The first stadium in the world built for a women’s professional sports team opened in 2024, which meant a great step forward in women’s football and athletics worldwide.
He also plays a key role in the remodeling of the urban landscape of the center of Kansas City.
The $ 140 million CPKC stadium, which is the current Kansas City Women’s Football Team, has 7 hectares, has 11,500 places, luxury suites and various comforts, including side seats, a club hall and community square areas.
The stadium is located inside the Berkley River Park in the city, it has a leading role in the transformation of future development in the center area, which is next to the Missouri river and had not been the place of a professional sports venue earlier.
The stadium is only part of a $ 1 billion $ 1 billion $ 1 billion, Chris and Angie Long, and took place in the coming years.
In recognition of his advanced support for women’s professional sport and their efforts to beautify and promote economic and community development in Kansas City, Enr Midwest has named Chris and Angie Long ownership as a 2025 owner.
The construction of the second phase, which began at the end of 2024, includes the development of two multi -family residential buildings containing 430 units, 48,000 square meters of retail and other elements to beautify the river.
Future phases will begin until 2026 and may include additional mixed use services such as office, accommodation and other entertainment uses.
From the left, Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, Chris Long and Angie Long, owners of the city of Kansas.
Photo courtesy of the current of Kansas City
Bottom
Longs are the founders of Palmer Square Capital Management, a company established in 2009 that manages $ 33 million in private wealth. After women’s sports supporters, they ventured into the team’s property during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I think, with a project of this size, the best of the way to do it is to make sure that you speak in your community and that it is authentic for culture.”
—Angie Long, co -owner, Kansas City Current
On December 6, 2020, they purchased the current list of Kansas City, formerly at the Utah Royals, and immediately faced the challenge of time of time and provided them with a pitch.
“We did not have options outside a minor league baseball park but [the Kansas City Monarchs] I had enough grace to let us play, “recalls Chris Long.” Move the pitching mound, put us in temporary seats and completely transform the field for each game. “”
For a couple of years, the team also played a men’s football stadium owned by Sporting Kansas City. However, the lengths were determined to establish a dedicated stage, one that would not only serve as a main stage for female sports, but also would be a world -class sports stage in general.
Learning curve
In deciding to build the CPKC stadium, the Longs immersed themselves in learning about the construction of the stadium.
“My wife and I are partners in everything,” says Chris Long. “We made a Tour Stadium and Arena for the best ideas. We asked ourselves [of other owners] about “What did you do well?” Some owners said they had not been involved in detail. “”
His next step was to decide a location, which took them to the center of Kansas City.
“We wanted, from the beginning, to be in an area that could be multimodal and accessible to everyone,” says Angie Long. “We wanted to be the first stadium in the center of Kansas City, and we really fell in love with the concept of the current one who played a role to return the people to the water and the power of the Missouri River.”
Another attraction was the location of the site in a claim zone that the city had been trying for years.
“This was the cake’s icing,” says Chris Long. “For every inverted dollar, there was an incredible multiplier.”
No matter how attractive to the center place, he also created some early challenges.
“There were no good records or studies in the site, but because of the lack of infrastructure, we obtained tax credits to help in this study and to start,” says Angie Long.
Chris and Angie Long break after visiting stadiums from all over the country to learn from other owners about the design of the stadium.
Photo courtesy of the current of Kansas City
From work
The preparation of the site required the collaboration and coordination between the project team, led by a joint company of two companies based on Kansas City, Je Dunn and Monarch Build. The team worked along with the United States Army Engineers.
This collaboration was especially important in establishing the elevation of the play area. The design team had to plan the possibility of groundwater and different river elevations that would affect the design of unique air drainage systems and surface field, according to Scott Sherry, Je Dunn’s vice president.
In addition to coordinating the design of the pitch, which took into account the fluctuations of the river conditions, a 54-year-old concrete sewerage line was discovered, which extends from one side of the place to another and had to stay in its place and active.
“This required detailed coordination of the installation of the bases of the batteries of casting auction that supported the structure of the bowl of the grandstand that was strategically around the sewerage pipe, in many cases that the pipe puts,” says Sherry. “In addition, due to the age of the sewer and the requirement to leave it in its place, the project team had to relate the pipe to ensure its performance over the coming years.”
With an innovator held on October 6, 2022, the Longs and their construction team were under a adjusted period to complete the project on March 16, 2024, when the current was scheduled to play at home opening in its new excavations.
“Due to the fast track [schedule]We had to coordinate lead times and get materials to the place quickly for construction. “”
—Courtney Kounter, owner, Monarch Build
“Due to the fast track [schedule]We had to coordinate lead times and get materials to the place quickly for construction, “says Courtney Kouneda, founder and owner of Monarch Build.” The seats, the treads and the lifters had to be ordered before there was a design. “”
The delays of the supply chain, particularly during the pandemic, and the fluctuating costs of the materials were other challenges that the lengths and their team managed by monitoring the prices and the purchase at the best.
“We saw the cost of aluminum and collectively discovered the right time to get the best price,” says Kouunkel.
Returning to what they learned to pay attention to the details during their stadium construction tour, the lengths took an active part in all the facets of the project.
“Angie met with us every week if not every day,” says Kouunkel. “The communication lines were always open. There was never an hour or an hour of the day we couldn’t contact them.”
The project team plans to affect groundwater and different levels of the river.
Photo courtesy of the current of Kansas City
Meeting place
The Longs wanted the stadium to be not only a house today, but also a place to host other community and sports events. The stadium recently hosted the Kansas City Asian, Native American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival and the National Women’s Football League X MX MX Female Cup Female, and will host the 2025 NCAA Division and College Cup and in 2026 NCAA Division II Women’s and Men Football Championship.
The lengths also struggled to ensure that the stage reflected Kansas City’s unique history and culture.
“I think with any project of this magnitude, the best of the way to do it is to make sure that you speak in your community and that it is authentic for culture,” says Angie Long.
She describes the stadium as a “Kansas City feeling” and says that one of the best barbecue restaurants in the city is in the stadium.
Interest in the stadium, even during construction, was high and Sherry says that a security plan was developed and applied for all visitors to the site.
“With the enthusiasm surrounding the deep influence of this stadium on women’s sports across the country, there were a significant number of visitors throughout the construction,” says Sherry. “Recognize the living nature of the place, [having an emphasis on] The security for all the people on the site was paramount. “”
The installation, which is certified Leed Gold, also emphasizes sustainability, with 180 Pure-R solar panels that produce approximately 100,000 kWh of energy annually, along with additional solar panels at the top of the entrance to the main door and the equipment store, which generates the energy equivalent of 70,000 lb of coal.
Low emission and local materials were chosen when emissions related to transport materials could be mitigated. In addition, native and low maintenance plants surround the stage to reduce water use and eliminate the need for chemicals.
Given the focus of the stadium in supporting women’s sport, it is only natural that the team that built the stadium had a high representation of women, 50% of the leaders of the construction team were women.
“They were not in this project because they were women. They were part of them because they are good,” says Sherry.
Achievement
Seeing that his vision comes true and listening to the cheerful crowd on the opening day of the stadium was especially sweet for the lengths.
“There were many cheerful tears,” says Chris Long. “We put so much blood, sweat and tears and nights late, only in the hope that our community and players would receive it in the way we wanted. The opening overcome our best dreams and it was difficult to leave that day. I wanted to sit there forever.”
