On Monday, the Jackson County Legislature, with an 8 to 1 vote, resoundingly passed an ordinance to put the 3/8-cent sales tax extension on the ballot in April! This is the first step in creating a new Downtown Kansas City ballpark district.…

The Downtown Council, in partnership with the City of Kansas City and Port KC, is working to implement one of the catalytic projects highlighted in the Imagine Downtown KC 2030 Strategic Plan: The South Loop Project, a four-block park covering the Interstate 670 (I-670) trench that creates a division between the Central Business District (CBD) and the Crossroads Arts District in the heart of Downtown Kansas City.   Why is this a catalytic project? Because it provides the opportunity for the residents, employees and visitors of Greater Downtown, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Kansas City, a place to gather, connect, exercise and recreate. Over the past several years, there have been many public meetings and dozens of presentations to neighborhood and business organizations in an effort to get input and support from the community. There are two basic questions we hear from the community. The first question, “What is the South Loop Project?” is pretty straightforward. The second question, “This requires major investment, why are we doing this? What beneficial impacts will it have?” is a little more complicated.

Six early-stage tech companies have been selected to receive $50,000 in non-dilutive grants, plus access to business support and networking. After a four-year hiatus, LaunchKC, co-founded by The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas…