Hy-Vee Arena

Hy-Vee Arena,previously known asKemper Arena,is anindoor arenalocated inKansas City, Missouri.Prior to conversion to a youth sports and community gymnasium facility, Kemper Arena was previously a 19,500-seat professional sports arena. It has hostedNCAAFinal Fourbasketballgames, professional basketball and hockey teams, professional wrestling events, the1976 Republican National Convention,concerts, and is the ongoing host of theAmerican Royallivestock show.

Hy-Vee Arena

Exterior view of venue, 2022
Former names	Kemper Arena (1974–2018) Mosaic Arena (2017)
Address	1800 Genessee St Kansas City, Missouri,US
Location	West Bottoms
Owner	Foutch Brothers LLC
Capacity	17,513 (1988–1997) 19,500 (1997–2016) 8,500 (2018–present)
Construction
Broke ground	July 17, 1972(1972-07-17)
Opened	September 30, 1974(1974-09-30)
Renovated	1976, 1987, 1996, 2017–2018
Construction cost	$23 million ($168 million in 2023 dollars)
Architect	Helmut Jahn
Services engineer	HNTB
General contractor	J. E. Dunn Construction Group
Tenants
Former tenants:see theHistory section
Website
hyveearena.com
Building details
General information
Groundbreaking	September 17, 2017(2017-09-17)
Opened	October 5, 2018(2018-10-05)
Renovation cost	$39 million
Renovating team
Architect(s)	Foutch Architecture and Development
Main contractor	McCownGordon Construction
R. Crosby Kemper Sr. Memorial Arena
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Architectural style	Modern
NRHP referenceNo.	14000160
Added to NRHP	September 9, 2016

It was originally named forRufus Crosby Kemper Sr.,a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million from his estate for the arena. In 2016, it was listed on theNational Register of Historic Placesin recognition of its revolutionary design byHelmut Jahn.

History

Construction

Kemper Arena, 2014, prior to its renovation. The exterior of the facility has remained unchanged, even after its renovation.

Kemper Arena was built in 18 months in 1973–74 on the site of the formerKansas City Stockyardsjust west of downtown in theWest Bottomsto replace the 8,000-seatMunicipal Auditoriumto play host to the city's professional basketball and hockey teams.

The arena was the first major project of German architectHelmut Jahn,who was to go on to become an important architect of his era.

The building was revolutionary in its simplicity and the fact it did not have interior columns obstructing views. Its roof is suspended by exterior steel trusses. The nearly windowless structure contrasts to Jahn's later signature style of providing wide-open, glass-enclosed spaces. Kemper's exterior skeleton style was to be used extensively throughout Jahn's other projects.

The building cost $22 million and was previously owned by the city of Kansas City, Missouri. Financing came from seven sources:

• $5.6 million from general obligation bonds
• $3.2 million donated byRufus Crosby Kemper Sr.
• $575,000 from bond interest
• $1.5 million donated by the American Royal Association
• Land provided by theKansas City StockyardsCompany
• $10 million from revenue bonds in conjunction with theJackson CountySports Authority
• $2 million in federal grants for street work

1970s

The 1976 Republican National Convention. Left to right, the vice-presidential candidate,KansasSenatorBob Dole,Mrs.Nancy Reagan,FormerCaliforniaGovernorRonald Reagan,President Gerald R. Ford,and Vice-PresidentNelson A. Rockefeller.First LadyBetty Fordis on the far right next to daughterSusan Ford.

The arena won architectural awards in the 1970s and had these notable tenants:

• 1974–1976 –Kansas City Scoutsof theNHL
• 1974–1985 –Kansas City Kingsof theNBA
• 1976 Republican National Convention(where PresidentGerald R. Forddefeated formerCaliforniaGovernorRonald Reaganfor the nomination)
• June 18, 1977Elvis Presley,played to a sold-out arena, only two months prior to his death at age 42.

