The Kansas City franchise of the National Women's Soccer League has had a busy few weeks. First, the team announced a new $15 million practice facility to be built in Riverside, Missouri. That was followed by the news of the first soccer stadium purpose-built for a NWSL team.
Then at the last game of the season, the team announced its new name, the Kansas City Current and unveiled its new shield.
The new home for KC Current, to be located on the Berkley Riverfront, has a $70 million price tag that is being completely and privately financed through the ownership group.
Chris Long, co-owner of KC Current said he's been blown away by the attention this has drawn saying, "we knew it was going to be news for sure. I don't think we understood the gravity of this announcement and the just sheer applause from so many walks of life."
A prominent feature of the new stadium will be its view of the Missouri River and how the structure itself will change Kansas city's skyline.
As for what it will do for the riverfront and downtown Kansas City, Jon Stephens, president and CEO of Port KC, believes the impact will last for generations. "It accelerates the considerations of growth and I think as importantly, it accelerates the density," he said. "We really want this to be a dense, walkable, complete streets, transit-accessible neighborhood and I think this does that."
Chris Long and wife Angie Long make up two-thirds of the KC Current ownership team. They are committed to removing barriers for women in this sport, crediting their family as a big reason why.
The father of four, including two girls, explained, "We've watched the power of sports through their eyes and it's just amplified our desire to get involved in a big way and further the trend. I really credit, for both of us in a lot of ways, our kids as being the tipping point, our girls specifically as being that motivating factor that's driving us to bring this sport to a new level."
- Chris Long, co-owner of the Kansas City Current
- Jon Stephens, president & CEO of Port KC
