Swope Soccer Village
FC Kansas City playing at Swope Park
Location6310 Lewis Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64132
Coordinates39°00′43″N 94°31′12″W / 39.012°N 94.520°W / 39.012; -94.520
OwnerCity of Kansas City
OperatorSporting Kansas City
Capacity3,557
SurfaceBurmuda grass (stadium, 2 fields)
Artificial turf (6 fields)
Construction
Broke ground2007
Opened2007
Tenants
Sporting Kansas City II (MLS Next Pro) (2016–2017, 2022–present)
Sporting KC Academy
FC Kansas City (NWSL) (2015–2017)
Kaw Valley FC (USL2) (2021; One game)

Swope Soccer Village is a soccer complex located within Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri, first dedicated in 2007 with further renovations completed in 2014. The facility is a public-private partnership between the City of Kansas City's parks department and Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer, with field reservations managed by Sporting Fields + Athletics, the premier sports and facilities management company in the Midwest. Children's Mercy Training Center is home to Sporting Kansas City II and Sporting Kansas City's six youth academy teams.

Overview

The complex features nine fields in total: a natural-grass stadium field, two natural-grass practice fields for Sporting Kansas City and six artificial turf fields for local youth soccer clubs. The facility also served as the venue for the Big 12 Conference women's soccer tournament from 2013 to 2019,[1] and has hosted the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's soccer championships, as well as the men's and women's Division III championships.[2] In addition, the Missouri high school girls state finals were played at Swope Soccer Village from 2016–2020.

Background and planning

The current Swope Soccer Village is the result of an expansion that completed in 2014 and cost $13.4 million in city funds.[3]

The soccer complex is located on land that was the practice field for the Kansas City Chiefs before Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972.[3] Sporting Kansas City, then known as the Kansas City Wizards, broke ground and dedicated their training facility in Swope Park in 2007,[4] with a second phase of construction completed in 2008.

The completed Swope Soccer Village opened in September 2015, with Sporting handing the responsibility of managing the facilities to Heartland Soccer Association prior to Sporting Fields + Athletics handling management duties.[3] The main stadium had opened earlier, in November 2013, to host the Big 12 women's soccer tournament.[1]

In 2022, Swope Soccer Village expanded to include an additional 1,000 parking spaces.

Tenants

In January 2015, FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League had reached an agreement with Sporting to play its home games at the main stadium in Swope and use the training fields.[5] The stadium's capacity was increased to 3,557[6] using bleachers the team had purchased for use at Durwood Soccer Stadium, its previous home.[7] FC Kansas City folded after the 2017 season.

References

  1. 1 2 Roberts, Rob (November 5, 2013). "Swope Park Soccer Village expansion nets Big 12 tournament". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kerkhoff, Blair (December 11, 2013). "Kansas City, Sporting Park win with NCAA championship selections". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Hellman, Rick (September 9, 2014). "Born of controversy, Swope Soccer Village burnishes KC area reputation in the sport". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Wizards plan training site for Swope Park". Kansas City Business Journal. January 31, 2007. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. ↑ Husted, Jeff (January 13, 2015). "FCKC partners with Sporting, moves to Swope Park". The Equalizer. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Lloyd scores in return as Dash draw Kansas City". The Equalizer. July 20, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ Bell, Thad (January 13, 2015). "FC Kansas City and Sporting KC partner". The Blue Statement. SB Nation. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
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