Smart Meetings July 2022 Digital Issue - 92

KANSAS CITY
" Both the Kansas City Sports Commission
and Visit KC will continue to lead the
charge for our city's ongoing growth and
success. " -Kathy Nelson
" A decade ago, there was a conscious decision
by Kansas City civic leaders to invest in hospitality
and assets for the entire community, " said Nathan
Hermiston, senior vice president of convention
sales and services at Visit KC. A total of $6 billion
dollars is being invested in the City of Fountains for
everything from transportation to hotels and venues.
First on the checklist, upgrades at Kansas City International
Airport (MCI), including a new terminal and
6,000-space garage slated to open in March, 2023.
Starting in January of this year, Visit KC shares
leadership with Kansas City Sports Commission and
Foundation. Sports Commission President, CEO
and native Kansas Citian Kathy Nelson said she
plans to build on the momentum already happening
throughout the city. The groups have already
collaborated on initiatives to bid for the 2026 FIFA
World Cup, the 2023 NFL Draft and the annual Phillips
66 Big 12 Basketball Championships.
Notable Ribbon Cuttings
KC Streetcar is being extended so visitors can easily
make their way from River Market through Downtown
to Crown Center entertainment district where
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center (724
guest rooms and 54,390 sq. ft. of meeting space)
and Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
(720 guest rooms and 93,047 sq. ft. of meeting
space) hold court.
Kansas City Convention Center is now home to
46,484-square-foot Kay Barnes Ballroom, which
can hold more than 4,000 people and streams
natural light. Meanwhile, a makeover is in progress
at Music Hall to reconfigures seats and improve the
overall attendee experience.
The much-anticipated opening of Loews Kansas
City Hotel became reality in 2020 with 800 guest
rooms and more than 60,000 sq. ft. of meeting
space. It is connected via sky bridge to Kansas
City Convention Center and in walking distance of
Kansas City Power & Light District, T-Mobile Center
and Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
The same year, Hotel Kansas City opened in
the iconic Kansas City Club building as part of Hyatt
Unbound Collection with 144 Victorian-inspired
rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space including
a signature rooftop space.
Downtown is a lively, bustling place and one of
the hot spots is 21cMuseum Kansas City tucked
between the Power & Light District and River Market
downtown with 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and
120 guest rooms. It is steps from more than 50
restaurants and entertainment venues.
" This is a whole new sandbox to compete in, "
said Hermiston. He pointed to the 2023 NFL Draft
as a milestone event made possible by the improvements
to the city. " We are having conversations we
weren't having six years ago, " he said.
Rooftop at 21cMuseum Kansas City
BRANSON MAKES A SPLASH
Big things are coming to Branson, a traditional
retreat destination in the southernmost part of
the state. The project making the biggest waves
is Imagine Resorts & Hotels, a themed waterpark
scheduled to open its doors in 2024 in Hollister,
a suburb of Branson. The $300 million,
575,000-square-foot resort on 68 acres will bring
450 guest rooms and cabins, themed restaurants
and 30,000 sq. ft. of convention space.
Open and operating with advanced safety
protocols, 220,000-square-foot Branson Convention
Center (photo below) boasts 47,000
sq. ft. of exhibit space and a 23,000-square-foot
modern ballroom.
Lynn Berry, director of communications with
Branson/ Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce &
CVB and Taney County Partnership, said that is
just the beginning of the new entertainment opportunities
coming to the area. New restaurants
catering to groups include both celebrity names
and locally owned gems, including Guy Fieri's
Kitchen + Bar, Ramata Italian Cuisine and Tall
Tales Bar & Grill.
Pink Jeep Tours Branson opens up all kinds
of possibilities for team building and incentive
exploration. Tiger Woods' first public-access golf
course, 19 holes of scenic play with a big finish at
the Big Rock, is Payne's Valley Golf Course at Big
Cedar Lodge. It is co-located with Grandview
Conference Center, which can accommodate
up to 1,000 people with conference, theater and
banquet space and 302 guest rooms.
For those groups looking for some heart-racing
fun, Missouri Thunder by Bass Pro Shops, started
its Professional Bull Riding circuit run in a natural
amphitheater nestled in the rolling hills of the
Ozark Mountains.
Kansas City Convention Center
92
JULY 2021 * SMARTMEETINGS . COM
Kansan City Convention Center photo by Nicole Bissey Photography
Smart Meetings July 2022 Digital Issue

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