SubTropolis is a ginormous man-made cave in the bluffs above the Missouri River in Kansas City. The 55,000,000-square-foot, 1,100-acre underground storage facility is believed to be the world’s largest site of its kind. In fact, it has trademarked the phrase “World’s Largest Underground Business Complex.” It was developed by late Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt via Hunt Midwest Real Estate Development, Inc. Read on to learn more about the largest underground business complex in Missouri that’s also known as the Subtropolis Caves.

The entrance may not look all that spectacular, but what lies beneath the surface is truly fascinating.
By ErgoSum88 - Own work, Public Domain
It was created by digging into the Bethany Falls limestone mine and is, in places, 160 feet beneath the surface.
It has a grid of 16 feet high, 40-foot-wide tunnels separated by 25-foot square limestone pillars created by the room and pillar method of hard rock mining.
YouTube/ Great Big Story
The interior of the building is mind-blowing. The complex contains almost seven miles of illuminated, paved roads and several miles of railroad track.
By ErgoSum88 - Own work, Public Domain
Currently, 7,300,000 square feet are occupied and 6,700,000 square feet are available for expansion.
Facebook/ Sub Tropolis
There's almost always some sort of construction taking place. About 3.2 acres of available space are added each year as active mining continues.
Facebook/ Sub Tropolis
The underground food service warehouse stores tons of restaurant supplies. The mine naturally maintains temperatures between 65 and 70 °F year-round, making it a great space for a lot of different types of businesses.
Facebook/ Sub Tropolis
For example, the United States Postal Service uses the space for its collectible stamp operations, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency leases spaces within for their Region-7 Training and Logistics Center.

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There's even an automotive alley.
Facebook/ Sub Tropolis
Lightedge Solutions, Inc. uses the space to store data.
YouTube/ Great Big Story
Grantham University keeps many of their educational supplies here.
YouTube/ Great Big Story
There are over 150,000 film reels.
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It even houses specialty food packaging.
YouTube/ Great Big Story
Facebook/ Sub Tropolis
SubTropolis is used by around 50 businesses and organizations, for a variety of purposes. Besides those already mentioned, other businesses include Cerner, NextPage, Hallmark Cards, Hantover, Clore Automotive, and Knapheide.

Check out this great video:

Although other facilities like the SubTropolis Caves exist, there are none on the same scale. However, as the room and pillar mining method continues to be used to extract limestone throughout the Midwest, the growth of such facilities is quite possible. Many companies are looking at ways to utilize the hundreds of millions of square feet created in this manner for everything from mushroom farming to crude oil stockpiling.

SubTroplis is definitely one of the most incredible underground places in Missouri. Do you or does someone you know work at the SubTropolis Caves?  Have you been inside?  How would you like to work underground?  Share your experiences in the comments.

Looking for more unusual places in Missouri? Check out the weirdest places you can go in Missouri.

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More to Explore

Subtropolis Caves

Elisa Regulski | January 02, 2020

Are there any caves in Missouri?

  • Onandaga Cave is one of the most gorgeous underground places in Missouri. Embark on a wonderful cave tour and learn all about its history. This area is also a great place to go hiking, camping, and fishing.
  • If you loved visiting this stunning spot, take a trip to Fisher Cave in Meramec State Park. You’ll love exploring this amazing geological wonder. It's easy to see why this is one of the best caves in Missouri.

 

What are the most unusual places in Missouri?

  • Leila’s Hair Museum, located in Independence, is one of the most unusual places in Missouri. This one-of-a-kind display showcases a wide variety of hair art, historic hair pieces, and more. It’s oddly fascinating!
  • The Giant Animal Cluster, located in Bonne Terre is another wacky attraction in Missouri. Blackwell Motors showcases a variety of fiberglass animals, and people come from all around just to see them.

 

Are there any fascinating abandoned buildings in Missouri?

There are so many incredible abandoned businesses in Missouri. To see the best of them, embark on this road trip to Missouri’s best abandoned places. Who knows? You may even encounter some paranormal activity while you’re exploring.

  • The Missouri Penitentiary in Jefferson City is rumored to be riddled with spirits.
  • Lemp Brewery, located in St. Louis, is another unique place to explore. You won’t be bored on this one-of-a-kind road trip!

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8300 NE Underground Dr, Kansas City, MO 64161, USA