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Missouri Lawmaker Looks To Attract Super Bowl To Kansas City

Jeremy Bernfeld
/
KCUR 89.3 file photo

Missouri Sen. Paul LeVota of Independence, Mo., has put together a task force that will be looking at how Kansas City can improve its infrastructure in order to attract the Super Bowl.

In 2006, Kansas City was turned down to host this year's game because voters didn't approve a tax to create a removable roof for Arrowhead Stadium. 

But last year, Super Bowl XLVIII was held in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, which doesn't have a roof. LeVota says that gives him hope that Kansas City can win over the NFL for the benefit of the area.

"I think there are some tangible [benefits], [like] economic development and money being pushed into the area, but I think there's also an intangible [element] that our community would rally around a certain goal and we'd have a national platform."

The main issue LeVota still thinks could hurt Kansas City's chances for a future Super Bowl is the amount of hotel rooms in the area. Like with the 2016 RNC, Kansas City could be hurt by the lack of hotel rooms all within downtown.

The task force hasn't set its sights on a specific year yet, but LeVota said one date of interest is the 50th anniversary of Arrowhead Stadium in 2022.

Cody Newill is part of KCUR's audience development team. Follow him on Twitter @CodyNewill or email him at cody@kcur.org.
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