the hub for the project, which will break ground later this year and include residential units, public recreation and gathering spaces, and restaurant locations designed to create a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood setting.

Chris and Angie Long, part of the KC Current ownership group, said in a statement that more than $200 million in private funds have been guaranteed for the project. It is expected to exceed $800 million in total investment.

“Kansas City was founded at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers. With the next phase of our investment in Berkley Riverfront Park, our goal is to reconnect Kansas Citians to their riverfront, bringing even more energy and activity to the water,” Angie Long said. “We believe this foundational investment will benefit our community for years to come and cement the Berkley Riverfront as one of Kansas City’s great neighborhoods for residents and visitors alike.”

The announcement of the waterfront district, which lies on the north edge of downtown Kansas City, comes after residents in Jackson County, Missouri, voted down the extension of a sales tax initiative that would have earmarked money for the Chiefs and the Royals. The Chiefs wanted to use their share to help fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, while the Royals hoped to use their share to help fund a new stadium that would anchor a ballpark district at the southern edge of the downtown area.

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The renderings unveiled by the KC Current show modern glass-and-stone buildings along with a promenade, and the club said the intention is for public spaces to be used year-round for movie nights, food festivals, live music and other gatherings.

The centerpiece of the project remains CPKC Stadium, which opened March 16. The $117 million stadium was almost entirely financed through private money and is believed to be the first of its size built for a women’s professional sports franchise.

“We are creating an experience on par with some of the best waterfront redevelopment projects in the country,” Chris Long said. “The Berkley Riverfront is the front door to Kansas City and our aim is to make it a world-class destination for all in our region.”

Marquee Development is leading the development alongside the KC Current. It has worked on projects such as Gallagher Way near Wrigley Field in Chicago, the North Loop Green in Minneapolis and FC Cincinnati’s mixed-use district.

Perkins Eastman will provide the architectural designs. It has worked on waterfront projects in New York and Washington.

The club said an impact study estimated the first phase of this project would deliver more than $210 million in economic output for the city over the next 30 years. It also said a portion of the residences would be set aside for lower-income housing.

“The historic development plan signed with the Current will connect Kansas Citians and visitors to entertainment, housing and retail opportunities,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said, “generating millions in economic activity and thousands of jobs for generations to come in a long-underinvested area.”

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