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About Kansas City

What Makes Kansas City So Special
North, south, east or west, Kansas City offers a wealth of attractions in every direction. The striking local landscape includes wide boulevards, beautiful parks, fantastic architecture and more than 200 fountains. In fact, Kansas City’s commitment to its parks and landmarks is well known throughout the country, making it one of the most beautiful cities in America. In addition, our city’s long list of diversions includes world-class museums, a vibrant arts scene, superb shopping, and great jazz clubs.

The true differentiator for Kansas City is its friendly citizens. There is the hustle and bustle with any city, but you’ll see more smiles, willingness to help, and always plenty of suggestions regarding the best place to enjoy barbeque!

Geographically Central = Easy Access Everywhere
Incorporated in 1850, today Kansas City is a thriving cultural and economic metro with over 1.6 million residents. The largest city, Kansas City, often referred to as “The Heart of America,” with a metropolitan area comprised of seven Missouri counties and four in Kansas. Surrounded by gently rolling terrain, access by air, rail, bus, and car makes for easy travel anywhere you want to go.

The Good Life Means Getting More for Less
Kansas City’s cost of living has consistently been at or below the national average. A major component of the overall low cost of living is the affordability of housing in the area, allowing people to get more space for less money. In the first quarter of 2005, Kansas City was the second most affordable market among metropolitan areas with populations exceeding one million.

The Right Combination for Business and Industry
Both the geographic and population centers of the United States lie within 250 miles of Kansas City, making the metropolitan area a natural hub for intermodal transportation, warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution. With a diverse economy, businesses are relocating to or expanding in the Kansas City area can take advantage of a wide range of financial incentives provided by state and local government agencies. It’s an exciting time to be part of Kansas City’s continued growth.

Go, Explore, and Enjoy
You don’t have to travel far to find fun and interesting activities. Amid skyscrapers and fantastic art deco buildings, Kansas City is a city backed by a vibrant arts scene, world-class attractions and an eclectic mix of shops. Hip, urban, vibrant and cosmopolitan describes the reenergized downtown. The Kansas City Power & Light District along with the state-of-the-art Sprint Center are all part of a $4.5 billion urban renaissance.

If It’s Hip, It’s In The Power & Light District
Kansas City’s new Power & Light District features a terrific mix of restaurants, entertainment venues, shops, boutiques, live music, theaters and additional unique amenities. Comprised of an eight-block neighborhood in downtown Kansas City, the District links together the Kansas City Convention Center to the west and the new Sprint Center to the east. With trendy spots like The Shark Bar, Lucky Strike Lanes, Vinino Wine Bar & Bistro, ChefBurger, and Raglan Road Irish Pub, just to name a few, the District has an engaging 24/7 vibe attracting visitors and locals alike.

Kansas City has bountiful arts and entertainment including:

• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is nationally recognized and consistently ranked as one of the largest museums in the country
• The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art presents rotating contemporary exhibits free of charge to the public
• The Liberty Memorial Museum, the nation’s only public museum devoted solely to World War I and America's involvement in that conflict
• The Kansas City Museum features hands-on science and history exhibits
• Science City at Union Station, a $234 million project that opened in 1999, combines the best of a museum, science center, theme park, and theater.
• Other museums in the city include the Black Archives of Mid-America, the Federal Reserve Bank Visitors Center, and the home and studio of the late painter, Thomas Hart Benton.
• Kansas City Symphony
• Lyric Opera of Kansas City
• Kansas City Ballet
• Kansas City Repertory Theatre
• Starlight Theatre
• Unicorn Theatre
• American Heartland Theatre
• The New Theatre
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
• American Jazz Museum

Additionally, more than 1,000 of the city’s structures are included on the National Register of Historic Places.

Not far from downtown, you’ll find the Country Club Plaza, the nation’s first planned community, boasts Spanish-style architecture, beautiful landscaping, and a plethora of shops, restaurants, hotels, and apartments.

Kansas City is a Sports Town
You’ll have a wide choice of sporting events to attend including Royals baseball, Chiefs football, Wizards outdoor soccer, Outlaws hockey, Brigade arena football, and Explorers tennis. If you are a college sports fan, you’ll fit right in rooting for nearby colleges including the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and the University of Missouri. All are within driving distance of Kansas City, along with other numerous institutions of higher education.

Kansas City is often the home of the Big 12 College Basketball Tournaments, while Arrowhead Stadium serves as the venue for various intercollegiate football games, as well as regularly hosting the Big 12 Football Title Game.

Shop In Style: The Country Club Plaza
The perennial end-all, be-all of the Kansas City shopping scene is the Country Club Plaza. Having celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1997, The Plaza is the oldest shopping center in the country and attracts 10 million tourists each year. Along with some of the country’s most fashionable major labels, shoppers will also find true Kansas City originals. More than 180 stores fill this 14-block area to make it a one-of-a-kind shopping destination.

Still Want Something To Do?
Grab a set of ear plugs and head to the Kansas Speedway for NASCAR races, visit the Harry S. Truman Library for a trip back in history on the president who believed that “the buck stops here,” take a trip to Kansas City’s ever-expanding Kansas City Zoo, as well as other sights to see like the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District, Union Station, the River Market, and the Crossroads Art District.

Close to Children’s Mercy, Crown Center is a great area for family fun, with an enclosed complex of more than 60 shops and restaurants, exhibits, and live theater. The outdoor plaza is home to numerous festivals and special events as well as a winter ice-skating terrace.