Prepping Independence for Hallmark Chiefs movie like trying to beat a ‘freight train’

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Independence business owner Cindy McClain is learning that, in the world of Hallmark Christmas movies, things move quickly.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced June 25 that they had joined with Hallmark, the NFL and Skydance Sports to make “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.”

The movie will be shot over the next few weeks at various locations around Kansas City, including GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and the historic Independence Square.

Independence knew before the announcement that the square would be a filming location. But folks there have had weeks, not months, to spruce up the place. It’s not unusual for a Hallmark Christmas movie to be filmed in 15 days.

“We’ve known for several weeks, three maybe more weeks,” said McClain. With her husband, Ken McClain, she owns nearly 30 buildings on the square and is helping the city prepare for filming .

For McClain, that involves getting businesses on the square ready to host not only the movie crew and cast but fans who might come to watch. She can share a few details now that the legal lid of secrecy has been lifted.

A fast turnaround is standard for a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, many of which are made in Canada, not the Midwest.

“It’s happened very, very quick. I say that I feel to a certain extent — and I cannot imagine how a location scout feels or a producer or director — but I feel like I’m trying to stay in front of a freight train.

“It’s a great exhilarating feeling but there’s just so much happening and it’s so exciting and you certainly want to capitalize on it and make sure that everybody who is a visitor up here is comfortable and gets the best experience they can in the middle of chaos.”

At the same time the square is hosting Christmas in July events and preparing for the annual SantaCaliGon Days Festival that draws thousands to the square every Labor Day weekend.

“So amidst all the extra we’re just still rolling through our stuff,” she said.

Christmas in July was planned before Hallmark came calling, which meant the square would already conveniently be dressed for the holidays.

“The lights that outline the buildings are the lights we put up every Christmas,” she said. “In fact they pulled out some of my decorations I use on our buildings for Christmas, the neon (decorations) that go on the sides of the buildings, wreaths, things like that.

“The light poles and the ribbon are their thing. We’re going to try to find money to try to keep them.”

Why film Chiefs movie in Independence?

This isn’t the first time the Chiefs have shined a holiday light on Independence. The square and several of its merchants starred in a promotional video the team made ahead of this year’s playoffs that looked like a trailer for a Hallmark Christmas movie.

“You have several eras represented on the square, so that’s kind of the beauty and charm of it,” said McClain. “They just come together in a four-block area and create this warm, inviting town that ... (movie-makers) try to replicate with new buildings in towns that don’t have them and we have them.

“For me, every morning when I drive on the square I’m just so grateful that I get to be up here ... and it just, I guess, feels like a Hallmark movie.”

McClain thinks Independence scored high marks with the Chiefs during that filming. Because she and her husband own so many buildings on the square — 15 businesses including restaurants, retail stores and a yoga studio — “it really makes it very easy for them, one contract, one person to talk to.”

“If you need a restaurant, I have it. If you need a retail, I have it. You need an empty space? Got that.

“But the other side of it is that the city has been very gracious and helped … cross the red tape line that’s hard to do in any other cities for many reasons.”

Questions remain for fans at filming

McClain isn’t sure how big of a crowd to expect now that the public knows that film crews will be on the square. (She is circumspect about film dates.)

“I think because it’s been talked about so much, I think they are expecting quite a few people,” she said. “I know they’ve got security lined up and I would guess some barricades.

“I think they’re prepared for quite a few but I don’t know what that means? Is it 50? Is it 100? Is it 300? I don’t know. That’s what I mean by the whole freight train comment.”

She’s been busy making sure all her businesses will have enough staff on hand to handle a potential onslaught, reminding everyone “to be as kind and patient as possible.”

People are asking her a lot of questions about the movie.

Even though Taylor Swift is in Europe with her Eras Tour, fans are holding out hope that somehow she will pop up in Kansas City during filming.

Wouldn’t that be a Christmas miracle?

“The big question is, ‘is Taylor Swift going to be here? No. Pretty sure no,”

“And the other — ‘Is Mahomes going to be here? Is Travis?’ I don’t know the cast. I have no idea except for what’s been in the news. Don’t have any idea.”

Lately, lots of people also have asked if she can get them into the movie.

“I don’t have any control over that,” she said. “I don’t even know if I can be on set, let alone get anyone else on set.”

And no, she won’t be in the movie “unless they ask me to,” she said. “I would love to do a little cameo. But we’ll see.”

People are also curious about all that snow that pops up in Hallmark Christmas movies.

How does that happen in July? (Hint: Think white blankets.)

“I don’t know,” she said. “I am wondering the same thing.”