Kansas City Current, which last month opened the first stadium purpose-built for a professional women’s sports team, has announced plans for a wide-ranging mixed-use district around the venue.
The Current, which plays in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), opened CPKC Stadium with a 5-4 win over the Portland Thorns in front of a sellout crowd of 11,500.
Building upon the opening of the $117m (£95m/€110m) stadium, the team has now partnered with Palmer Square Capital Management, Marquee Development, and the Port Authority of Kansas City (Port KC) to unveil plans for the next phase of the development on the Missouri Riverfront.
The next phase will add more than $200m in private funding, with all phases of the development exceeding $800m in total investment. The project will break ground at the end of 2024 and it is hoped work will be finished by 2026, when Kansas City will be a host city during the FIFA World Cup.
The project will include hundreds of multi-family residential units, as well as public gathering and recreational spaces, including a new town square and a riverfront promenade. The public gathering areas will be programmed year-round, with family-friendly events such as movie nights, food festivals, fitness classes, live music and more.
Food and beverage offerings will also showcase local restaurateurs. An economic impact study has estimated that the first phase of the project will deliver over $210m and $310m of city and state economic output, respectively, over 30 years.
The Current said that 10% of residential units across all phases of the development will be set aside for residents at a 50% area median income affordability threshold.
Marquee Development has been appointed as the co-master developer of the project alongside the Current. The company’s projects include Gallagher Way next to Wrigley Field, North Loop Green in Minneapolis, the FC Cincinnati West End mixed-use district, and a community plaza development at the New Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Perkins Eastman has been named as the architect for the project. Perkins Eastman has worked on waterfront projects and transit-integrated mixed-use districts, including The Wharf in Washington, D.C., Target Field Station in Minneapolis, Canalside in Buffalo and Battery Park City in New York.
Angie Long, co-founder and co-owner of the Current, said: “Kansas City was founded at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. With the next phase of our investment in Berkley Riverfront Park, our goal is to reconnect Kansas Citians to their riverfront, bringing even more energy and activity to the water. We believe this foundational investment will benefit our community for years to come and cement the Berkley Riverfront as one of Kansas City’s great neighbourhoods for residents and visitors alike.”
Jon Stephens, president and chief executive of Port KC, added: “The long-neglected Kansas City Riverfront has been reenergised in recent years through thoughtful investments by Port KC and our partners. From trails to murals, housing to hotels, we have set the stage for what a vibrant riverfront should be for all Kansas Citians.
“Our partnership with the KC Current and this world-class development team is supercharging our vision of a walkable, creative, diverse, and exciting public space. The conversation about Berkley Riverfront has now turned from what could be, to what will be.”
