Kemper Arena opened on September 30, 1974, in Kansas City’s West Bottoms neighborhood, built in just 18 months atop the former Kansas City Stockyards. Designed by a young Helmut Jahn in his first major commission, the arena was famous for its exterior steel trusses that suspended the roof and eliminated every interior column, giving fans unobstructed sightlines from any seat.
Named for civic benefactor R. Crosby Kemper Sr., the building became one of Kansas City’s defining sports and entertainment venues for over four decades. It hosted NHL and NBA teams and the 1988 NCAA Final Four before an extensive 2017-2018 renovation transformed it into the youth-sports facility now known as Hy-Vee Arena.
- New Jersey Devils played here 1974–1976. See every Devils arena →
- Sacramento Kings played here 1974–1979 and 1980–1985. See every Kings arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Location: West Bottoms, Kansas City, Missouri
- Opened: September 30, 1974
- Capacity: About 16,300 at opening; expanded to 17,513 by 1988 and 19,500 after a 1997 renovation
- Teams: Kansas City Scouts (NHL), Kansas City Kings (NBA), Kansas City Comets (soccer)
- Architect: Helmut Jahn
- Notable fact: About an acre of its roof collapsed in a 1979 windstorm while the building was empty
- Current status: Renovated in 2018 into Hy-Vee Arena, a youth sports complex
A Column-Free Design Ahead of Its Time
Kemper Arena’s signature feature was structural: its roof hung from exterior trusses rather than internal supports, so no pillar ever blocked a fan’s view of the court, rink, or stage. The $22 million building drew architectural attention nationwide and later earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 in recognition of Jahn’s design.
That innovative roof had a dramatic failure in June 1979, when a severe storm dropped roughly an acre of it to the floor. The arena was empty at the time, and crews rebuilt it with a welded, monitored roof system before reopening in February 1980.
Decades of Sports and Spectacle
The arena welcomed the NHL’s Kansas City Scouts (1974-1976) and the NBA’s Kansas City Kings (1974-1985) in its opening years, later hosting the 1976 Republican National Convention and, after a seating expansion, the 1988 NCAA Men’s Final Four. The Kansas City Comets brought indoor soccer to the building through the 1980s.
After the American Royal livestock show moved out and the building’s future was debated, Foutch Brothers LLC led a $39 million renovation completed in 2018. Hy-Vee secured the naming rights, and the arena reopened in October 2018 with a reduced capacity of about 8,500 as a community sports and recreation center.
Explore more: Explore more legendary stadiums.
Sherpa-lined and windproof, with a waterproof back for wet bleachers. Folds into its own pouch.
For late-season football, outdoor hockey and October park nights. Shake, pocket, and stay warm for hours.
12 x 10.5 x 6 in. — built to the common stadium clear-bag size. Check your venue's rules.
Kemper Arena FAQs
Is Kemper Arena still standing?
Yes. The building was renovated between 2017 and 2018 and now operates under the name Hy-Vee Arena as a youth sports and community facility.
What NHL and NBA teams played at Kemper Arena?
The Kansas City Scouts (NHL, 1974-1976) and the Kansas City Kings (NBA, 1974-1985) both called Kemper Arena home.
What happened to Kemper Arena’s roof in 1979?
A severe windstorm caused about an acre of the suspended roof to collapse while the arena was empty; it was rebuilt and reopened in February 1980.
Get More from Kemper Arena
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Kemper Arena, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Conman33 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.