Kemper Arena

Kemper Memorial Arena
Location	1800 Genessee Kansas City, Missouri 64102
Coordinates	39°5′31″N 94°36′21″W
Broke ground	July 17, 1972
Opened	September 30, 1974
Owner	City of Kansas City
Operator	Anschutz Entertainment Group
Surface	Artificial turf, ice, hardwood
Construction cost	$23 million ($108 million in 2012 dollars)
Architect	Helmut Jahn
Capacity	19,500
Tenants
Kansas City Scouts (NHL) (1974–1976) Kansas City Kings (NBA) (1974–1985) Kansas City Blues (CHL)(1976–1977) Kansas City Red Wings (CHL) (1977-1979) Kansas City Comets (MSL) (1981–1991) Kansas City Blades (IHL) (1990–2001) Kansas City Attack/Comets (NPSL/MISL) (1992–2005) Kansas City Explorers (WTT) (1993–2001) Kansas City Knights (ABA) (2000–2002) Kansas City Outlaws (UHL) (2004–2005) Kansas City Brigade (AFL) (2006–2007) 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 1976 Republican National Convention. Vice-Presidential Candidate Bob Dole is on the far left, Governor Ronald Reagan is center shaking hands with President Ford, and Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller is just to the right of Ford.

Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.

It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena. Its most recent tenant was the American Royal livestock show, which held its annual livestock show there until 2010, when it moved to the nearby Sprint Center.

Having been essentially supplanted by the Sprint Center, according to a report by the Kansas City Business Journal on October 25, 2011 the arena will be razed and be replaced by an Agricultural Events Center which will include a 5,000-seat coliseum.

History

Helmut Jahn's first major project rises from the stockyards

The original concept for the arena in 1972 was to replace the aging American Royal Arena just south of the new Arena that was used for animal shows. However city officials looking to attract a professional basketball and hockey team changed the scope to be a new state of the art arena.

Kemper Arena was built in 18 months in 1973–74 on the site of the former Kansas City Stockyards just west of downtown in the West Bottoms to replace the 8,000-seat Municipal Auditorium to play host to the city's professional basketball and hockey teams.

The arena was the first major project of German architect Helmut 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 is owned by the city of Kansas City, Missouri. Financing came from seven sources:

• $5.6 million dollars from general obligation bonds
• $3.2 million dollars donated by R. Crosby Kemper Sr.
• $575,000 dollars from bond interest
• $1.5 million dollars donated by the American Royal Association
• Land provided by the Kansas City Stockyards Company
• $10 million dollars from revenue bonds in conjunction with the Jackson County Sports Authority
• $2 million dollars in federal grants for street work

Glory days in the 1970s

The arena won architectural awards in the 1970s and had four very prominent tenants:

• 1974-1976—Kansas City Scouts of the NHL
• 1974-1985—Kansas City Kings of the NBA
• 1976 Republican National Convention (where Gerald Ford defeated Ronald Reagan for the nomination)

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. The collapse—three years after the hall had hosted the 1976 Republican National Convention -- along with another Kansas City structural failure -- the 1981 Hyatt Regency walkway collapse -- shocked the city and the architecture world.

The American Institute of Architects had given the building an "Honor" award in 1976 [2] and thousands of its members were at its annual national conference there less than 24 hours before the 1979 collapse. Further, coupled with the January 18, 1978, collapse of the Hartford Civic Center from heavy snow in the early morning hours just after a University of Connecticut basketball game, this collapse 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 architect Helmut Jahn who was to take over the Murphy/Jahn firm founded by Charles 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 came together on June 4, to cause the collapse.

First, the roof had been designed to gradually release rainwater as the sewers in the West Bottoms could not adequately handle the rapid runoff because of the nearby confluence of the Missouri River and Kansas River. This caused the downpour 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 a cascading failure on the south side of the roof. Although the bolts were enormous, the media was to make much of the fact that "one broken bolt caused the collapse."

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, and the issues were addressed and the arena reopened within a year.