1979 roof collapse

On June 4, 1979, at 6:45 p.m., a major storm with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds and heavy rains caused a portion of Kemper Arena's roof to collapse.Since the Arena was not in use at the time, no one was injured.

TheAmerican Institute of Architectshad given the building an "Honor" award in 1976and the AIA, coincidentally, was holding its annual national conference in Kansas City half a mile away at nearbyBartle Hall.The last event in the arena had been a Memorial Day concert by the Village People a week earlier.Further, the collapse coupled with the 1978 collapse of theHartford Civic Centerunder heavy snow prompted architects to seriously reconsider computer models used to determine the safety of arenas.

The arena was one of the first major projects by influential architectHelmut Jahnwho was to take over the Murphy/Jahn firm founded byCharles Murphy.Steel trusses that hung from three huge portals supported the reinforced concrete roof. Design elements had called for compensating for winds that caused the roof to swing like a pendulum. The exterior skeleton design had been considered revolutionary in its simplicity (it was built in 18 months).

Two major factors contributed to the collapse. First, the roof had been designed to gradually release rainwater to avoid overloading sewers. This caused water to pond (where water fills in as the roof sagged), adding to the weight. Second, there had been a miscalculation on the strength of the bolts on the hangers when subjected to the 70 mph (110 km/h) winds while supporting the additional rainwater weight as the roof swung back and forth. Once one of the bolts gave way there was acascading failureon the south side of the roof.

Approximately one acre, or 200 ft (61 m) × 215 ft (66 m) of roof collapsed. The air pressure, increased by the rapidly falling roof caused some of the walls to blow out. However, the portals remained undamaged.

An investigation was conducted, the issues were addressed, and the arena reopened within a year.

College basketball mecca

A ticket for the 1988 Men's NCAA Final Four

In the 1980s the arena became famed for its basketball tournaments including:

• NCAAMen's Final Four in 1988
• NCAAWomen's Final Four in 1998
• NCAA Regionals – in 1983, 1986, 1992, and 1995
• NCAA First and Second Rounds – in 1997, 2001, and 2004
• NAIAbasketball tournamentfrom1975to1993
• Big Eight ConferenceMen's Basketball Tournament from 1977 to 1996
• Big 12 ConferenceMen'sBasketball tournamentfrom 1997 to 2002 and 2005
• Guardians Classicin 2001
• Mid-Continent Conferencemen's basketball tournament in 2003 and 2004

TheKansas Jayhawksalso played at least one men's basketball game a year in Kemper Arena as an outreach to its fanbase in Kansas City, the last such game being against theToledo Rocketsin the 2006–07 season; since then the Jayhawks have played one regular season game a year in the newT-Mobile Center.

Other professional sports

• 1974–1976 –Kansas City Scoutsof the National Hockey League played in the arena before the team moved to Denver, becoming theColorado Rockies;they later moved in 1982 to New Jersey, becoming theNew Jersey Devils
• 1974–1985 –Kansas City Kingsof the National Basketball Association who moved from Cincinnati, then to Sacramento
• 1981–1991 –Kansas City Cometsof the originalMajor Indoor Soccer League(MISL)
• 1992–2005 –Kansas City Attack(later renamed theKansas City Comets) of theNational Professional Soccer League(NPSL) and a later version of theMajor Indoor Soccer League(MISL)
• 1990–2001 –Kansas City Bladesof theInternational Hockey League(IHL)
• 2000–2002 –Kansas City Knightsof theAmerican Basketball Association(ABA)
• 2004–2005 –Kansas City Outlawsof theUnited Hockey League(UHL)
• 2006–2007 –Kansas City Brigadeof theArena Football League
• 2007 – National Professional Paintball League (NPPL)[1]makes its 4th stop of the 2007 season at Kemper. The event will be the first NPPL event held with a field indoors.
• 2013 –Kansas City Renegadesof theChampions Professional Indoor Football League(CPIFL)

Professional wrestling

The Kemper Arena hostedProfessional wrestlingfrom 1984 until 2008. Promotions such asCentral States Wrestling,WWE,National Wrestling Alliance,Universal Wrestling Federation,andWorld Championship Wrestlingall held events there.

