Kansas City’s Rock Island Railroad Bridge to debut as entertainment venue this summer
Without delays, it could be open by the end of summer for events, dining, and hiking.
What was once built by horses and hands will now become a modern, bustling scene for special events and everyday enjoyment. // Provided by Jake Feti
This summer, the historical Rock Island Bridge will no longer be just a historical avenue to cross the river, but will transform into an eccentric entertainment destination. Originally carrying cattle across the Kansas River, it will soon be America’s first entertainment district on a bridge.
This project aims to capture the area’s past dependence on railroads and bridges by reimagining an old industrial district into a vibrant riverfront. It’s also part of a bigger effort to reinvigorate Kansas’s waterfront, hoping to give Kansas City an appreciation for nature and its history.
The structural design of the bridge makes it perfect for more intimate parties while the open walls allow for large gatherings. // Provided by Jake Fesi.
To accomplish this, the bridge’s structure is a focal point of the architecture, capturing its past function, with some of the graffiti remaining to represent the years it sat vacant.
“A lot of Kansas City companies have been proud to jump on this project, and many have given us discounts on services and supplies because this is a project for the city and the first of its kind,” Rock Bridge Island Entertainment Manager Jake Fesi says. “Others might replicate it, but it will never be this.”
Some of the additions to the bridge include a 700 foot long public crossing, steel cantilevers off both sides, and an entire second level to accommodate all the district’s needs. Without any delay, the developing company, Flying Truss LLC, hopes to have the project done by the end of the summer, but could be pushed later into the year.
Striving for sustainability, this bridge is a part of the MARC Planning Sustainable Places (PSP) project and reuses an already existing structure that will support local environmental efforts. It creatively incorporates this principal in details like using railroad tracks as footrests.
“The whole thing is a sustainability project,” Fesi says. “We are taking a bridge and not tearing it down, but making it useful for something else.”
On opening day, developers plan to have event spaces, bars, restaurants, and trails up and running, but will continue to dream about what else can be added to the area. Some potentials are a farmers market, a boat house for the KC Boat Club, landing dock for kayaks, and a zipline from the bridge to the Hy-vee Arena that visitors can use to glide from Kansas to Missouri.
“When we open day one, it will be amazing, but it will be the lamest it will ever be,” Fesi says. “We can only add to it, and it will only get cooler from then.”
The Rock Island Bridge has also been invited to the High Line Network—a group of projects featuring reimagined spaces for new uses. Event spaces can be rented now for Aug. 2024 and beyond.
For more details about the opening and upcoming events, visit the official website at Rock Island KC.
With two complete levels, this bridge will be great for casual meetups or private events. // Provided by Heather Silliman