College basketball mecca

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

• NCAA Men's Final Four in 1988
• NCAA Women's Final Four in 1998
• NCAA Regionals—in 1983, 1986, 1992 and 1995
• NCAA First and Second Rounds—in 1997, 2001 and 2004
• NAIA basketball tournament from 1975 to 1993
• Big Eight Conference Men's Basketball Tournament from 1977 to 1996
• Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament from 1997–2002 and 2005
• Mid-Continent Conference men’s basketball tournament in 2003 and 2004

Allen Fieldhouse East

Kemper Arena has always had a special and close relationship with the University of Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team. The team traditionally played at least one game a year in Kemper. As there are many Kansas alumni in the Kansas City metro area, and Kansas's usual home venue of Allen Fieldhouse is itself approximately 40 miles (64 km) away, the crowd favors the Jayhawks heavily. As a result, opposing coaches (notably Billy Tubbs, whose team lost the 1988 NCAA championship to Kansas there) have often referred to Kemper as "Allen Fieldhouse East".

The Jayhawks have compiled an 80–24 record at Kemper, including wins in the 1988 national championship game and the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Big 12 championships. With the opening of Sprint Center in 2007, Kansas moved its Kansas City games there. Kansas won its likely final game at Kemper Arena by a score of 68–58 over Toledo on December 9, 2006.

Other professional sports

• 1981–1991—Kansas City Comets of the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
• 1992–2005—Kansas City Attack (later renamed the Kansas City Comets) of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and current Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
• 1990–2001—Kansas City Blades, International Hockey League (1945–2001) (IHL)
• 2000–2005—Kansas City Knights of the American Basketball Association (21st century) (ABA)
• 2004–2005—Kansas City Outlaws of the United Hockey League (UHL)
• 2006–2007—Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League
• 2007—National Professional Paintball League (NPPL)[3] makes its 4th stop of the 2007 season at Kemper. The event will be the first NPPL event held with a field indoors.

1999 death of WWF performer Owen Hart and aftermath

Main articles: Owen Hart#Death and Over the Edge (1999)

On May 23, 1999, Kemper Arena hosted the WWF (now WWE) pay-per-view Over the Edge, where WWF superstar Owen Hart fell to his death from the rafters after attempting to descend while in his super hero gimmick of The Blue Blazer. A few months later, Owen's brother, Bret Hart and longtime friend Chris Benoit had a tribute match in honor of Owen at Kemper Arena on WCW Monday Nitro. In this very arena on August 26, 1999, WWE debuted their new show called SmackDown! on UPN.

On May 7, 2000 WCW Slamboree 2000 was held at the Kemper Arena. This was two weeks short of one year after Owen Hart fell to his death in the same arena. The event featured a Ready to Rumble Cage match from which a high fall from it could be expected. After the match Chris Kanyon was thrown off the structure and WCW carried on as if he was paralyzed.

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.

2007 opening of the new Sprint Center

In 2007 the Sprint Center opened. Virtually all events moved to the new arena. The building was turned over to the American Royal for its annual October events.

Proposed razing

In July 2011 the American Royal announced that it was moving its rodeo -- the biggest event of the American Royal -- to Sprint Center, starting with the 2011 fall events. The announcement noted Sprint Center would be a bigger performers to the event, leaving the Kemper Arena without any major events. Three months later, American Royal and the Kemper family announced plans to raze the arena and replace it with the 5,000-seat purpose-built Agricultural Events Center to be designed by Populous to feature dirt events and space for animal stalls and an open-sided show ring. The American Royal building adjacent to Kemper Arena would remain. Cost was cited as the major reason for the razing, as it would cost Kansas City $40 million per year until 2046 to operate it and another $20 million to upgrade it, along with the fact that no city has successfully maintained two large arenas. The proposed site is proposed to be a centerpiece of the Animal Health Corridor initiative. Renderings of the new building shows the Hereford Association Bull being prominently used. The bull statue for more than 60 years had been a Kansas City landmark on Quality Hill.

American Royal

The American Hereford Association bull and Kemper Arena and the Kansas City Live Stock Exchange Building in the former stockyards of the West Bottoms as seen from Quality Hill The bull is to be moved to the proposed new Agricultural Events Center.

The American Royal Association has hosted livestock events at Kemper since it was first constructed. The Royal also helped pay for the original building. Its office is located in the building along with the American Royal Museum. The American Royal Association is home to the American Royal Horse Show, Livestock Show, and Rodeo and which hosts a six-week festival each October to November.

