In an article covering Kansas City’s impact as the epicenter for sports engineering and architecture, Sports Venue Business listed the experience of Henderson Engineers as a design firm for venues that have hosted the National Football League championship game. The global publication based out of Ireland noted that Henderson has provided building systems, technology, engineering, and design at four venues that have hosted the NFL’s deciding contest.
According to Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) President and CEO Tim Cowden, 75 percent of all sports stadium architecture in the world is being designed by firms based out of Kansas City. Other companies listed in the article were HOK, Dimensional Innovations, DLR Group, HNTB, Black & Veatch, and WSP.
“New and renovated sports venues are tremendous undertakings with wonderful impacts on the community and direct and indirect financial investments of great significance,” Cowden said. “With the concentration of expertise in the Kansas City region, it absolutely makes sense for professionals and suppliers interested in being part of these projects to have a major presence in Kansas City.”
Henderson President and CEO Rich Smith is active in KC Global Design and KC Rising in conjunction with the KCADC. According to Smith, Kansas City can trace its history as the epicenter of sports venue design back to the early 1970s when the Truman Sports Complex set a new standard with single-use facilities during an era dominated by multiuse football and baseball stadiums. Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium were developed at the complex as the separate home venues for the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. This design created a new standard in the sports industry and led franchises to the Kansas City firms, creating a hub.
From there, the city known for its welcoming citizens, barbecue, jazz, and fountains began its rise to global recognition in sports venue design.
Learn more about Henderson’s venue expertise and why Kansas City is a destination location for a sports and recreation engineering career.
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