Kansas City's Sprint Center

[Patrick]

A few have commented that the city of Kansas City will be building a new arena to try to attract NHL and NBA. The Sprint Center, as it will be known by, will be completed in 2007. Hmmmm......I wonder if that's why Shinn gave the city of OKC a possible 2 year deal. Anyways, the arena will seat 18,500, somewhat smaller than the Ford Center. It is all glass around the outside, but to tell you the truth, it's no more spectacular than the Ford Center. It's just a round cylinder like the Ford Center.

Here's a look: http://www.yourkcarena.com/media.htm

[Patrick]

I will admit, the glass exterior is impressive, but other than that, it's not anymore impressive than the Ford Center. I don't see why all the hype.

Tulsa's arena has more class than the Sprint Center will have.

[Decious]

My understanding is that Kansas City doesn't want an NBA team. Here's and article supporting that thinking.

NBA INSIDER: TIM POVTAK

Kansas City prefers NHL team
Tim Povtak
INSIDE THE NBA

September 11, 2005

NBA franchises looking for leverage to find funding for new arenas -- such as like the Orlando Magic, the Sacramento Kings and the Milwaukee Bucks -- will not get much help from Kansas City, which was expected to be everyone's ace.

Although they will have a sparkling new arena -- the kind any NBA team would love -- ready by the fall of 2007, the sports fans in Kansas City really aren't thinking about the NBA.

Surprisingly, they would prefer the National Hockey League.

"There's just a lot more grass-roots passion here for hockey than there is for the NBA,'' said Kevin Gray, president of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission. "And the average ticket price in the NBA might be a little cost prohibitive for our market. The business model they have now in the NHL makes more sense for us.''

Residents of Kansas City have been passionate about college basketball -- they have hosted more NCAA Finals Fours than any place else -- and they expect to open a college basketball hall of fame in the new arena, but there has been no real push for the NBA, according to Gray.

In Kansas City, there already is an NHL21 group formed, organized and pushing to make hockey the anchor tenant for the $250 million building. Although Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes has said she would prefer an NBA team, she is clearly in the minority, sports officials in the city say.

"She's term-limited,'' Gray said. "I think for Joe Fan in this area, hockey would probably work better.'' Kansas City is one of the few cities in America that already has lost both an NBA and an NHL team. The NBA's Kings left for Sacramento in 1985. The NHL's Scouts moved to Colorado in 1976.

Kansas City already has the Chiefs of the NFL, which are supported well, and the Royals in Major League Baseball, which are not supported well., and Gray said he wonders if the city is strong enough for a third major professional sport.

Barnes stepped forward last week and offered her city -- and its current Kemper Arena -- as a temporary and immediate home for the displaced New Orleans Hornets, but it's unlikely the Hornets will play there.

Tim Leiweke -- president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company that will manage the new arena -- was asked earlier this summer whether it would be an NBA or an NHL team that eventually could resettle in Kansas City.

"If I had to guess today, I would say it's the NHL,'' Leiweke told the Kansas City Star.

[Patrick]

Hmmmm....they can use the Ford Center for leverage. If Orlando, Sacramento, or Milwaukee won't build their teams a new arena, we'll offer them a sweet deal on the Ford Center. Even if the Hornets go back to New Orleans, we still got a chance at getting another team to relocate here, based on our support of the Hornets.

[Patrick]

On the KC arena site it states: The City and arena partner AEG are working to bring an NBA or NHL franchise to the new arena, as well as securing a regular engagement for the popular Big 12 Men’s and Women’s BasketballTournaments. DADT is designing the building to accommodate basketball, hockey, arena football, concerts and family shows.

I guess their preference would be NHL.

Personally, my preference for OKC would be NBA, simply because I think it gets more exposure.

[metro]

I doubt they will relocate from OKC to KC unless we end up not supporting them well towards the end of this season and throughout next season. I have to disagree and state that the KC arena is much more impressive looking than ours although ours does hold more. I would love to have that all glass futuristic building sparkling on Reno Ave.

[Patrick]

I doubt they will relocate from OKC to KC unless we end up not supporting them well towards the end of this season and throughout next season. I have to disagree and state that the KC arena is much more impressive looking than ours although ours does hold more. I would love to have that all glass futuristic building sparkling on Reno Ave.

It reminds me of something you'd findon the ORU campus!

I agree...it is more attractive than the Ford Center, but as I've said before, appearance doesn't always mean functionality.

[gqofoklahoma]

I think that the KC Arena is Butt Ugly...too much glass..way too much glass....

[jbrown84]

Tulsa's arena design is far better looking than KC's. That's just boring.

[fromdust]

tulsas arena rocks, kcs not so much. it kinda looks like a big spaceship.

[TStheThird]

Has anyone checked out this Kansas City board... www.kcskyscrapers.com

Seems like a pretty cool board. It is fun to read their insight on the new arena. I will be up in KC next weekend. I will have to do some exploring.