Advertisement Kansas City Council has 2 proposals for Kemper Arena future Committee expected to hear proposals next month Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Two businessmen from Wichita are offering a competing vision for repurposing Kemper Arena.The Kansas City Star reports the Kansas City Council will consider the proposal from Rodney and Brandon Steven in addition to one submitted by Foutch Brothers.The Steven brothers own Genesis Health Clubs, car dealerships and have a stake in several hockey teams. A consultant for the brothers, Greg Ferris, says they want to use the arena for smaller concerts, junior hockey club teams, indoor sporting events and smaller entertainment events.The Foutch Brothers' proposal seeks to use Kemper as a regional complex for amateur youth, family-oriented and adult sports. Their company specializes in historic preservations.The city had sought national proposals for redeveloping the 18,000-seat arena, which was built in the 1970s, has been rarely used since the Sprint Center opened in downtown Kansas City. It wants to transfer ownership of Kemper Arena to a private group to save more than $1 million a year in operating costs after the last of public bonds on the facility are paid off in April.The facility's future was a controversial topic for several years as the American Royal, which hosts livestock exhibitions, professional rodeos and a popular national barbeque contest, tried to persuade the city to demolish the arena and replace it with a much smaller building. American Royal officials eventually dropped the effort in the face of criticism from historic preservationists and other groups who wanted the arena saved.Kansas City Councilman Scott Taylor says a selection committee that will include representatives of multiple city departments is expected to hear details of the proposals in February. Taylor heads the City Council's planning, zoning and economic development committee.Taylor says the committee will hear the two presentations behind closed doors, and then public hearings will be held to determine the best plan.