The site of the world’s biggest tailgate party will also become the world’s biggest venue for barbecue competition. It was announced Tuesday that the American Royal’s World Series of Barbecue will be held at Arrowhead Stadium this fall on the first weekend of October.
Jim Rowland of the Jackson County Sports Authority says the process started when he observed stagnation in the West Bottoms.
“I was able to read between the lines of what was happening — or not happening — as far as the American Royals and the city as it relates to the West Bottoms and Kemper Arena,” said Rowland.
Because of confined space around Kemper Arena, 40 barbecue entries were turned down last year. American Royal chairman John Mitchell Jr., says at this point only the barbecue event will move. Mitchell says he has no announcement on the future of the traditional livestock event.