Concerts

• Jethro Tull — January 28, 1975 and April 23, 1979
• John Denver — May 1, 1975, April 5, 1980, June 20, 1982 and December 13, 1989
• ZZ Top — October 31, 1975, with Rory Gallagher, August 13, 1981, with Loverboy, June 10, 1983, with Quiet Riot, February 16-17, 1986, with Jimmy Barnes, December 16, 1990, with The Jeff Healey Band and May 8, 1994, with Cry of Love
• The Who — December 1, 1975 and April 26, 1980, with The Pretenders
• Bachman–Turner Overdrive — February 26, 1976, with The Electric Light Orchestra
• Olivia Newton-John — March 3, 1976 and September 24, 1982, with The Tom Scott Quartet
• Elvis Presley — April 21, 1976 and June 18, 1977
• Aerosmith — April 28, 1976, June 28, 1978, February 5, 1983 and February 19, 1988
• Wings — May 29, 1976
• The Eagles — November 24, 1976 and July 11, 2002
• Blue Öyster Cult — December 12, 1976, with Bob Seger and Dirty Tricks
• KISS — February 9, with Head East and November 27, with Detective, 1977 and July 3, 1996, with Alice in Chains
• Fleetwood Mac — April 1 and September 16, 1977, August 24, 1980, September 30, 1987 and August 13, 2003
• Pink Floyd — June 21, 1977
• Alice Cooper — July 30, 1977, with The Climax Blues Band and February 19, 1979
• Kansas — November 25, 1977, with Crawler and July 29, 1982
• Rod Stewart — November 29, 1977, January 30, 1982, March 11, 2004 and April 13, 2007
• Ted Nugent — January 15, 1978 and June 18, 1980, with Scorpions and Def Leppard
• Parliament-Funkadelic — April 8, 1978
• REO Speedwagon — May 12-13, 1978, with Rainbow and No Dice
• Boz Scaggs — June 23, 1978, with The Little River Band
• The Electric Light Orchestra — July 2, 1978, with Trixter and October 28, 1981, with Hall & Oates
• Yes — September 27, 1978 and March 12, 1984
• Genesis — October 17, 1978, January 29, 1984 (Concert was interrupted by power outage caused by high winds outside the building) and January 21-22, 1987
• Billy Joel — October 18, 1978, April 17, 1984, December 7, 1999 and April 12, 2001, with Elton John
• Bob Dylan — November 3, 1978
• Styx — November 21, 1978, with The Babys, March 16-17, 1981, May 11, 1983, June 21, 2003, with Journey and REO Speedwagon and October 22, 2005, with REO Speedwagon
• The Moody Blues — December 4, 1978, with Jimmie Spheeris and October 24, 1981
• Queen — December 8, 1978, September 12, 1980, with Dakota and August 28, 1982, with Billy Squier
• Johnny Cash — December 12, 1978
• Diana Ross — May 12, 1979
• Bad Company — May 26, 1979
• Rush — February 27, 1980, with Roadmaster, April 23-24, 1981, October 15-16, 1982, with Rory Gallagher, June 16, 1984, with Gary Moore, April 29, 1986, with Blue Öyster Cult, April 7, 1988, with The Rainmakers, March 3, 1990, with Mr. Big, May 23, 1992, with Primus and April 5, 1994
• Foghat — July 29, 1980 and October 31, 1981, with Blue Öyster Cult and Whitford/St. Holmes
• Van Halen — August 22, 1980, with The Katz, October 17, 1981, with G-Force, August 7, 1982, with After the Fire, June 20-21, 1984, with The Velcros, May 31, 1986, with Bachman–Turner Overdrive and July 26, 2004, with Shinedown
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band — October 23, 1980 and March 21, 1996
• The Motels — October 8, 1980 and November 5, 1985, with Rick Springfield
• Elton John — October 10, 1980, September 20, 1984, June 4, 1999 and April 28, 2005
• Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band — February 5, 1981, November 19, 1984, April 9, 2000 and September 24, 2002
• The Beach Boys — February 19, 1981, with Randy Meisner & The Silverados
• Joe Walsh — June 6, 1981
• The Jacksons — September 8, 1981
• Journey — September 18-19, 1981, with Point Blank and July 12–13, 1983, with Bryan Adams
• Barry Manilow — September 29, 1981 and October 9, 1984
