KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A local printing and installation company is behind the NFL Draft branding work at Union Station.
Matt Jones, a key employee at Lettersmith & Company in Olathe, says the next two weeks is all about transformation.
“Union Station is going to look completely different,” said Jones, Lettersmith & Company's National Fleet Sales & Account Management. “I really want people to look for the visual impact."
Jones says the NFL Draft, while focused on football, is also an event with stunning visual effects.
“We are going to try to make this as visually appealing as possible to people,” he said. “It’s going to be great for families. There’s going to be a huge
tent in front of Union Station. The NFL has said they want to keep as much of the front of Union Station visible to the national television cameras as they can.”
From the top of a swing stage and with window wash scaffolding, the NFL Draft logos began unfurling on buildings around Union Station.
“It’s a lot of up and down, up and down, side to side, a lot of twists,” he said.
Jones and the company are behind everything that could have the NFL logo,from a sidewalk, chairs, soda fountains, and tents.
“Anywhere from 2-inch x 2-inch stickers, all the way up to huge building murals,” he said.
“It’s in our backyard. I grew up in KC. This is an area my dad brought me to all the time and I kind of feel like it’s showcasing my work,” Jones said.
His work started years ago with the job of designing the left field wall at Kauffman Stadium.
“That spiraled into the Chiefs, the Royals, the Super Bowl, and now the NFL Draft,” he said
Jones wrapped the Super Bowl Field in Glendale, Arizona, the NFL Honors show in Phoenix and the Chiefs Super Bowl parade.
“The biggest game on the biggest stage and we get the added benefit that the Chiefs are really good,” Jones said. “I’m excited for the city. I really am. I think it’s going to be unbelievable. I’m hoping the crowds that showed up for the Super Bowl parade or the Royals in 2015 show up for the NFL Draft.”
But it’s not just about enhancing Union Station, but also includes The Link at Crown Center, the Liberty Memorial, and downtown buildings.
“Hopefully we’re over 100,000 people,” he said. “We can showcase Union Station and what they’ve done over the years to get it where it’s at. Brings a lot of revenue in from merchandise, restaurants bars. Kansas City is in a good spot.”
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