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Kansas Citians will get the chance to see a hyperloop test pod at this year's American Royal

Posted at 9:18 AM, Jul 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-30 20:58:08-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — You will get the chance to see a hyperloop test pod in person at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue this year.

Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO) is sending their test pod on a tour of cities across the country and Kansas City is among the stops. The company announced the test pod ‘XP-1’ will stop in Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday. Sept. 14. You can see it starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Kansas Speedway during the barbecue competition.

See more tour dates here.

The company is considering a proposed hyperloop route in Missouri that would connect Kansas City to St. Louis along the Interstate 70 corridor. VHO claims the technology could take passengers between the two cities in about half an hour.

A state panel of lawmakers and private sector leaders has been looking at ways the project could be funded and if the project is a good fit for the state. The panel, led by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, is expected to submit their findings in September.

Virgin Hyperloop One says Missouri's was the first completed feasibility study in the U.S. That study estimated the project could cost between $7 billion and $10 billion.

Lindsay Shively traveled to the test site outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2018 to see it firsthand.

Company officials have said that Missouri’s route has is a very real possibility because of factors including the straight path between two large cities and an academic center along the route, including the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.