KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. He learned about the lease extension through relationships he has built working his beat in Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.
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The Kansas City Mavericks will remain in Independence for at least three more years after the minor league hockey team and city confirmed Wednesday that they had agreed to terms on a lease extension at Cable Dahmer Arena.
The Mavericks, who play in the ECHL and serve as an affiliate for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, were founded in 2009 and have always used the 5,800-seat multipurpose arena at the intersections of Interstates 70 and 470 for home games.
"It’s sort of a natural fit for us to keep doing what we’re doing and doing it well," said Mavericks owner and CEO Lamar Hunt Jr.
The Mavericks' lease agreement with Independence, which owns and operates the arena, was set to expire June 30, 2026, and there was speculation the team might weigh a move to Olathe.
"We’re been really hopeful for several months," said Independence City Council Member Heather Wiley. "City staff has worked really hard to make this happen. I am so excited about this."
Loretto Holdings, which Hunt also owns, is building an accessible theme park as part of a $320-million project in Olathe. That development also includes plans for a 5,000-seat youth hockey arena.
The Halo Ridge development, a STAR Bonds project, is set to break ground in the coming months after land-purchase snags delayed initial groundbreaking plans.
Instead, the Mavericks are staying put through at least the 2028-29 season.
"We had to fight real hard initially, 10 years ago, to get this from the best-kept secret in Kansas City to being recognized as the true, professional hockey team that it is," said Mavericks Chief Operating Officer James Arkell. "And you come to a game, and you can see the fans are recognizing it now."
The Mavericks, which are in their 16th season, have become an important entity in Independence.
"The games are a blast [and] the energy is amazing," Wiley said. "I think the fans in Independence love the team. They know the players, so it’s a gem in Independence."
The Mavericks' presence is also important for surrounding businesses.
"People are coming from both sides of the state line to the games, and seeing a lot of people going to those restaurants, shopping centers or getting gas on their way home is such a good economic driver for our city," said Visit Independence Executive Director Allison Calvin.
The owner of Thai Spice along East Valley View Parkway near Cable Dahmer Arena said his restaurant is often packed on game days, while Patio Restaurant and Lounge also gets a bump from the hockey crowd.
"A lot of people don’t know we’re here yet, so we’re trying to build that up," Patio's General Manager Breonne said. "But as of right now, we do get a little bit of a crowd before and after."
In other words, Patio, which celebrated its first anniversary on Feb. 2, welcomes the chance keep growing alongside the Mavericks.
"That’s super exciting," Breonne said of the extension. "Keep the business coming for the next three years. We’re happy about it."
The team and the city signed the lease extension Tuesday, according to a copy of the amended lease agreement KSHB 41 obtained.
The per-game rental fee will remain $6,500, which is the same rate from the most recent extension signed in November 2023. That amendment represented a rate cut from $8,000 per game for regular-season games.
Kansas City (34-8-1-1) currently sits first in the ECHL’s Western Division with a league-best 70 points.
The Mavericks have won back-to-back division titles and claimed regular-season and conference titles two seasons ago.
The Kansas City Comets also call Cable Dahmer Arena home.
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