Mariner Kemper: American Royal’s commitment to tradition and the future is real

Three years ago, my dad, Crosby, and I embarked on a mission to invigorate the American Royal with a new building that better suited its needs. The American Royal has been a Kansas City tradition for more than 115 years. Its history helped build our city and establish our community as the agriculture center of the world.

Times have changed. I get that. Ag no longer defines our city. We’ve become a metropolitan community with a state-of-the-art performing arts building and a revitalized downtown that plays host to some of the best concerts and events in the Midwest. But agriculture is still very much a vital part of our day-to-day lives. It is also an important part of our Kansas City economy.

Keep in mind that Kansas City remains one of the most important hubs of agriculture and food trade in the nation. Kansas City and the American Royal have a tremendous opportunity to embrace our past and look to the future by supporting the mission of the American Royal. But we can’t do that as a community without a long-term vision and a plan.

Over the past few months there has been much controversy over the issue of Kemper Arena. I’ve been called arrogant, selfish and a bully. And those are the printable ones. My intention has not been to arbitrarily tear down a building that bears my family’s name. I have the same memories as everyone else … and they are wonderful memories. But because the building has not been kept up, it is currently collecting dust rather than playing host to concerts, conventions and horse shows.

Kemper Arena is deeply tied to the American Royal and frankly, it’s holding the organization back from realizing its full, modernized potential. I have nothing to personally gain from tearing down Kemper Arena. I, of all people, would love to see it restored to its glory days. I do, however, have a very personal interest in saving the American Royal and investing in its future. It’s part of my heritage. It’s part of Kansas City. It’s part of our history. And our future. Kemper Arena is just a building. A building with a vibrant history, but a building nonetheless.

Just a few short years ago the Wizards had minimal attendance at games and a small fan base. But their leadership, and the leadership of Wyandotte County, had the vision to build a soccer-specific stadium. Now, Sporting Club plays in the best stadium, arguably, in the world, right here in Kansas City. You can’t pass a car on the street without seeing a Sporting Club sticker or someone wearing a T-shirt bearing their logo.

Our proposal will save the City more than $100 million over the life of our lease. In accordance with our lease, the city estimates it will spend $188 million through 2045. We are saving the city money in the long-term.

Our vision for the future isn’t just about the American Royal. It’s about the West Bottoms and breathing life back into this forgotten corner of Kansas City. It’s about embracing our roots in agriculture and supporting our regional families who live the agrarian lifestyle. It’s about the vision to modernize a century-old organization, so we can re-establish Kansas City as a hub of innovation in agriculture. As a reminder, the American Royal is a non-profit organization. In 2013, we granted $1.4 million in scholarships, competitive prize money and educational awards.

I am committed to the American Royal, the West Bottoms and Kansas City. I’m pleased we’ve taken a positive step toward building a strong future for the American Royal and look forward to working with the community and our city leaders to build that vision.

This story was originally published November 16, 2014 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Mariner Kemper: American Royal’s commitment to tradition and the future is real."