Death of Owen Hart

Main articles:Owen Hart § Death,andOver the Edge (1999)

On May 23, 1999, theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF, now WWE) hosted theOver the Edgepay-per-view event at Kemper Arena. During the event,Owen Hart,wrestling under his Blue Blazergimmick,was to make a superhero-likering entrance,which would have seen him descend from thearena raftersinto thering.He was, however, released prematurely when theharness linemalfunctioned, andfellmore than 70 feet (21 m) into the ring and later died at nearbyTruman Medical Center-Hospital Hill.After the incident, the event was halted for 15 minutes, untilVince McMahonand other WWF Corporate officials made the decision to continue the event.Criticism later arose over the WWF's decision to continue the show after the accident.In court, his widowMartha,children, and parents sued theorganization,contending that poor planning of the dangerous stunt caused Owen's death.WWFsettledthe case out of court, payingUS$18 millionto his widow, children, and parents.Due to the accident and controversy surrounding the event, the Over the Edge name was retired.The event was also not released for home video viewing until the launch of theWWE Networkin 2014, where an edited version of the show that displays a tribute to Hart at the beginning but otherwise removes any mention of his involvement was released.In October 1999, Owen's brother,Bret Hartand longtime Hart family friendChris Benoithad a tribute match in honor of Owen at Kemper Arena onWCW Monday Nitro.

1990s additions and renovations

Additional American Royal livestock buildings were built adjoining Kemper in 1991–92 at a cost of $33.4 million (the City of Kansas City built the original American Royal Arena in 1922 nearby for about $650,000)

In 1997, a $23 million expansion made significant changes to the original Jahn design—most notably a glass-enclosed east lobby. Other changes include: 2,000 more seats, upgraded lower-level seating, four restrooms, and a handicapped entrance to the arena.

Conversion to youth sports and community gym facility

In 2017–18, the arena underwent a $29 million renovation by Foutch Architecture and Development LLC to be converted into a youth sports facility.The renovated arena features 12 mixed-use hardwood basketball courts, four on the lower level and eight on the new upper level, and a 350-meter indoor running track.Each level also has spaces for retail services and commercial office space. The renovated arena was previously set to be known as Mosaic Arena as a result of a naming rights sponsorship byMosaic Life Care;however, Mosaic Life Care released its naming rights sponsorship in December 2017.On May 17, 2018, Midwestern grocery store chainHy-Veesecured the naming rights, making the arena's official name Hy-Vee Arena.

American Royal

TheAmerican RoyalAssociation formerly hosted livestock events at Kemper starting when it was first constructed. The Royal also helped pay for the original building. Its offices were located in the building along with the American Royal Museum. The Royal moved to a new complex that includesHale Arena.

See also

• List of National Basketball Association arenas
• List of National Hockey League arenas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jackson County, Missouri: Downtown Kansas City

References

• Danielle Cove Thesis "Structure: Form vs. Function" on collapseArchived by theWayback Machine.

External links

• Official website
• Kemper Arena's WebsiteArchived by theWayback Machine.

Events and tenants
Preceded by Municipal Auditorium	Home of the Kansas City Kings 1974–1985	Succeeded by Sacramento Sports Arena
Preceded by Miami Beach Convention Center	Host of the Republican National Convention 1976	Succeeded by Joe Louis Arena
Preceded by Louisiana Superdome	NCAAMen's Division I Basketball tournament Finals Venue 1988	Succeeded by Kingdome
Preceded by first arena	Home of the Kansas City Scouts 1974–1976	Succeeded by McNichols Sports Arena
Preceded by first arena	Home of the Kansas City Brigade 2006–2007	Succeeded by Sprint Center