Livestrong Sporting Park
Encyclopedia
Livestrong Sporting Park is a soccer-specific stadium
in Kansas City
, Kansas
and is the home of Sporting Kansas City. The stadium opened during the 2011 season
of Major League Soccer
on June 9, 2011 with a match against the Chicago Fire. The stadium has a seating capacity of 18,467 seats, which can expand to 25,000 for concerts. The stadium is Sporting Kansas City's third home venue. The team played in Arrowhead Stadium
from 1996 to 2007 and CommunityAmerica Ballpark
from 2008 to 2010.
on land previously occupied by Bannister Mall. The redevelopment plan, called The Trails
, was passed on December 13, 2007. The last package of economic incentives, a $30-million tax rebate, was passed on November 21, 2008.
The stadium's planned site had been demolished to prepare the site for infrastructure. It was intended to open in 2011 with a capacity of 18,500 seats. However, fallout from the 2008–2009 financial crisis placed the project on hiatus, and the stadium developer eventually sought to move the new project near the Village West retail center in Kansas City, Kansas
, near the Kansas Speedway
and CommunityAmerica Ballpark
. The developer of The Trails complex sought additional "enhancements" (i.e., borrowing authority) from Kansas City to finance the building of the soccer stadium and its associated amateur soccer complex. However, the city was unwilling to provide the desired financing, leading the developer to seek a new site across the state line.
and Kansas
state officials for permission to use revenues from existing tax increment financing
in the Village West
area to help finance the soccer complex. On December 17, Sporting KC president, Robb Heineman provided an update on the stadium situation published on team official website and blog, basically putting the Kansas City, Kansas location as final, pending the signature of the final agreements. On the 21st of December, construction machinery was already on the Legends site waiting to break ground on the site. On January 19, Wyandotte County approved the bonds to help finance the stadium, and on the 20th, the groundbreaking ceremony happened with Sporting's CEO, Robb Heineman, using heavy machinery to move dirt on the construction site.
when Dwayne De Rosario
converted a penalty kick for Canada against Panama
. Sporting's first goal came from C. J. Sapong
in a 1–0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes
, the club's first victory in the stadium. Sporting would finish its first regular season in the stadium with a 9–2–6 record at home.
match, a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe
.
The stadium played host to its first-ever women's match when it hosted the United States women's national soccer team
in its first match since the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, a 1–1 draw with Canada
witnessed by a crowd of 16,191.
Livestrong Sporting Park will play host to the semifinals and final of the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
.
's Livestrong
foundation was announced. The club will donate a portion of revenues, no less than $7.5 million, to the foundation over the course of six years.
set a home attendance record of 20,839 including standing room only tickets.
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
in Kansas City
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and is the home of Sporting Kansas City. The stadium opened during the 2011 season
2011 Major League Soccer season
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
on June 9, 2011 with a match against the Chicago Fire. The stadium has a seating capacity of 18,467 seats, which can expand to 25,000 for concerts. The stadium is Sporting Kansas City's third home venue. The team played in Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
from 1996 to 2007 and CommunityAmerica Ballpark
CommunityAmerica Ballpark
CommunityAmerica Ballpark is a multi-purpose stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, home of the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association, and the temporary home of Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. It is located in the Village West area at 1800 Village West Parkway...
from 2008 to 2010.
Initial planning
Originally, Sporting Club, the team's ownership group, planned to move to southeast Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
on land previously occupied by Bannister Mall. The redevelopment plan, called The Trails
The Trails
The Trails will be a retail and office development. It will be located north-south from 87th Street to Bannister Road and west-east from I-435 to Hillcrest Road in Kansas City, Missouri. The mall is developed by LANE4 Property Group, Inc. The Trails site is currently under construction. The first...
, was passed on December 13, 2007. The last package of economic incentives, a $30-million tax rebate, was passed on November 21, 2008.
