Kansas City Municipal Auditorium opened in 1935 as the centerpiece of the city’s ambitious ‘Ten-Year Plan’ public works program, and it was formally dedicated the following year with President Franklin D. Roosevelt on hand as keynote speaker. Designed in Streamline Moderne and Art Deco style by Alonzo H. Gentry’s firm with Hoit, Price & Barnes, the building was celebrated by Architectural Record as one of the ten best buildings completed anywhere in the world that year.
More than a lookalike to a stadium, the Auditorium is a multi-purpose complex combining an Arena, a Music Hall, and a Little Theatre under one roof at 301 West 13th Street in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Nearly a century after it opened, the Arena still hosts college basketball and live events, making it one of the longest continuously operating indoor sports venues in the Midwest.
- Sacramento Kings played here 1972–1974 and 1979–1980. See every Kings arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 301 West 13th Street, Kansas City, Missouri
- Opened: 1935 (dedicated October 13, 1936)
- Teams: Kansas City-Omaha Kings (NBA, 1972-1974); UMKC Kangaroos (current)
- Capacity: About 7,300 permanent seats, plus 2,687 temporary seats
- Architectural style: Streamline Moderne / Art Deco
- Notable fact: Hosted NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games in 1940-1942, 1953-1955, 1957, 1961, and 1964
A Hub for College and Pro Basketball
Long before Kansas City had an NBA franchise of its own, the Auditorium’s Arena was a national basketball proving ground. It hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across the 1940s, 1950s, and into the early 1960s, and it served as a regular home for the NAIA Men’s Division I Basketball National Tournament from 1937 to 1974, a run it later resumed in 2002.
The NBA briefly called the building home too: after relocating from Cincinnati in 1972, the Kansas City-Omaha Kings split home games between Municipal Auditorium and the Omaha Civic Auditorium through the 1973-74 season before moving into the newly built Kemper Arena.
Still Standing, Still Hosting Events
Unlike many of its Depression-era peers, Municipal Auditorium was never torn down. It remains part of the Kansas City Convention Center complex and continues to serve as the home court for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos basketball program, while its Music Hall stages touring Broadway productions and symphony performances.
The Arena also became the home track of the Kansas City Roller Warriors derby league starting in January 2009, adding a modern chapter to a venue whose Art Deco halls have hosted everything from championship basketball to presidential appearances.
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Kansas City Municipal Auditorium FAQs
When did Kansas City Municipal Auditorium open?
It opened in 1935 and was formally dedicated on October 13, 1936, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt as keynote speaker.
What is the seating capacity of the Arena?
The Arena holds about 7,300 permanent seats, with room for roughly 2,687 additional temporary seats for larger events.
Did an NBA team ever play at Municipal Auditorium?
Yes. The Kansas City-Omaha Kings used it as a home venue from 1972 to 1974 before moving to the newly built Kemper Arena.
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Photo: Noah Bohland / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.