Local Information

Kansas City Background Information

Kansas City is a city in the US state of Missouri encompassing parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties. It is situated at the junction of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers (Kaw Point) and sits opposite Kansas City, Kansas. It is the largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the most populous city in Missouri, the seventh largest city in the Midwest, and the 40th most populous city in the United States. As of 2005, the city had an estimated population of 444,965. The city's tap water was recently rated the cleanest among the 50 largest cities in the United States, containing no detectable impurities.

Kansas City, Missouri is often abbreviated as "KCMO", or just "KC" (although this often refers to the entire metro area). It is officially nicknamed the City of Fountains, with over 200 installations, ranking second in the world and exceeded only by Rome. It is also nicknamed the Heart of America because it is within 250 miles (400 km) of both the geographic and population centers of the United States. Informal nicknames include Jazz Capital of the World, Cowtown, and the BBQ Capital of the World, while residents are known as Kansas Citians.

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Kansas City Cityscape

Kansas City, Missouri, is organized into a system of more than 150 neighborhoods, some with histories as independent cities or the sites of major events.

Downtown, the center of the city, is currently undergoing major redevelopment. Downtown Kansas City has a variety of neighborhoods, including historical Westport, the Crossroads Arts District, 18th and Vine Historic District, Pendleton Heights, Quality Hill, the West Bottoms and the River Market.

The city's tallest buildings and characteristic skyline is roughly contained inside the downtown freeway loop. Downtown Kansas City itself is established by city ordinance to stretch from the Missouri River south to 31st Street, and from I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.

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Downtown

Downtown Kansas City is an area of 2.9 square miles bounded by the Missouri River to the north, 31st Street to the south, Bruce R. Watkins Drive (U.S. Highway 71) to the east and I-35 to the west.

Downtown Kansas City is currently undergoing a period of change. Many residential properties have recently been or are currently under redevelopment. A planned entertainment district, which will be called the "Power and Light District," is being developed in the southern part of the downtown freeway loop by the Cordish Company of Baltimore, Maryland; adjacent to the entertainment district will be a new arena, named the Sprint Center, set to open in 2007. The arena is to be designed by a consortium of local architects, and hopes to lure an NBA or NHL franchise to the city. Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group has invested in the arena project and will run its daily operations.

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Parks

Kansas City is well-known for its spacious parkways and numerous parks. The parkway system winds its way through the city with broad, landscaped medians that include statuary and fountains. One of the best examples is Ward Parkway on the west side of the city, near the Kansas state line.

Swope Park is one of the nation's larger in-city parks, comprising 1,763 acres (2.75mi²). It includes a full-fledged zoo, two golf courses, a lake, an amphitheatre, day-camp area, and numerous picnic grounds.

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Main Attractions

American Jazz Museum

The first museum in the country solely dedicated to jazz music, the American Jazz Museum is located in the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District, a revitalized area that in its heyday was the epicenter of Kansas City’s African-American community. Visit the American Jazz Museum website.

Country Club Plaza

With exquisite mosaics, statues and sparkling fountains, the Country Club Plaza covers 14 square blocks and contains more than 180 stores and restaurants. It opened in 1922 as the nation’s first outdoor shopping district. The Moorish architecture is modeled after Seville, Spain, one of Kansas City’s sister cities.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at 18th & Vine chronicles the history of the professional African-American baseball leagues, first founded in Kansas City in 1920. Players included the Kansas City Monarch’s Jackie Robinson, who became the first player of the modern era to break the color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum website.

Fountains

When the Humane Society built Kansas City’s first fountains in the late 1800s to provide clean drinking water for horses and dogs, they had no idea what they were starting. Today, the “City of Fountains” is home to more than 200 fountains—more than any other city in the world except maybe Rome.

Crossroads Arts District

Kansas City has become a haven for Midwestern artists, many of whom have settled in the eclectic Crossroads Arts District. Once-vacant buildings now house unique shops, restaurants and a thriving art scene. The first Friday of each month brings thousands into the district when more than 40 art galleries and shops remaining open until 9 p.m.

Kansas City Barbecue

Barbecue gained popularity in Kansas City in the 1920s and hasn’t slowed down since. The secret to Kansas City-style barbecue is that it’s slow smoked for up to 18 hours, usually over hickory. Today, the city’s signature food is served up at more than 100 barbecue establishments, each boasting its personal house specialty.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art ranks as one of the most comprehensive art museums in the nation including one of the world’s best Asian art collections. The 17-acre lawn is home to four 20-foot sculptures of badminton shuttlecocks seemingly left by giants, as well as the largest collection of Henry Moore sculptures outside of England. Visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art website.

Union Station

Kansas City’s Union Station is the second largest working train station in the nation, behind Grand Central Station. The 1914 building was reopened in 1999 after a $200 million renovation thanks to the nation’s first bi-state tax. It features a science center, rail museum, theater district, restaurants and Amtrak service.

Jazz

From the roaring ‘20s to the early ‘40s, jazz reigned in Kansas City. This rich jazz legacy flourished during Prohibition when political boss Tom Pendergast allowed alcohol to flow freely in Kansas City. Today, live jazz can be heard regularly at more than 20 area nightclubs including the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill, the city’s oldest continuously operating jazz club.

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