Entries by Tommy Wilson

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Downtown Council launches the State of Downtown event

This year the Downtown Council is launching an exciting new event that celebrates Downtown Kansas City’s transformation from a single-use office district into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood animated by residents, visitors, and employees. The event is titled the State of Downtown and will premiere on Wednesday, November 20th at the new Origin Hotel at Berkley Riverfront Park. This event represents the next evolution of our Office Summit. Nearly all of the new development in Downtown Kansas City continues a trend of intermingling uses and blurring the lines between property types; offices enriched with cafes and gyms; apartments with co-working and dog-friendly spaces; hotels mixed with retail and residential; restaurants and retail activating our ground floors. As a result, we are creating an event that represents and honors this exciting trajectory.

Social Venture Studio Announces Third Cohort

The Social Venture Studio is back with the goal of ‘doing well by doing good’, continuing the program for the third year with the announcement of a new cohort. LaunchKC, an initiative of the Downtown Council (DTC) and the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC), launched the Social Venture Studio at the beginning of 2022. The four-month accelerator, which supports promising social ventures working to solve social, racial or environmental challenges, has selected seven companies to participate in the program. The initiative aims to support entrepreneurs seeking to provide both social impact and return on investment, received many qualified applications for its second year from companies located in Kansas City and beyond.

Downtown Council encourages a YES vote on April 2nd

On April 2nd, Jackson County voters have the opportunity to cast ballots in an election with a generational impact. The Chiefs and the Royals have committed a significant amount of their own funds to extensively renovate Arrowhead Stadium and build a new downtown neighborhood ballpark district. However, a “YES” vote on April 2nd to extend the existing 3/8-cent sales tax is crucial to bringing these exciting plans to fruition.

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Kansas City Royals announce commitments to the Crossroads Community Association

On Saturday, the Kansas City Royals announced commitments they will make to the Crossroads Community Association with benefits that will extend beyond its borders and enhance the larger community if Jackson County voters approve Question 1 on April 2nd. Earlier in the week, the Royals and Kansas City Chiefs released a $260 million community benefits agreement for Jackson County. The Royals’ commitment to the Crossroads will support small business displacement, offer local businesses reduced lease pricing within the ballpark district, and implement traffic and parking management.

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Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals Announce Terms of Historic Community Benefits Agreements Worth $260M+

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals announced terms of the historic Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) with Jackson County that will total more than $260 million in commitments across a broad range of initiatives supporting residents, if voters approve Question 1 on the upcoming April 2 ballot.

Combined and individually they represent the largest CBAs in Kansas City’s history, surpassing any singular agreement negotiated previously, including the recent one negotiated around Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal.

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Downtown Office Summit panelists to examine the Next Gen workforce

This year the Downtown Kansas City Office Summit will focus on the next generation of employees – discussing the environment and amenities that appeal to them, both inside and outside of the workplace. This knowledge will help us chart our future course of creating a modern, mixed-use, yet evolving Downtown that continues to attract both businesses and the future workforce.