Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

Sprint is one company that lends its name to many places, especially for advertising on arena billboards. In Kansas City, Missouri there is the Sprint Center Arena. They purchased the naming rights in 2005 when the stadium broke ground. The facility officially opened in 2007. The building is a large rounded structure providing plenty of seats for the various sporting events and performances held there each year. The very first concert that opened the center was Sir Elton John.

Officially the arena can hold 19,000 people and it has 72 suites. However, the seating arrangements will vary based on the event. The facility took $276 million to build. The Sprint Center was created as a replacement for the Kemper Arena which was a few miles away. This older arena opened in 1974, no longer making the cut for the amount of business it was receiving. Kansas City, Missouri just grew too large for the original structure.

Currently the tenants at the Spring Center are the Kansas City Brigade AFL team and the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. There is some discussion about bringing in an NHL and NBA team; however, nothing has been finalized. The outside of the arena is spectacular because it is made entirely of glass. The inside has state of the art options like the 3600 LED video screen. Kansas City arena and the city itself are large enough to be a big draw for a number of top concerts moving around the United States.

For example concerts that have previously been at the Sprint Center include Rascal Flatts, Garth Brooks, Miley Cyrus, Ozzy Osbourne, Jonas Brothers, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, American Idol, Luis Miguel, Janet Jackson, and Metallica. Also performers such as the Eagles, Coldplay, Celine Dion, Lil' Wayne, AC/DC, Britney Spears and Nickelback have performed at the Sprint Center. Other sporting events held at the arena include the CBE Classic, AVP, PBR, and of course the arena football league. In 2009 the NCYC or National Catholic Youth Convention was held at the facility.

For 2009 and some of 2010 concerts like "So You Think You Can Dance'', Curious George Live, Elton John and Billy Joel, Star Wars in Concert, Kiss, Trans- Siberian Orchestra, Harlem Globetrotters, and Taylor Swift will appear at the center.

Depending on the event there can be plenty of concessions open to serve visitors. The concessions are spaced throughout the concourses and there is a sit down restaurant available before and during the events. They have large screen televisions to keep ticket holders in the loop while they eat. The concession stands and portable carts will have food like nachos, hot dogs, pizza, hamburgers, steak sandwiches, other sandwiches, salads, and much more. Snack food items include cotton candy, popcorn, peanuts, and ice cream. The facility does offer beer, alcohol, sodas, and lemonade to drink. Usually any type of food a patron would wish for can be found in the concession stands. Parking is close and affordable.