KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Sports Commission hosted a “Lunch with Legends” event Monday at Boulevard Brewing Company.

Former Kansas City Chiefs Pro Football Hall of Famers Will Shields and Bobby Bell were part of a panel that took questions about the draft from the “Voice of the Chiefs” Mitch Holthus.

“I had three teams that drafted me,” Bell said in an interview before the event. “I had a chance to go to the Minnesota Vikings or the Montreal [Alouettes]. At that time, it was Dallas, Texas, 1962.”

Bell was referring to the fact that the Chiefs hadn’t even moved to Kansas City yet. They did that in 1963. Shields said it’s awesome that the community has come together for the NFL Draft, which starts Thursday at Union Station.

“I just want to make sure that everybody’s ready for all the things that are going to have to go and have to put it together,” Shields said.

“I think putting your best foot forward and having the opportunity to showcase all of the different things that you want to do here in Kansas City, all the barbecue places ready to rock and roll and being able to show our talents of what we do as well as other places makes it that much better.”

Kansas City Sports Commission President and CEO Kathy Nelson said her crews were a tad behind last week.

“But with the weather the way it is, certainly we’ve caught back up,” Nelson said in an interview with FOX4 after Monday’s event.

“In our production meeting this morning, it was great to hear everyone say, ‘I’m good. I’m where I need to be.’ So we’re right back on track.”

Shields and Bell were joined on stage by current Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith. Before Monday’s event, Smith said Thursday will be an awesome day for this city.

“You can feel the excitement,” Smith said.

“Just going to local businesses and just hearing the employees and different people talk about how many more people are in the city of Kansas City right now. I think it’s just going to be a time of excitement. It’s going to be great for the city.”

The Lunch with Legends event was a way for the Sports Commission to help their corporate sponsors, who’ve helped them secure big events like the NFL Draft.