Kansas City, Mo. ? A scaled-down version of the original Sprint Center will still dazzle the public and be a strong civic presence for Kansas City, architects said.

The new design was unveiled Thursday to enthusiastic response from the Kansas City Council and leaders of the city’s architectural community.

It features an arena with light playing on glass that will change its look every hour. The curving glass will allow patrons to see outside while other downtown buildings reflect off the exterior.

“We think it will become a strong civic icon for Kansas City,” lead designer Brad Schrock said.

The arena was made possible last year after area residents approved funding for an 18,500-seat arena that city officials hope will spark more development in downtown Kansas City.

The original design showed a transparent arena lit up with state-of-the-art electronics. That design was far more expensive than the $250 million budget, and the new version does not include the original sharp angles and large roof.

City Manager Wayne Cauthen acknowledged that the favored alternative of four possible choices was likely to cost about $4 million more than the least expensive option. He said city officials felt the additional investment was worth it for a building that is expected to last 30 to 35 years.

The guaranteed maximum price for the arena will not be final until October. The construction schedule calls for the arena to open in late 2007.

Brad Clark, another arena designer, said the surface of the Sprint Center would include a combination of clear and patterned glass.

“The taut glass skin wrapping the seating bowl and concourses will be an ever-changing tapestry as light plays across the surface,” Clark said.

City Council members have no official role in approving the design.

Mayor Kay Barnes, who led the effort to approve the funding, said she was thrilled with the design, which she compared to a crystal bowl.

Board members of the Kansas City chapter of the American Institute of Architects who saw the design Thursday also approved.

“It’s a striking statement in a very soft way,” said Reeves Wiedeman, chapter president and a partner at Helix Architecture. “It’s simple but powerful.”

The arena will be about seven stories high with high ceilings and 30-foot-wide concourses. It is designed to accommodate an NBA and/or NHL franchise as well as major college sporting events.

The lower level will have 9,000 to 11,000 seats, with overall seating of 18,500 for basketball games; 17,100 for hockey. It will have 72 luxury suites, a spacious lobby and nearly 200 restrooms.

The Sprint Center complex also will include a National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in a separate annex, sponsored by the Kansas City-based National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Anschutz Entertainment Group of Los Angeles is contributing $50 million to the project and will manage the facility. AEG also is responsible for any construction cost overruns.