KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Current are seeking to expand the size — and price tag — of their new downtown riverfront stadium.
At a presentation Wednesday before the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council’s Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee, team representatives said their stadium, set to open in 2024, will now cost $117 million.
That’s up from an estimated $70 million price tag when the team first announced plans for the stadium — which is the first purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional team — last October.
Part of the cost increase is the team plans to expand capacity from 11,000 to 11,500 fans.
Wednesday’s presentation was part of an ordinance the club is hoping the council passes that would approve an application to the Missouri Development Finance Board for $6 million in state tax credit.
“With a $70 million stadium, we were 100% privately financed, and that $70 million would have built a nice stadium with average amenities," Kansas City Current co-owner Angie Long said in an e-mail to KSHB 41. "But, as we have gotten into this project, our vision for this team and our vision of what this stadium can mean for our city and for women's sports everywhere has grown.
"We as owners have committed an extra $41 million to the project, but we need the $6 million in tax credits to help us build a top in class stadium that we are all proud to call the first purpose built stadium for a women’s team in the world.”
A spokesperson from the public relations firm representing the team says the price increase is also due to higher construction and materials costs.
The item is set for additional debate during the council committee’s meeting next week. The ordinance would also require full council approval before any application would be made to the state.
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