Rockfest is moving to Kansas

The Kansas-Missouri border war seems to once again be escalating. Yesterday came news that Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback sees in Kansas City, Missouri’s stalled plans to revamp KCI an opportunity to build a competitive airport in Johnson County. 

And now this: Rockfest, held at KCMO’s Liberty Memorial for the better part of the last quarter-century, will be staged at the Kansas Speedway this June. 

As the 98.9 the Rock–sponsored celebration of hard-rock acts has blossomed into one of the largest one-day festivals in the country, there have been hiccups, many of them mud-related. The Kansas City Parks Department and Saturday motorists in midtown are unlikely to shed tears over the move. But an estimated 50,000 Rockfest attendees will be spending their money in Kansas instead of in Missouri this year. 

The move will allow Rockfest to erect an extra stage, according to a news release. Another homegrown music festival, Kanrocksas, was held at the Kansas Speedway in 2011. It was scheduled for a repeat at the Speedway in 2013 before it was abruptly canceled a month before the event. 

This year’s Rockfest will be held Saturday, June 3. Pre-sale tickets are available as of today for $29.50. They shoot up to $49.50 on Saturday. 

Here’s this year’s full lineup: 

Godsmack

Sammy Hagar & the Circle

Volbeat

Halestorm

Ratt (featuring Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini, Juan Crocuier & Carlos Cavazo)

Collective Soul

Buckcherry

P.O.D.

Zakk Sabbath

Cinderella’s Tom Keifer

Blackberry Smoke

Crobot

Candlebox

Sidewise

One Less Reason

More info here.