Paint project gives Civic Arena first-ever exterior makeover
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Painting crews are making headway on a long-awaited exterior makeover for St. Joseph's premiere Downtown indoor venue, the first in its 45-year history.
Downtown travelers will see the long-held white-colored Civic Arena now dawning new shades of black and grey, a type of gradient paint job that will cover almost the entire structure.
"It's been a long time coming. This is the first paint job that the arena has seen in its 45 year history," St. Joseph Civic Facilities Manager Mary Robertson said. "It's modernizing the look of the building. It gives it an industrial look."
Exterior painting is scheduled to be complete in approximately three weeks. The $542,000 paint project includes both the exterior and interior, the later of which is largely complete.
The project is funded by a combination of Capital Improvements, American Rescue Plan Act and Parks Tax funds.
"The large panels on each of the sides are done. They're doing the trim work, the detail work and now that really finishes off the overall look of the building," Robertson said. "We went with the blacks and whites, give contrast to it that complements the landscape, complements the buildings around the arena."
The project marks the latest improvement effort for the venue, which has undergone a complete transformation in recent years with close to $12 million in renovations already carried out or planned, from new seating, lighting and scoreboards to restrooms, locker rooms and HVAC.
Civic Arena renovations and efforts from the St. Joseph Sports Commission have allowed the city to attract a large and growing number of high-profile sporting events, a list the city hopes to continue to grow and expand.
"If you look over the history of the Civic Arena, George Strait has performed here. The list of entertainers, the list of events that we've had here. we want to bring back that look," Robertson said.
The project also comes at a special time for the arena and the city, which will host the home opener for St. Joseph's all-new Arena League Football team the St. Joseph Goats this Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Duluth Harbor Monsters.
It was announced last week that Kansas City sports royalty -- brothers Travis and Jason Kelce -- had acquired part-ownership of the team through their beer company Garage Beer.
"We do want to bring new, creative and fun entertainment ideas for the community to enjoy, but also for tourists to come in from outside the city to come in and enjoy the amenities here in Saint Joseph," Robertson said.
