NATHAN DUNN
Special to the Citizen
The highly anticipated new soccer complex in Kansas City’s Northland has started to take shape with the groundbreaking on Friday, June 18 at the construction site located on the northwest corner of Highway 152 and North Platte Purchase Dive.
“It’s being built because there’s a need for it,” said Lincoln Roblee, a lifelong Northlander and current head women’s soccer coach at Benedectine College. “Not only is there growth opportunities but it's something that the community needs to have. We need places to play soccer that are close by and we want it to be quality.”
Northland club soccer teams are currently forced to drive a minimum of 20 minutes for their closest games at Compass Minerals Sporting Fields in Kansas City, KS or Swope Soccer Village in Swope Park. Many games also take place at soccer complexes more than 40 minutes away in Olathe and Overland Park.
“It's going to benefit not only the Northland but the entire metropolitan area. It's going to be great for soccer, it's going to be great for families and it's going to be great for economic development,” Roblee said. “This is fantastic because lots of memories are going to be made here.”
The 76-acre multisport complex will cost $36 million and will feature 10 lighted synthetic turf fields that can be used year-round designed for soccer, but also used for football, baseball, softball and lacrosse. The complex will also have a fieldhouse, restrooms, concessions, an inclusive playground and trail connections.
The complex’s sponsor, Central Bank, will have naming rights through 2026. The bank, named the fourth-best bank in America by Forbes Magazine, serves 28 local communities with 47 branches in Missouri and Kansas.
This complex will be the focus of an overall $375 million multi-phase development across 492 acres in Twin Creeks Village. Along with the sports complex, plans include a campus for the Platte County R-3 School District, single and multi-family housing units and other commercial space including hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. Once finished, the project is expected to stimulate $2.26 billion in revenue over the first 30 years.
“This facility will be world-class, make no mistake,” said Sporting KC President and CEO Jake Reid during the ceremony. “Our goal in this as Sporting, for anyone who knows us, is if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right from the get-go. Our ultimate goal was to make this the best facility in the country.”
Not all were on board with building the new complex, but Kansas City, MO Mayor Quinton Lucas is certain that this complex was needed.
The sports complex is scheduled to open in late summer of 2022.
“I think this is going to be a boon to Kansas City,” Lucas said following the ceremony. “I think this will help our entire region and it's a sign of this city’s commitment to economic development long term.”
Lucas later said that this project is an investment in Kansas City’s future.
“While the disagreements were key and were tough, I’m glad we were able to get this done,” Lucas said. “I’m proud of the work we were able to do and I and I think that in a few years people will be able to see all the successes that we’ll be able to make out of it.”
Reid said he got involved with discussions about two and a half years ago when economic developer Alicia Stephens and Olsson’s Darren Hennen reached out to ask about Sporting’s interest. Since Sporting has a full-time team that already operates several facilities across the metro, Reid said his team was built for this opportunity.
Reid also said that the complex will be open to the entire community, youth to adult, and will host practices for clubs, league games, but tournaments throughout the year “will be the main driver of the regional approach.”
Reid also said he anticipates launching a league for clubs that can’t afford to pay and plans to set aside fields for community use on a regular basis.
“We’re able to let people invest in their community,” Lucas said during the ceremony. “We’re able to show people the strength we have in the Northand, the strength we have in Kansas City.”