NFL Draft stage construction begins outside Union Station

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Construction of the NFL Draft stage began outside Union Station on Sunday.

Kansas City will host the NFL Draft April 27-29. Local football fans are excited to see KC on the national stage once again.

“We’re a very sports savvy town,” said Robert Mihelic of Liberty. “We love ing our local teams, but we also like the national attention as well.”

The draft is the latest big sporting event to come to Kansas City in 2023. Kansas Citians think it’s past time KC was identified as one of the best sports cities in the country.

“It’s great to have the city being recognized for what it is, especially for the fans,” said Thomas Mhillips of Blue Springs. “We [have] the greatest fans ever, so it all collides and it’s like now we are finally getting recognized.”

The construction project will cause some slowdowns on the roads. Starting Sunday and extending until May 7, westbound Pershing Road will be closed between Broadway and Main streets. More road closures will follow. Still, fans think Union Station is the best spot for KC to host the draft.

“I think it’s ideally situated here in our city between downtown and the plaza,” said Mihelic. “We have the real estate here to really pack the people in, and we’re pretty easy going so a large crowd is not a big deal.”

Fans are anxious to show the world that Kansas City is the center of the football universe.

“This is it. This is the place to be if you are a football fan,” said Mhillips. “Where else are you going to have it? Where else has fans like we have here?”

Even though the draft is still more than three weeks away, fans are already feeling excited.

“I’ve never attended a draft, so having it here in my hometown, I’m hoping that I can get close to the stage and root on my team,” Mihelic said.

You can find out more about the NFL draft here.

Copyright 2023 KCTV. All rights reserved.