May 17, 2018 | News & Press Releases
Former Kemper Arena Now Known as Hy-Vee Arena
Kansas City, MO (MAY 17, 2018) — Foutch Architecture and Development, in partnership with Hy-Vee Inc., announced today that the former Kemper Arena in Kansas City will be named “Hy-Vee Arena.”
The agreement with the supermarket chain includes exclusive naming rights and other partnership benefits, including prominent interior and exterior Hy-Vee signage throughout the arena as well as state-of-the-art video board logo placement.
“The commitment of Hy-Vee is a symbolic step for our re-purposing of this historic facility,” said Steve Foutch, chief executive officer of Foutch Architecture and Development. “Hy-Vee embodies the criteria we set out in finding a naming rights partner and their reputation for excellence in customer service and community involvement is the ideal fit for our venue.”
Drew Holmes, Hy-Vee’s senior regional vice president of the Kansas City market/southwest region, said the company’s exceptional customer service extends beyond the aisles of the grocery store.
“This partnership is the intersection of sports, health, recreation, economic opportunity and civic improvement. We are committed to projects and organizations that support these outreach goals in the cities we serve,” said Holmes. “Hy-Vee Arena is a perfect way for us to celebrate our 30 years of service in the metro area, and it will be a fitting extension of our brand in the heart of Kansas City.”
Historic Kemper Arena was constructed 1973–1974 on the site of the former Kansas City Stockyards just west of downtown in the West Bottoms. The building was revolutionary at the time in its simplicity and the fact it did not have interior columns obstructing views. In 2016, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is currently undergoing a $39 million renovation by Foutch Architecture and Development.
Upon opening in September, Hy-Vee Arena will be the first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art sports environment and hub for hundreds of local, regional and national tournaments each year. The arena design includes the addition of a second floor providing over 84,000 square feet of sports and event space. In addition to the two floors of column-free hardwood floors, one of the largest indoor tracks in the United States, measuring 350 meters, will be perched over the new 52,000-square-foot second floor.
Specialty businesses within the facility will include speed and agility training, cross-fit, a fitness gym, hydrotherapy, golf simulators, e-gaming, dining, retail and commercial offices. No other venue in the country will provide what Hy-Vee Arena will have under one roof, making this facility the premier location for indoor sports.
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About Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 245 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 80,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For more information, visit www.hy-vee.com.
About Foutch Architecture and Development
Foutch Architecture and Development, LLC., is a privately-owned company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. The architecture and development company is known for its ingenuity and one-stop-shop approach since 2004 and has developed over $300 million of historic and tax credit related properties. The arena is the company’s largest sports project to date.