Kauffman Stadium + Arrowhead Stadium
“...embraced the home-field advantage..."
Young + Dring were honored to provide a signature landscape for the home of Kansas City's professional baseball and football teams. The Truman Sports Complex is comprised of Kauffman Stadium, home to MLB’s 2015 World Series Champions, the Kansas City Royals, and Arrowhead Stadium, home to NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. Young +Dring’s design approach supports an environment that unites fans and encourages an atmosphere where people come together for a common memorable experience. Originally developed in 1968 the site suffered from a dearth of green space. As part of the renovation the stadia perimeter transformed from an asphalt desert to a sea of green. The landscape design was inspired by the native oak savanna which flourished prior to urbanization. Young + Dring show-cased this landscape as the gateway, foreground, and first impression to the fan experience, affirming the setting as home field advantage. The inspiring vegetation - wildflowers with ornamental and native grasses - unifies the stadiums and contrasts beautifully with the manicured playing fields. The massed plantings are stunning year-round and were selected to be at their height of showiness during respective sports seasons. Above this quilt of vegetation, a loose grid of indigenous trees provides order to the immense site and offers an elegant pattern mimicking a savanna. This exciting landscape reinforces wayfinding; articulates a sense of procession celebrated during game day; and creates a meaningful four-season natural environment.