New go-kart spot will be built by KC area shopping center. ‘Absolutely flying’
A California-based go-karting company is zooming over to Kansas City, Kansas.
K1 Speed is opening a spot near the Legends Outlets Kansas City at North 98th Street and State Avenue.
It’ll neighbor several other attractions, including Kansas Speedway and Atlas9, an interactive art experience that’s coming this fall.
Franchise owners David and Debbie Hill, along with sons Duncan and Devin Hill, are opening K1 Speed’s second metro location. The Hills opened one in Lee’s Summit close to two years ago at 2911 NE Independence Ave.
Devin said he’s looking forward to joining the growing development, which recently welcomed Margaritaville to its roster. The neighboring Homefield KCK Showcase Center and Baseball Complex are a major plus for the Hills. He hopes traveling youth sports teams will use K1 as a spot to unwind between games.
“That’s kind of the main draw is just to tap into a lot of that travel crowd,” he said. “People that are coming into town, People that are staying in hotels (looking) for things to do.”
At 54,000 square feet, the Kansas City, Kansas, facility will be slightly larger than sister spot in Lee’s Summit.
In addition to the electric-powered go kart track, K1 will have an arcade area and cafe. Its karts reach up to 45 miles per hour — “which, on an indoor track, is absolutely flying,” Devin said.
It looks to open in the summer of 2026.
“We’re just extremely excited to be kind of on the opposite end of the Kansas City metro,” Devin said.
Nationally, K1 Speed has more than 100 locations.
It also has locations in China, Italy, Mexico, France and beyond.
Meanwhile, Florida-based go-kart facility Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is also looking to open in the Kansas City metro.
Andretti is set to open in the old Sprint headquarters (currently Aspiria Campus) in late November. It’ll have laser tag and other games.