Chiefs Training Camp: The Economic Impact on St Joseph
ST JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Since 2010, the Kansas City Chiefs have called Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph home for their yearly training camp.
Chiefs fans from all over the world come to St. Joseph to watch their favorite team practice before the season kicks off.
For the last decade, the Chiefs have been dominant. Nine straight division titles in the AFC West, seven consecutive AFC Championship appearances and four Super Bowl appearances, with three being wins.
While Chiefs Training Camp is free to attend, it's considered one of the most impactful events from an economic standpoint in St. Joseph. More visitors coming in means more business, which means more money to be made.
One business that's looking forward to the camp is St. Joseph's Rally House location. With a surplus of Chiefs gear for fans, Rally House Manager Jordan Newberry expects the store to be packed for another year of training camp.
"We get a lot of out-of-state traffic, especially from Nebraska or Iowa. So we see it pretty heavily when they're starting to come in for camp," Newberry said. "Then, as soon as it starts picking up like the week before, it's insane."
Newberry said fan favorite items are expected to be flying off the shelves, and when the time comes, the store will be prepared.
"We have been stocking up on a lot of signables, mini helmets and pictures so that the team can sign them. We have also stocked up on a lot of jerseys as well. We have an overabundance this year for sure," Newberry said.
Newberry also said, one item is for sure to make its way into households this year.
"Mini Helmets always fly off the shelves, I don't know what it is," said Newberry. "Kids love them, parents love them, they collect them. That's the one thing we try and stock up on."
Apart from the merchandise side of Training Camp, other local businesses also see an increase in traffic and a bigger economic impact.
The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Natalie Hawn, said local businesses love the extra traffic.
"It's fun for the business community to get the extra hustle and bustle of not only the fans but also the chance that they might see a player," Hawn said.
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