City puts call for Kemper redevelopment out to developers

Courtesty City of Kansas City, Mo.

Courtesty City of Kansas City, Mo.

The city has put out a nationwide call for proposals to developers who have ideas for redeveloping Kemper Arena or its site.

The future of Kemper has become a controversial subject, with some urging the city to preserve the building and others advocating demolition. The city says it will entertain proposals for commercial, residential, office, retail, or recreation facilities or “any other development that contributes to the West Bottoms neighborhood and the betterment of Kansas City, Missouri.”

“The announcement of Kansas City’s request for proposals for the redevelopment of Kemper Arena is significant to the economic development of Kansas City and the revival of the West Bottoms,” said Councilman Ed Ford in a press release. “The redevelopment of Kemper Arena offers an exciting opportunity for developers who are looking to become a part of Kansas City’s growth.”

The Kemper site includes 10 acres of land. In its request, the city offers this description of the site for prospective redevelopers:

Constructed in 1974, Kemper Arena once served as Kansas City’s primary multi-purpose indoor event space and has been home to the Kansas City King’s NBA team and the Kansas City Scouts NHL team. When it was constructed, the arena offered an impressive 17,500 seat indoor multi-purpose space. The arena was expanded in 1997 to add an enclosed east lobby, upgraded lower-level seating, four additional restrooms, a handicapped accessible entrance to the arena and 2,000 additional seats, bringing its total capacity to 19,500 seats.

The proposals are due on August 21, 2015. They will be evaluated based on the developer’s qualifications and project proposal.

Leave a Comment