• The Rolling Stones — December 14–15, 1981, with George Thorogood & The Destroyers and April 6, 1999
• The Police — March 25, 1982, with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and November 24, 1983
• Scorpions — July 10, 1982, with Iron Maiden and Girlschool
• Crosby, Stills & Nash — August 25, 1982 and January 26, 2000, with Neil Young
• Peter Gabriel — December 4, 1982
• Neil Young — July 2, 1983, with The Fabulous Pinks and October 16, 1986
• Stevie Nicks — July 14, 1983, with Joe Walsh
• Jackson Browne — August 24, 1983
• AC/DC — October 26, 1983, with Fastway, October 5, 1985, with Yngwie Malmsteen, August 3, 1986, with Queensrÿche, July 30, 1988, with White Lion, December 7, 1990, with Love/Hate, April 2, 1996, with The Poor and September 3, 2000, with Slash's Snakepit
• Ozzy Osbourne — May 4, 1984, with Mötley Crüe
• Tina Turner — October 26, 1984, October 26, 1985, October 17, 1987, June 22, 1993 and May 17, 2000, with Lionel Richie
• Cyndi Lauper — November 30, 1984
• Iron Maiden — December 17, 1984, with Twisted Sister, June 18, 1998 and February 27, 1991
• Deep Purple — February 13, 1985, with Giuffria and May 5, 1987, with Bad Company
• Phil Collins — June 15, 1985 and April 12, 1997
• Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers — June 26, 1985, with Lone Justice and February 26, 1990, with Lenny Kravitz
• Bryan Adams — July 28, 1985 and May 2, 1992
• Mötley Crüe — September 7, 1985, July 11, 1987, November 21, 1989, April 3, 1990 and March 15, 2005
• Dolly Parton — December 6, 1985, with Kenny Rogers
• Metallica — April 1, 1986, November 28, 1991, with Metal Church, January 31, 1997 and May 11, 2004
• Ratt — February 14, 1987, with Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and February 12, 1989
• Bon Jovi — February 26, 1987, with Cinderella and April 13, 1989
• The Beastie Boys — July 18, 1987 and August 7, 1998
• Boston — October 9, 1987, with Farrenheit
• Def Leppard — October 12, 1987, with Tesla and December 19, 1992
• David Bowie — October 14, 1987
• U2 — October 26, 1987 and November 27, 2001, with Garbage
• Michael Jackson — February 23–24, 1988
• INXS — June 14, 1988
• R.E.M. — March 4, 1989, with Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians
• Bobby Brown — May 21, 1989
• The Bangles — August 25, 1989
• Janet Jackson — April 11, 1990, August 1, 1998, with Usher and July 14, 2001
• Bell Biv DeVoe — March 25, 1991, with Johnny Gill and Keith Sweat
• Dire Straits — February 16, 1992
• Eric Clapton — October 28, 1994, April 2, 1998, July 28, 2001 and April 2, 2007, with The Robert Cray Band
• Page & Plant — May 5, 1995, with The Tragically Hip and June 6, 1998
• Garth Brooks — May 2–5, 1996
• The Smashing Pumpkins — September 1, 1996
• Jerry Lee Lewis — November 9, 1997
• Merle Haggard — November 16, 1997
• Prince & The New Power Generation — January 4, 1998 and May 4, 2004
• The Backstreet Boys — July 31, 1998, November 18, 1999 and August 27, 2001, with Krystal Harris
• The Family Values Tour — October 22, 1998 and October 12, 1999
• Alanis Morissette — March 15, 1999, with Garbage
• Celine Dion — March 29, 1999
• 'N Sync — April 1, 1999, with Divine and Tatyana Ali and June 22, 2000, with Sisqó and P!nk
• Korn — April 23, 1999, with Rob Zombie and Videodrone, April 19, 2000 and July 21, 2002, with Puddle of Mudd and Deadsy
• Roger Waters — August 28, 1999
• Ricky Martin — November 30, 1999
• Nine Inch Nails — May 28, 2000, with A Perfect Circle and February 18, 2006, with Moving Units and Saul Williams
• Blink-182 — June 30, 2000, with Bad Religion
• The Dixie Chicks — August 4, 2000, with Patty Griffin and May 10, 2003, with Joan Osborne