The stadium's planned site had been demolished to prepare the site for infrastructure. It was intended to open in 2011 with a capacity of 18,500 seats. However, fallout from the 2008–2009 financial crisis placed the project on hiatus, and the stadium developer eventually sought to move the new project near the Village West retail center in Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, near the Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
and CommunityAmerica Ballpark
CommunityAmerica Ballpark
CommunityAmerica Ballpark is a multi-purpose stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, home of the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association, and the temporary home of Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. It is located in the Village West area at 1800 Village West Parkway...
. The developer of The Trails complex sought additional "enhancements" (i.e., borrowing authority) from Kansas City to finance the building of the soccer stadium and its associated amateur soccer complex. However, the city was unwilling to provide the desired financing, leading the developer to seek a new site across the state line.
Construction
In September 2009, the developer asked Wyandotte CountyWyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population was 157,505 for the 2010 census. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City with which it shares a unified government...
and Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
state officials for permission to use revenues from existing tax increment financing
Tax increment financing
Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, is a public financing method which has been used as a subsidy for redevelopment and community improvement projects in many countries including the United States for more than 50 years...
in the Village West
Village West
Village West is a $573 million, retail, dining and entertainment development that opened in 2002 in Kansas City, Kansas. It is located at the intersection of Interstates 70 and 435...
area to help finance the soccer complex. On December 17, Sporting KC president, Robb Heineman provided an update on the stadium situation published on team official website and blog, basically putting the Kansas City, Kansas location as final, pending the signature of the final agreements. On the 21st of December, construction machinery was already on the Legends site waiting to break ground on the site. On January 19, Wyandotte County approved the bonds to help finance the stadium, and on the 20th, the groundbreaking ceremony happened with Sporting's CEO, Robb Heineman, using heavy machinery to move dirt on the construction site.
Inaugural season
The opening match took place on June 9, 2011, as Sporting played the Chicago Fire to a scoreless draw. The first goal would come days later during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
when Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He also plays for the Canadian national team.-Early career:...
converted a penalty kick for Canada against Panama
Panama national football team
The Panama national football team is the national team of Panama and is controlled by the Panamanian Football Federation. Panama reached the 2006 World Cup CONCACAF Final Round in the qualifiers and finished as runners-up at the final game of the 2005 Gold Cup...
. Sporting's first goal came from C. J. Sapong
C. J. Sapong
C. J. Sapong is an American soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
in a 1–0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, the club's first victory in the stadium. Sporting would finish its first regular season in the stadium with a 9–2–6 record at home.
International matches
Livestrong Sporting Park hosted its first international match with the final Group C matches of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Canada and Panama played to a 1–1 draw in this match, which was followed by the stadium's first-ever USAUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
match, a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe national football team
The Guadeloupe regional football team represents the French overseas department and region of Guadeloupe in international football. The team is controlled by the Ligue Guadeloupéenne de Football , a local branch of French Football Federation ....
.
The stadium played host to its first-ever women's match when it hosted the United States women's national soccer team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
in its first match since the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, a 1–1 draw with Canada
Canada women's national soccer team
The Canada women's national soccer team is overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association. The team reached its all-time high of 6th in the March 2011 rankings. The team reached international prominence finishing in 4th place at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, losing to their archrival American team...
witnessed by a crowd of 16,191.
Livestrong Sporting Park will play host to the semifinals and final of the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
2012 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
The 2012 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament will be an association football competition to determine the two participants at the 2012 Summer Olympics...
.
Men's matches
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 14 June 2011 | 1–1 | 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence... |
| 14 June 2011 | 1–0 | 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence... |
Women's matches
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 17 September 2011 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Stadium naming rights
On March 8, 2011 a partnership with Lance ArmstrongLance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
's Livestrong
Lance Armstrong Foundation
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a United States 501 nonprofit organization that provides support for people affected by cancer, founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong. The LAF states that its mission is 'to inspire and empower' cancer sufferers and their families...
foundation was announced. The club will donate a portion of revenues, no less than $7.5 million, to the foundation over the course of six years.
Attendance Records
The November 6, 2011 game against the Houston DynamoHouston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
set a home attendance record of 20,839 including standing room only tickets.