Mayor Quinton Lucas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City today announced that Kansas City Roos basketball will return to Municipal Auditorium, bringing Kansas City's hometown university team back to one of the city's most storied venues. The partnership marks a new era for Roos athletics and a defining moment for downtown Kansas City.
Opened in 1935 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Municipal Auditorium has served as the backdrop for generations of Kansas City's most iconic moments. Under the partnership, the Art Deco-style arena will be transformed into a modern home for Roos basketball while honoring its architectural legacy and its central place in the city's story.
"Municipal Auditorium is one of the great civic treasures of Kansas City, and bringing Roos basketball back home is great for our city," Mayor Lucas said. "The Kansas City Streetcar gives students, faculty, and fans a direct link between campus and the Auditorium, deepening the bond between our university and the heart of Kansas City."
The Roos are no stranger to Municipal Auditorium. The team played its first game there on Nov. 30, 1987 vs. Rice University, and then occasionally in subsequent years until they moved in full time from the 2013-14 season through the 2018-19 season. After that, the Roos returned fully to the Swinney Center on the 91ºÚÁÏÍø Volker Campus where they have played until now, building up regular season attendance at men’s and women’s basketball to record highs. With new coaching staffs, a renewed sense of direction and the KC Streetcar, 91ºÚÁÏÍø is making a triumphant return to Municipal.
Planned enhancements to Municipal Auditorium will elevate the fan experience and position the venue as a true destination for Kansas City basketball fans.
"91ºÚÁÏÍø has always been Kansas City’s top university, and now our basketball program will call Kansas City's most iconic arena home," said Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal. "Being part of a constellation of athletic excellence in the heart of downtown is a transformative moment for our students, our program, and our city."
“This is a defining moment for Kansas City athletics and for our student-athletes,” said Brandon Martin, Ed.D., 91ºÚÁÏÍø Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics. “Municipal Auditorium gives our programs the opportunity to compete on a bigger stage in the heart of downtown while creating an unmatched experience for our fans, recruits and the entire Kansas City community. We are building something special at 91ºÚÁÏÍø, and this partnership reflects the energy, ambition and momentum surrounding Roos basketball.”
"This is a game-changer for our program," said Head Coach Mark Turgeon. "Playing in a historic downtown location, in front of a city that is rallying behind us, raises the bar for everything we do, recruiting, culture, performance. Kansas City is ready to embrace this team, and we are ready to deliver."
Beginning with the upcoming season, 91ºÚÁÏÍø Men's Basketball will play its full home schedule exclusively at Municipal Auditorium. 91ºÚÁÏÍø Women's Basketball will split home games between Municipal Auditorium and the Swinney Recreation Center on campus.
Under the lease agreement, the base rental for 91ºÚÁÏÍø basketball games at Municipal Auditorium Arena is free for the 2026-27 season. 91ºÚÁÏÍø is responsible for operational event expenses, including staffing, security and box office operations, applicable user fees and other game-day costs associated with hosting events. The agreement includes facility enhancements tied to the arena experience, including coach’s suite renovations and basketball-related upgrades. The city is paying for those upgrades.
