Features

Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for Monday at Missouri Western

Jun 23, 2009, 10:15:41 AM

Officials from Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri have planned a groundbreaking ceremony for 10:00 AM on Monday, June 29th to formally kick off the construction of a new facility that is anticipated to host Kansas City Chiefs training camp beginning in 2010. Chiefs President Denny Thum will represent the Chiefs at Monday’s event, joining a host of dignitaries at this dirt-turning ceremony.

Dr. Robert Vartabedian (President), Dirck Clark (Chair, Board of Governors) and Dave Williams (Director of Athletics) will represent Missouri Western, while Lt. Governor Peter Kinder and State Senator Charlie Shields are expected to headline a list of political dignitaries at the event. Kinder and Shields were both instrumental in helping make this project a reality. A number of city, county and other local officials are expected to be present, as well.

On June 18th, the Chiefs officially announced that the club’s training camp will return to the state of Missouri for the next 10 years, beginning in 2010. The Chiefs and Missouri Western State University have agreed that the Chiefs will conduct training camp on the Missouri Western campus for a minimum of five years.

“We are very excited about bringing training camp back to the state of Missouri,” Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt said last week. “Given the increased year-round interest in the Chiefs, it was important to our family to conduct camp closer to our fans in Mid-America. We appreciate the support of the State of Missouri and Missouri Western State University, and we look forward to expanding our role in the St. Joseph community next summer.”

Missouri Western will serve as just the fifth training camp site in the 50-year history of the Chiefs franchise. The Chiefs will conduct their training camp in the state of Missouri for the first time in 20 years when they open camp at Missouri Western in 2010. William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri previously served as the Chiefs training camp site from ‘63-90.