• Tim McGraw and Faith Hill — September 24, 2000, with The Warren Brothers and July 18, 2006, with Uncle John's Band
• Toby Keith — October 27, 2000
• Montgomery Gentry — October 28, 2000
• Brad Paisley — October 29, 2000
• Creed — November 15, 2000 and February 17, 2002
• Tool — October 21, 2001, with Tricky, October 16, 2002 and September 15, 2006, with Isis
• Cher — July 16, 2002, with Cyndi Lauper and September 22, 2003
• Gary Allan — October 26, 2002 and October 27, 2007
• Carolyn Dawn Johnson — November 1, 2002
• Keith Urban — November 2, 2002 and December 1, 2005, with Nerina Pallot and Richard Winsland
• George Strait & The Ace in the Hole — February 13, 2003, with Tammy Cochran, March 4, 2005, with Dierks Bentley and March 2, 2007, with Taylor Swift and Ronnie Milsap
• The Red Hot Chili Peppers — May 5, 2003, with Queens of the Stone Age and The Mars Volta
• Matchbox 20 — May 28, 2003
• Buddy Jewell — October 23, 2003
• Trace Adkins — October 24, 2003
• Craig Morgan — October 25, 2003 and October 23, 2010
• Emerson Drive — October 31, 2003
• Trick Pony — November 1, 2003
• Shania Twain — November 29, 2003
• Martina McBride — December 21, 2003, October 9, 2004, with Alan Jackson, January 28, 2006 and April 12, 2007, with Rodney Atkins and Little Big Town
• Sarah Brightman — February 15, 2004
• Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson — April 15, 2004
• Joe Nichols — October 29, 2004
• Darryl Worley — October 30, 2004
• Sarah McLachlan — April 30, 2005
• Hilary Duff — August 11, 2005
• Kenny Chesney — August 21, 2005, with Gretchen Wilson and Pat Green
• The Charlie Daniels Band — October 21, 2005
• Sugarland — October 27, 2005
• Terri Clark — October 29, 2005
• The Trans-Siberian Orchestra — December 22, 2005 and December 26, 2006 (2 shows)
• Millionaire — March 23, 2006
• Nickelback — September 16, 2006, with Hoobastank and Chevelle and September 2, 2007, with Puddle of Mudd and Daughtry
• Rodney Atkins — October 20, 2006
• Shooter Jennings — October 27, 2006
• Little Big Town — October 28, 2006
• High School Musical — January 23, 2007, with Jordan Pruitt
• Christina Aguilera — February 24, 2007, with Danity Kane and The Pussycat Dolls
• Hillsong United — April 21, 2007
• T.I. and Ciara — August 12, 2007
• The Casting Crowns — February 9, 2008
• The Foo Fighters — July 19, 2008, with Supergrass and Year Long Disaster
• Thousand Foot Krutch — February 28, 2009
• Paul van Dyk — October 16, 2009
• Abandon — February 19-20, 2010, with Unhindered and February 11, 2012
• Little Texas — October 22, 2010
• Dierks Bentley — October 29, 2010
• Heidi Newfield — October 30, 2010
• Hawk Nelson — February 4-5, 2011, with Group 1 Crew and Britt Nicole
• Jimmy Needham — February 11, 2011

Facilities

With sun and stone we people of Kansas City pause on our nation's 200th birthday to reflect on what we have been, what we are and what we can be.

The facilities are managed by AEG. Facilities in the complex include:

• Hale Arena—5,000 seat capacity (17,000 sq ft.)
• Kemper Arena—19,500 seat capacity
• The Governor’s Building—96,000 sq ft (8,900 m²).
• Lower Level Exhibition Hall—86,000 sq ft (8,000 m²).
• Upper Level Exhibition Hall—86,000 sq ft (8,000 m²).
• Wagstaff Theatre—450 seat capacity
• The American Royal Museum
• Scott Pavilion—permanent dirt floor animal warm up area
• West Bottoms Garage—995 spaces
• Six Surface Parking Lots—approximately 4,500 spaces
• Bicentennial Sundial and Time Capsule

References

• Official Website
• Danielle Cove Thesis "Structure: Form vs. Function" on collapse
• The Concert Database

Events and tenants
Preceded by Municipal Auditorium & Omaha Civic 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	NCAA Men'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