Dozens of American flags flew from the roof of the newly finished American Royal Building as it opened in the fall of 1922 for its first show in the new quarters. Construction had commenced the year before, Nov. 7, 1921. Four several years the show had operated in cramped quarters, and at various locations including tents and downtown at Electric Park and Convention Hall. Realizing the serious housing situation, the Stock Yards Company, with George R. Collett, president, and William H. Weeks, vice-president, acquired a building site at 23rd and Wyoming and arranged for the necessary funds to build the building and operate the show for a period of 20 years. The Shorthorn and Hereford Breeders Associations and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce contributed $100,000 among them toward the project. The new building was built in two parts, the Arena Building, two stories high and fronting on the viaduct at 23rd and Wyoming, and the annex, north of it, also with two floors but on a lower street level. According to the legend on the reverse side of the 1922 post card, the building was of “reinforced concrete, brick and tile, practically fireproof, 782 feet long, two stories in height and over size acres of floor area. There were 6,100 permanent seats, arranged amphitheater style around the arena. Seats 10,000 to 12,000 if arena is used.” Part of the structure burned in 1925 buy was rebuilt and enlarged in time for the show that fall. Kansas City Star, February 3, 1973.
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