Arts & Entertainment
Higher Cost Estimates Pause UMKC Arena Proposal at 51st and Brookside
By Kevin Collison UMKC’s proposal for a 5,000-seat arena at a campus site by the south terminus of the Main Street streetcar extension has been paused until spring because of higher than anticipated costs. Officials said responses came in higher than expected based on the specifications in a request for proposals (RFP) issued last spring…
Clock Ticking for Potential Steamboat Arabia Departure
By Kevin Collison The City Market is looking for proposals for the space now occupied by the Steamboat Arabia Museum, but its skipper says he’s not ready to shove off yet. “We have three years to figure it out, we don’t have a Plan B,” said David Hawley, the owner of the museum chock-full of…
UMKC Seeks 5,000-Seat Arena, Retail By Streetcar Stop
(Editor’s note: This article originally was published May 16, 2023) By Kevin Collison UMKC is pitching a development proposal that would anchor the south end of the new streetcar extension with a 4,000- 5,000 seat arena for sports and cultural events, according to a request for proposals issued Monday. UMKC is asking developers to submit…
KC Current Gets Saucy with Joe’s KC
Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que will storm the pitch as the first restaurant at the new KC Current professional women’s soccer stadium scheduled to open on the downtown riverfront in March. “Telling our local food story to the world, we are thrilled to feature Joe’s Kansas City BBQ at the KC Current stadium,” Colby and Megan…
River Cruise Operator May Sail to Kansas City
By Kevin Collison The Berkley riverfront activities are expanding to include a soccer stadium, beer garden, streetcar, rejuvenated casino and potentially, in the not too distant future, a landing for big cruise boats plying the Missouri River. At its meeting this week, the Port KC board was told a river cruise operator now sailing on…
North KC Ballpark Backers to Jackson County: Let Us Help
By Kevin Collison While Jackson County may not welcome their help, backers of a ballpark in North Kansas City say that option would allow the counties to share the public burden of financing new facilities for the Royals and Chiefs. “It seems we need a strategy to not only help the Royals, but handle what…
Escape Game Opens at Plaza, Latest Entertainment Venue
The Escape Game, a Nashville-based chain that features five, different themed escape rooms, has opened at the Country Club Plaza, the second active recreational venue to open there in as many weeks. The Escape Game is located at 320 Ward Parkway in a formal bridal shop. The two-level, 5,540 square-foot venue features five themed escape…
South Loop Park Plan Progresses, $90M Raised, Goal to Open 2026
By Kevin Collison Backers of the proposed South Loop Link are pursuing an aggressive schedule to have the downtown park ready for the World Cup games in 2026 and have arranged $90 million to date for the $200 million-plus endeavor. At a briefing this week on the latest designs for the four-block park that would…
KC Wheel on Course for November Opening at Pennway Point
By Kevin Collison The frame has been completed on the 150-foot KC Wheel, the high-profile centerpiece of the Pennway Point entertainment district, and its builder anticipates it will be carrying riders by early November. The attraction being built by Icon Experiences is part of an ambitious redevelopment plan by developer Vince Bryant to create an…
Puttery Starts Putt-Putt Play on Plaza
By Kevin Collison The Puttery, an upscale miniature golf concept out of Dallas, is opening Thursday (Sept. 14) in the Country Club Plaza, adding an adult-only entertainment destination to the mix of tenants. “The Plaza is well known for its retail and dining, but we’ve found that Millennials prefer experiences over purchasing items,” said JW…