May 3, 2024

Today’s Forecast

78º | 7% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:17 a.m. | Sunset 8:14 p.m.

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The Border War’s next frontier? Football fields.

Renderings of KU's and Mizzou's football stadiums side-by-side.

Catch this prime time pay-per-view fight, Farot vs. Booth. | Renderings via University of Missouri + University of Kansas

Tigers, Jawhawks — your time has come. The Border War is (unofficially) back with a contest of epic proportions. Forget touchdowns: this KU vs. MU showdown is taking place off the field as both teams vie for the best new football stadium in the region.

We’ve put aside any allegiances here at KCtoday and are ready to serve as your resident referee. Let’s get ready to rumble.

Choose your fighter

There’s no coin flip in this matchup, so your impartial refs ordered these by expected completion date. We’re only a little worried about the backlash, after learning ~70% of our audience has a stake in this fight.

University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium

KCtoday_Booth Stadium — This new stadium has “Rock Chalk” written all over it. | Renderings via University of Kansas

The new stadium, announced in October 2022, is expected to feature:

Suites 80 ft closer to the field
New chairback seating in the north + west sections
Club seating (~2,300) in three different spaces with unique social zones
Four times more food and beverage offerings
50% increase in area per seat + 50% more leg room
Videoboard 2.5 times larger and 60 feet closer to the field
Better accessibility, including more elevators + 1.5 times more restrooms

University of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium

KCtoday_Memorial Stadium — Mizzou-rah, Mizzou-rah. | Renderings via University of Missouri

Welcome to the (new) Zou. Announced earlier this month, stadium upgrades will potentially include:

Two new club sections, including a field-level 300-person Rock M Club built directly under the historic Rock M Hill
51 new suites total, with 14 field-level open-air suites + 20 Tiger Dens featuring large covered social spaces
Upgrade restrooms + concessions, stadium sound system, multi-colored LED field lighting, and stadium-wide Wi-Fi improvements
Expanded event space for Mizzou Athletics + other programs
An all-new team recruiting center

Alright, it’s almost time for us to take off our stripes. Which stadium are you most excited for? Drop us a line and be sure to share your favorite Border War memories (extra points for pics).

Border "beef" history

Asked

What was the two teams’ final football record before the 2012 split?

A. 56-55, MU
B. 172-95, KU
C. 82-70, KU
D. 65-65, Tie

RCJH or MIZ

Events

Friday, May 3

Heritage Days Matinee | Friday, May 3 | 5-9 p.m. | The Ship, 1221 Union Ave., KCMO | $12-$15 | Kick off a month of West Bottoms celebrations with performances by Starhaven Rounders + Shakedown Strings.

Saturday, May 4

Pawsidential Promenade | Saturday, May 4 | 10-11 a.m. | Historic Downtown Independence, 106 S. Liberty St., Independence, MO | Free | Dress yourself + a furry friend in top hats and bowties for a walk celebrating President Truman’s birthday.
Weston Testicle Festival | Saturday, May 4 | 12-6 p.m. | Weston Burley House., 357 Main St., Weston, MO | $30 | We’ve heard the unmentionables at this mountain oyster fest come with fried fish + hand cut fries.
Neighborhood Bock Party | Saturday, May 4 | 3 p.m. | Kansas City Bier Company, 310 W. 79th St., KCMO | $20-$25 | This inaugural beer fest features local breweries + home brew clubs, all in support of metro nonprofit Imagine That!
Waldo Spring Fling | Saturday, May 4 | 10-5 p.m. | Gregory & Wornall Road Parking Lot, KCMO | Free | It’s all Waldo at this spring-inspired fest bringing neighborhood businesses, food trucks, and kids activities together for one day only.
Overnight Fishing | Saturday, May 4-Sunday, May 5 | 11 p.m.-5 a.m. | Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, KS | Free with permit | Grab your fishing pole and lantern for the first overnight fishing opportunity of the season.

Sunday, May 5

Kite Fest on the Prairie | Sunday, May 5 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, KS | $0-$5 | Let your spirits fly high at this breezy day of full of colorful kites.
Berkley Riverfront Festival | Sunday, May 5 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Berkley Riverfront Park, 1298 River Front Dr., KCMO | Free | The city’s weekly hub for all things art, entertainment, and community connection is back for the summer season.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Health

Two years in the making, the $76 million AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Cancer Institute is up and (almost) running. Monday, May 13 is the first day patients will be admitted to the new center, which houses a full suite of treatment services, including the only MRI-guided radiation therapy program in the region. (Johnson County Post)

Development

After clearing out the defunct CoCo Key Water Resort, developer Community Builders of Kansas City is preparing to build a new $4.5 million pickleball facility. The company hopes to open SW19 at the Stadium before the inaugural PickleCon 2024. (Kansas City Business Journal)

Open

New children’s boutique Wild Plains is now open at 9421 Mission Rd., selling clothes, accessories, and toys for kids aged 14 and under. The store held its soft opening this past week and is hosting a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 18. (Johnson County Post)

Traffic

Following a cyberattack, KDOT + MODOT say that it will likely be months before KC Scout’s real-time traffic services are fully operational. Meanwhile, critical updates will be available on each department’s websites. (FOX4)

Biz

Fathers Assisting Mothers founder James Hogue won The Porter House KC’s Pitch Night, scoring a $10,000 prize for the nonprofit. Its mission: to empower fathers through male-focused doula training to support their partners through childbirth. (Startland News)

Weather

Residents in Blue Springs, Grain Valley, and Lake Tapawingo can sign up for the Central Jackson County Emergency Management Agency’s new emergency weather alert system. The service is run through Everbridge, the same app through which Kansas City’s AlertKC system operates. (Kansas City Star)

Listen

Calling all Cher fans: The Tony Award-winning musical celebrating this iconic singer and actress is headed to Starlight Theatre on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 2. Grab tickets to “The Cher Show,” highlighting her story of achieving her dreams — all while wearing lots of sequins.*

Drink Up

Drink Up Week — our annual celebration of Kansas City’s vibrant beverage culture — is coming July 22-July 26. If you’re a local business, you’re going to want to get in on the buzz. Be our exclusive presenting sponsor and advertise your brand with us during Drink Up Week.

Sports

🏎️ Put the pedal to the metal

The Kansas Speedway with the stands about half full. The blue sky partly cloudy.

For the sake of our NASCAR fans, we hope the storms clear up before Sunday. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

You may know the Kansas Speedway from September’s World Series of Barbecue, but did you know it’s also a racetrack?

Just kidding — but if you’re a fan of NASCAR and want to spectate locally, there are only two weekends each year to do it. One of them, Spring NASCAR Weekend, starts tomorrow.

Events kick off on Saturday, May 4 with the Heart of America 200 and Tide 150 Doubleheader. The two races are part of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck pickup racing league and ARCA stock car series, respectively.

The main event, the AdventHealth 400, is a NASCAR Cup Series race kicking off on Sunday, May 5. Richard “The King” Petty will serve as the race’s Grand Marshal, and will call for drivers to start their engines at 3 p.m.

After this weekend, you’ll still have the Speedway’s 200+ annual events to look forward to before the Hollywood Casino 400 in the fall.

The Buy

Ingredients for a perfect margarita. Try the Simple Times Mizers Margarita Bundle to get a taste of something new, like the Strawberry Safe mix.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Dayten

From the editor

Much love to our readers on both sides of state lines — but as a Truman State alum, I have no horse in this race. Go bulldogs, though.

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