KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City will be in the national spotlight this week when the best gymnasts in the nation arrive at the Sprint Center to compete for a national title.
"Our city really shines in a sports spotlight," said Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission.
With tens of thousands of people expected to attend the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, some might say the pressure is on for Kansas City, which last hosted the event in 1987.
"It's an event that doesn't come around often,” Nelson said. “It's not like it happens every few years for us.”
What happens this week could also set the stage for future major events, such as the 2023 NFL Draft.
"We want to make sure that all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed when it comes to details," Nelson said.
Kansas City is also making a name for itself when it comes to passionate sports fans. Last month, Women’s World Cup watch parties in the Power and Light District received international attention.
Landing the U.S. Gymnastics Championships wasn't easy. It took five years to win the bid, with the promise of a great experience for the thousands of fans attending.
"Kansas City is shining brightly yet again on hosting a championship,” Nelson said. “We are upwards of well over 30,000 tickets, and we expect that to be even bigger throughout the week.”
Visit KC estimates the gymnastics championship will have a $5 million economic impact on the metro area.
"To continue to say that we are at Sprint Center and Kansas City and look how many people are in the stands. That's valuable,” Nelson said. “That's very valuable to us as we continue to grow as a city through sports.”
Competition begins on Thursday and continues through Sunday. For more information, click here.
