CPKC Stadium
CPKC Stadium is an 11,500-seat soccer-specific stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, that serves as the home venue for the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[1][2][3]
Opened on March 16, 2024, the facility is the first stadium in the world purpose-built exclusively for a women's professional sports team, marking a milestone in investment dedicated to women's athletics.[4][5][6]
Privately funded at a cost of $120 million on a seven-acre site in Berkley Riverfront Park, the stadium emphasizes proximity to the action, with every seat located no more than 100 feet from the pitch.[1][7][8][2]
Named for its title sponsor, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the venue achieved immediate sell-outs for its inaugural season and earned recognition as one of TIME's World's Greatest Places in 2024.[2][7][9]
History
Planning and Venue Search
In 2020, the Kansas City NWSL franchise, founded by owners Angie Long, Chris Long, and Brittany Mahomes (later Matthews), identified the need for a dedicated venue amid challenges sharing facilities with the men's Sporting Kansas City team at Children's Mercy Park, where scheduling conflicts and limited access hindered operations.[10] The franchise prioritized a purpose-built soccer-specific stadium to support professional standards for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), rejecting reliance on multi-purpose or suboptimal fields common for women's teams.[11] Venue evaluation focused on sites offering central accessibility, development potential, and minimal public funding needs, with owners committing to full private financing to avoid taxpayer burdens typical in sports infrastructure projects.[12] Berkley Riverfront Park emerged as the preferred location due to its 7.08-acre availability on the Missouri River's east bank, ownership by Port KC (formerly Port Authority of Kansas City), and alignment with ongoing urban revitalization efforts in an underutilized former industrial area.[13] The site's proximity to downtown Kansas City—adjacent to the Christopher S. Bond Bridge and Heart of America Bridge—promised enhanced fan access via existing infrastructure while enabling integrated mixed-use development, including parks and residential elements.[14] On October 26, 2021, the owners announced the stadium plans at a press conference with Port KC, detailing a privately funded $70 million facility with 11,000 seats on the park's east end under a 50-year lease, alongside a $15 million training center.[12] This selection marked a departure from conventional venue pursuits involving public subsidies or contested urban parcels, emphasizing rapid execution and community integration over protracted negotiations.[15] The announcement preceded the team's rebranding to Kansas City Current on October 30, 2021, symbolizing the Missouri River's flow and underscoring the site's thematic fit.[16]Proposal and Site Approval
In October 2021, following the Kansas City NWSL team's (rebranded as Kansas City Current in 2022) inaugural season at shared facilities like Children's Mercy Park, ownership proposed a privately financed, soccer-specific stadium to establish a dedicated home venue.[12][11] The proposal targeted the Berkley Riverfront, a formerly industrial area along the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, undergoing redevelopment into mixed-use public space under the oversight of Port KC, the local port authority.[6][12] On October 26, 2021, Kansas City NWSL and Port KC announced finalized plans for an approximately $70 million, 11,000-seat stadium on the site's east end, alongside a $15 million training facility, positioning it as the first purpose-built stadium for a National Women's Soccer League team.[12][11][17] Site approval was secured through a 50-year lease agreement with Port KC, allowing development on public land without reliance on taxpayer funds or city council votes beyond Port KC's authority, emphasizing private investment amid broader riverfront revitalization efforts.[6][12]Construction Phase
Construction commenced on CPKC Stadium with a groundbreaking ceremony held on October 6, 2022, at the Berkley Riverfront Park site in Kansas City, Missouri.[3][18] The project, spanning seven acres along the Missouri River, was executed by a joint venture between JE Dunn Construction and Monarch Build as general contractors, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers due to the site's riverfront location.[18][19] The stadium's development cost approximately $140 million, funded primarily through private investment by the Kansas City Current ownership, supplemented by a $5.5 million state tax credit.[18][3] Key structural milestones included the installation of the last steel beam on June 21, 2023, followed by sod installation in August 2023 to prepare the pitch with advanced features such as a SubAir aeration system, LED grow lights, drainage foundations incorporating pea gravel and irrigation piping, and underfield heating coils using organic materials.[19][3] Foundations utilized auger cast piles to bridge an existing 54-inch storm sewer line, which required relining to avoid disruption.[18][19] The construction adhered to LEED Gold certification standards, incorporating 180 REC Pure-R solar panels expected to generate 100,000 kWh annually and achieve 24% energy cost savings, marking the first such certification for a stadium in Missouri.[19][18] Despite challenges posed by the site's proximity to the Missouri River—including fluctuating water levels, groundwater management, poor historical site records, supply chain disruptions, and material cost volatility—the project proceeded without significant delays, enabling completion in time for the Kansas City Current's home opener on March 16, 2024.[18][19] Notably, approximately 50% of the on-site construction team leaders were women, reflecting an emphasis on diversity in the workforce.[18] Subsurface air and enhanced field drainage systems were implemented to mitigate river-related hydrological risks, ensuring long-term pitch stability.[18]Naming Rights and Final Preparations
On October 19, 2023, the Kansas City Current announced a 10-year naming rights agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), a Class I railroad headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, for the stadium then under construction.[20][21] This deal, valued as a landmark partnership for women's professional sports, aligned with CPKC's history of sponsorships in female athletics and emphasized local ties given the company's Kansas City operations.[22] The agreement renamed the venue CPKC Stadium, distinguishing it as the first purpose-built soccer facility for a women's professional team to secure corporate naming rights without public funding.[23] Construction, managed by JE Dunn Construction and Monarch Build, began in October 2022 following site preparation and progressed to substantial completion by early 2024 at a total cost of $140 million, entirely privately financed by the Current's ownership group.[24][25] Final preparations in the preceding months focused on outfitting the venue with operational systems, including AI-powered Xtract One security scanners enabling bag-free, metal-detector-free entry for enhanced fan flow.[26] On March 6, 2024, the team hosted a media preview highlighting the completed 11,500-seat configuration—all within 100 feet of the pitch—and tested amenities like premium club spaces and concessions to ensure readiness for the March 16 home opener against the Portland Thorns.[26][27] These steps confirmed the stadium's compliance with NWSL standards and operational viability prior to public access.[28]Design and Features
Architectural Specifications
CPKC Stadium was designed by the architecture firm Generator Studio, which emphasized an inclusive experience centered on athletes and the spirit of Kansas City.[28] The structure spans 394,600 square feet of new construction and features a rounded roof modeled after wave currents, evoking the team's name and the nearby Missouri River.[28][29] This design choice integrates the stadium with its riverside location at Berkley Riverfront Park, promoting visual harmony with the environment.[28] The stadium accommodates 11,500 seats, with every position situated no farther than 100 feet from the natural turf pitch, optimizing sightlines and proximity for spectators across all sections, including premium suites and pitch-side options.[28][15][30] Lighting is integrated into the canopy rather than using traditional masts, contributing to a streamlined aesthetic.[3] The project, completed at a cost of $117 million, prioritizes functionality for soccer while incorporating luxury hospitality areas like climate-controlled lounges overlooking the field.[28] Sustainability is a core aspect of the architecture, achieving LEED Gold certification as the first such professional women's sports stadium in Missouri; features include waste reduction initiatives like reusable cups, though specific materials details remain tied to energy-efficient construction practices.[28][15] The design avoids expansive upper decks typical of larger venues, instead focusing on lower-profile seating to maintain intimacy and reduce the overall footprint on its seven-acre site.[24][28]