Kansas City Wizards to break ground on Swope Park training facility
WHAT: Swope Park training facility groundbreaking ceremony
WHEN: Friday, March 2, at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Swope Park, 63rd and Lewis Road
Estimated Completion Date: Early June 2007
The Kansas City Wizards, the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, and Mayor Kay Barnes will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. on March 2nd in Swope Park at the corner of 63rd and Lewis Road. This land will serve as the site of the Kansas City Wizards training facility and soccer fields. This facility will also serve the surrounding Kansas City community, including the UMKC men's soccer team, Brookside Soccer Club, and other young athletes.
"Kansas City is so fortunate to have such strong civic-minded leaders willing to step forward just as Lamar Hunt did by founding the Wizards here in 1996," Kansas City Sports Commission President Kevin Gray said. "This partnership with Parks and Recreation is yet another example of OnGoal's willingness to help grow this sport within our city and the entire heartland."
Both UMKC soccer and Brookside Soccer Club will benefit from the four state-of-the-art fields the Wizards will maintain for years to come.
"Through Brookside Soccer and the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, thousands of kids come out to play soccer on the fields 16 or 17 weekends a year," UMKC Men's Soccer Head Coach Rick Benben said. "With the Wizards coming back to Swope Park and improving the area for young athletes and residents, it will be a benefit to the whole community."
Brookside Soccer Club is an AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) affiliated program that draws 1,400 youth participants to the soccer fields at Swope Park each spring and fall. In addition, the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department will continue to play a key role in supporting young athletes and investing in the surrounding community.
"We're extremely excited for this project as it helps promote the game and allows a professional soccer organization to get close to the community," Brookside Soccer Club President Peter Sloan said. "Having this type of quality facility only helps move the area toward becoming a more comprehensive soccer complex. We're absolutely thrilled and we hope the area will continue to grow and flourish and serve the community."
The Kansas City Wizards plan to have the facility and soccer fields completed by early June. While these developments will serve the community, they will also give Wizards players and coaches the most professional practice environment possible.
Plans for the facility include over 7,500 square feet of facility space and four soccer fields. The 7,000 square-foot main structure will house the players, coaching and technical staff and the adjacent 800 square-foot building will serve as a storage shed and turf maintenance area. Some of the features the main facility will offer are a locker room, a treatment room, a training room with weights and cardio equipment and a player lounge. The Wizards will rebuild two of the current soccer fields on the premises, and outfit these fields with warm weather and cool weather grass, respectively. In addition, the organization will provide year-round maintenance for the two fields immediately south of the facility.
"Simply put, this complex will make up the finest dedicated soccer training center in the United States," Kansas City Wizards Executive Vice President Greg Cotton said. "It's with a real sense of pride that we break ground on this complex - pride in our city, pride in our club, and pride in the core community of soccer players who will ultimately benefit from this complex."
Kansas City Parks and Recreation played an integral part in the planning process through this mutually beneficial agreement. Not only will the Wizards have a state-of-the-art facility to practice and train in, but the Parks and Recreation Department will also benefit from improved fields and maintenance.
"We welcome the Kansas City Wizards because the Parks Department and citizens alike benefit from the improvement of two of the fields," Marci Jones, south region manager for Kansas City Parks and Recreation said. "Now young athletes can play on fields that will be maintained at a higher level than they were before. It is an exciting development for Swope Park."
The Kansas City Wizards training facility at Swope Park will be constructed by Meyer Brothers Building Company of Lee's Summit. 360 Architecture and Bell/Knott & Associates, both of Kansas City, and Olsson Associates of Overland Park performed the architecture and engineering. Clough Harbour & Associates of Kansas City performed the sports field design.
Swope Park Quotes
"We believe this will be one of the finest training environments in Major League Soccer and will give our players a distinct advantage in the continued development of team and individual skills. Additionally, we hope it continues to demonstrate our commitment to Kansas City and the development of soccer at all levels."
- Kansas City Wizards President Robb Heineman
"Kansas City is so fortunate to have such strong civic-minded leaders willing to step forward just as Lamar Hunt did by founding the Wizards here in 1996. This partnership with Parks and Recreation is yet another example of OnGoal's willingness to help grow this sport within our city and the entire heartland."
- Kansas City Sports Commission President Kevin Gray
"For any professional sports team, having a top-notch practice environment is the key ingredient to long-term success. This facility will provide the Kansas City Wizards with the resources we need to prepare our players to be competitive day in and day out."
- Technical Director Peter Vermes
"This is a very significant day for our organization. In the six short months since OnGoal purchased the Wizards they have literally transformed the organization. Now with today's groundbreaking we see the first tangible evidence of our long term commitment to creating world class soccer facilities, not only for the Wizards' players but for the entire Kansas City community."
- Vice President of Development David Ficklin
"This urban training facility will be a blessing to the Latino community of Kansas City. Now youth across the Kansas City area and throughout the inner city will have access to state-of-the-art soccer fields. This is not only good for the kids but also for their families, because athletic participation encourages family involvement. The Latino community prides itself on the strength on their families. This is a win-win situation not only for the Hispanic community, but for all of Kansas City."
- Director of Latino Relations Leo Prieto
"Simply put, once completed this complex will make up the finest dedicated soccer training center in the United States. It's with a real sense of pride that we break ground on this complex - pride in our city, pride in our club, and pride in the core community of soccer players who will ultimately benefit from this complex. Through cooperative youth programming with Kansas City Parks and Recreation, the professionalism and commitment to excellence that our owners have demonstrated to our athletes will be made available to the next generation of Kansas City's soccer stars."
- Executive Vice President Greg Cotton
"Through Brookside Soccer and the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, thousands of kids come out to play soccer on the fields 16 or 17 weekends a year. With the Wizards coming back to Swope Park and improving the area for young athletes and residents, it will be a benefit to the whole community."
- UMKC Men's Soccer Head Coach Rick Benben
"We're extremely excited for this project as it helps promote the game and allows a professional soccer organization to get close to the community. Having this type of quality facility only helps move the area toward becoming a more comprehensive soccer complex. We're absolutely thrilled and we hope the area will continue to grow and flourish and serve the community."
- Brookside Soccer Club President Peter Sloan
