Temporary jail could be expedited ahead of World Cup
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City councilmembers hope to expedite building a temporary modular jail within the next 12 months over concerns that the "World Cup may further strain" the city's detention resources.
Why it matters: The future of $14 million previously earmarked for a downtown police booking and holding facility is uncertain as city staff evaluate a potentially faster and cheaper solution.
Driving the news: 2nd District Councilmember Wes Rogers sponsored a resolution in May to look into a temporary modular jail that the city says could potentially pull funding from the downtown booking facility. The resolution passed with eight votes.
- "A modular jail would serve two purposes: It would give us much-needed beds for the World Cup, and it would get us by until the new permanent jail is built," Rogers tells Axios.
- He did not say why he expects the World Cup will strain detention resources.
Between the lines: The idea of a new city jail has, in years past, been unpopular with members of the City Council, but the increased attention on KC in 2026 "has been a catalyst for numerous infrastructure projects," city spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt says.
Catch up quick: The city has been without a municipal jail since 2019, contracting with county jails more than an hour away, which has led to more property and nuisance crime and fewer options for police.
- To help stymie the problem, the City Council passed an ordinance in September that set aside $16 million to construct a 144-person capacity booking facility with 55 overnight beds at police headquarters downtown.
Yes, but: That wouldn't be done until Q3 of 2026, according to initial estimates. And that's if construction started on time earlier this year, which it didn't.
- Of the $16 million originally earmarked for the downtown booking facility, $2 million is already spoken for, and $615,000 had been spent as of July 9, according to Honeycutt.
- But there were design complications, and a letter from Police Chief Stacey Graves in November asked City Hall to reconsider, KCUR reported.
Voters also approved a 20-year tax in April this year that will fund a new $250 million full-scale jail, but that will take years to finish.
State of play: The downtown booking facility project has been put on hold as staff look into a modular jail facility that would include overnight beds and police booking capabilities, according to Honeycutt and city planning documents.
- Initial planning documents were presented to the council in late June, and updated plans were shared in committee on Tuesday outlining multiple potential locations.
- But the city is on a tight timeline for this project, too. Expediting the process would still take 12 months, and the World Cup is less than a year away. And the council needs to approve expediting approvals.
- No money has yet been spent on this project.
What they're saying: Mayor Quinton Lucas tells Axios that after the city and Jackson County couldn't come to an agreement on a joint facility, the city "pursued a path for transformative rehabilitation and detention facilities to ensure humane treatment of our inmates," which he says he is proud to support.
What's next: Staff are working on final site selection, as well as how to procure the right materials and staff the new facility.