For decades, Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium have occupied the Truman Sports Complex, separated by a sea of parking. Below ground, however, the stadiums are connected by a hidden tunnel that helps the operations of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs.
Ballparks and stadiums are often filled with unique behind-the-scenes touches. As an example, the space inside the Green Monster is an often discussed feature of Fenway Park, while the painted pillar underneath of old Yankee Stadium received some attention during the ballpark’s final years.
In Kansas City, one of the most unique touches is the underground tunnel that connects Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals and Chiefs have both incorporated various elements, such as murals, that highlight their respective histories.
That certainly improves the aesthetics of the space. However, it also marks some key points for the operations of both teams. More from the Kansas City Star:
On Thursday at Arrowhead, painters applied final touches to the tunnel walls on the Chiefs side of the commissary. One side reads, of course, “This Is Chiefs Kingdom.” The other features the numbers and names of Chiefs Hall of Famers, from Lenny the Cool to Willie Lanier.
The Chiefs don’t keep a whole lot of personnel in the tunnels, about 50 during the week, with about 2,000 on game day. It’s mainly a conduit for staff and the two teams’ food service contractor, Aramark.
The Royals keep some personnel and offices in their tunnel year-round, from engineering to waste management. There are more workers in the tunnel during the season, of course, including the seamstress who repairs players’ torn pants or adds American League Championship patches to jerseys.
The Royals also have dressed up their hallways in recent years, including a 100-foot mural by local artist Phil Shafer of SikeStyle Industries (he had a hand in designing the Chiefs’ mural, too). Shafer said the mural took more than a week to complete.
The tunnel is located below the complex’s parking lot M.