Kansas City Today

In a sharp contrast to the outward annexation made popular in the 1950s and ’60s, the Kansas City [1] of today has returned to its roots to focus a multibillion-dollar redevelopment renaissance on the city’s downtown. New landmarks like the Power and Light District, H&R Block World Headquarters, the Sprint Center [2], and the Kansas City Star’s state-of-the-art printing plant stand alongside downtown’s historic buildings in a seamless blend of past and present. Downtown activists like the Downtown Council and various neighborhood associations have become a vocal, energetic part of the redevelopment process, working tirelessly to attract new business, residents, and, in the future, a downtown school.

Historically significant districts like 18th and Vine are undergoing their own makeovers, adding attractions and businesses like the American Jazz Museum [3] and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum [4] to enhance the district’s existing appeal and pay tribute to the rich history that defined these districts and their residents.

In Kansas City [1]’s outlying areas, expansion continues as developers spread outward in search of land and opportunities. Possibly one of the most dramatic metro case studies, the development of western Wyandotte County is a true Cinderella story. Anchored by Kansas Speedway [5], Schlitterbahn Vacation Village [6], the Legends at Village West [7], and a supersized Nebraska Furniture Mart, along with hotels, restaurants, and strip malls, the western half of Kansas’s most population-dense county has become a true tourism destination for the Kansas City area, and a much-needed source of revenue for Kansas City, Kansas. The overall transformation of Kansas City is one that’s been well-received and documented in various national news and travel publications, many of which name Kansas City as a city to watch now and in the coming years. It’s a fanfare the city deserves after overcoming so much hardship, a return to an unadulterated joy reminiscent of Kansas City’s early decades when the city rapidly rose to regional prominence.

Kansas City [1] has made its triumphant return on a journey expected to become only more impressive with each year.