In my second ever interview, I recently caught up with David Ficklin, the main man behind the design and construction of our very own LIVE
STRONG Sporting Park. Enjoy it for yourself below.
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Growing up, was architecture one of your genuine interests, or did your desire to construct stadiums and other buildings develop at a later age?
DF: The short answer is actually, yes. The long answer is, well, long, and it starts all the way back in kindergarten, where the father of my best friend was a contractor who built us great forts that we would promptly tear apart and rebuild. So I literally grew up with a hammer in my hand. By the time I was a senior in high school I knew I wanted to be an architect. I didn’t take the quickest path to get there but I ended up getting my architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley and worked for an architectural firm in the Bay Area for several years. Then in early 1994 I had one of those thunderbolt moments when I realized my sport, soccer, was coming to my home town…yes, the FIFA World Cup was coming to Palo Alto, and I had to be a part of it! I ended up getting a job with the Bay Area Host Committee renovating an abandoned hardware store and lumber yard almost across the street from Stanford Stadium into a World Cup retail store/visitor’s center and hospitality space that we rented out. That led to my first job in MLS which was actually designing the offices for the MLS team that would become the San Jose Clash. I ended up getting my dream job, working for the team in marketing for the first three seasons. It’s funny to think back, but I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a sports architect until I was asked to come out to KC to join HOK Sport (which is now Populous) to help them build their Event practice. So I guess in some ways, it was fate that I became a sports architect.
What are some other stadiums or buildings that you've helped to create, and how does LIVESTRONG Sporting Park rate among them?
DF: In the 4.5 years I worked at HOK Sport I had the opportunity to work on many types of soccer projects across the world, including some really cool ones that never got built. I designed a temporary stadium for the Chicago Fire and the transformation of CAB into our home for three seasons. I worked on the Rochester Rhino’s stadium, Dicks Sporting Goods Park, and Estadio Omnilife for Chivas of Guadalajara. I led the venue planning for Sochi Russia’s successful 2014 Olympic Winter Games bid where I led the initial design of all the Games venues including the Olympic Stadium and the master plan for the world’s first Winter Games Olympic Park. But of all the projects I have worked on, LSP is the most special. It quickly became more than a just a building where our soccer team played, it became a true home for soccer fans and the place to be in KC."
What is it like to see a stadium that you helped create go from design to actual physical structure?
DF: It was a dream come true. Working on LSP was an opportunity of a lifetime. It was the confluence of visionary owners, the right budget and an incredibly talented team of designers and builders. And the result, LSP, is a testament to the dedication of everyone who invested their time and talents into it.
As for the building, I’d like to think I know every detail of it, or at a minimum at a certain point in time, I agonized over every detail. One of the great rewards is that people actually noticed and appreciated that we cared about the details…and that makes it all worthwhile.
What is your favorite aspect of LSP? Looking back, were there any design flaws you wished you could have changed?
DF: Well, I’m sure fans have their thoughts on flaws or areas that they have noticed during their time at LSP that don’t work as well as we had hoped or they had expected. And it’s more important what the fans think anyway, because the building is for them so hopefully we kept the flaws to a minimum. Personally my favorite aspect is really an intangible; it is that so many people feel so passionately about LSP. The stadium has already started to win some awards but one of the coolest things to me is that the people of KC voted it tops in the poll of KC attractions to build in the new LEGOLAND - of all the loved places in KC, LSP was the top one. I’m still blown away that people have responded to the stadium with such love, and can’t wait to see how the LEGO version turns out.
In your eyes, how has the inaugural season at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park gone? Did it live up to expectations?
DF: It exceeded every expectation I dared have. We hosted every MLS game we could have, brought the US Men’s and Women’s’ National teams here, and were awarded the semi’s and final of CONCACAF Olympic qualifying this spring. But most of all we captured the imagination of our city and turned thousands of first time visitors into true soccer fans. My favorite day was the Colorado playoff game. Anyone who was there will never forget it how loud and passionate the crowd was. I think that passion will be rewarded for years to come with important games being brought to Kansas City. Speaking of which, looking to 2012, I believe that we will host the MLS Cup!
Have you had any talks with Robb Heineman and the LSP planning and construction crew about expanding the stadium? If so, when can we predict a stadium expansion?
DF: Not yet, but see below…
If stadium expansion becomes a topic in the next several years, what parts of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park do you think would be expanded or changed?
DF: We actually designed the stadium to accommodate future expansion. The foundations and steel superstructure are designed to accommodate a second tier on both the East and South stands. However, I still think the current capacity is the right size for Kansas City, and will be for some time. But, having been there on April 6, 1996 when we launched the League, if I get to see a need to expand LSP, it will be an incredible moment indeed, for MLS, for Kansas City, and for all of us who dared to dream that soccer could succeed here.
Have you ever considered helping out another MLS club with their stadium situation?
DF: You saved the hardest question for last I see…first, the incredible fact is that there are very few teams that still need stadiums. This is really amazing when you think about how far this league has come in such a relatively short time. But right now, I couldn’t imagine leaving. There is still so much to do to continue building soccer right here in Kansas City.
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I'd like to give a huge thanks to David, who agreed to do the interview almost instantly. I appreciate everything you've shared, and I'm sure my readers did too. Most of all, I'd like to thank you for the jewel of a stadium you've created for Sporting KC and all of Kansas City's soccer lovers.
Readers, if you have any thoughts on the interview, or ideas on who you'd like me to interview in the future, I'd love your say. Please share in the comments section below.
