Latest news with #VisitKC
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commissioners approve ordinance on American Royal project
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wyandotte County commissioners on Thursday night approved the creation of an American Royal Community Improvement District (CID). The ordinance was approved in a vote of 9-0 to create the CID and levy a 1% sales tax within the district for 22 years. Man who showed 'no remorse' for KCK deli murders gets life in prison The American Royal wants to move to a new space called Core Royal near Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The American Royal project has been in the works for the better part of a decade. The project has hit some speed bumps over the last 10-plus years. Crews broke ground in 2023, but construction stopped because there was no more money. Some residents have pushed back on the project, citing concerns about their property taxes going up. A Thursday night to give the community a chance to give feedback on the plan. No one from the public signed up or raised their hands to speak at the public hearing. Visit KC estimates the new American Royal would bring in more people than those who visited the Kansas Speedway and Children's Mercy Park last year combined. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV In April, the Kansas City Business Journal reported that the Unified Government approved a $155-million-dollar STAR bond deal, which would be used to pay for the American Royal's new home, similar to the Kansas Speedway and the goal for a potential Chiefs or Royals stadium. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas City looking ahead to '26 World Cup tourism, revenue
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than 28 million visitors came to Kansas City in 2024, according to VisitKC, and those visitors spent a total of $4 billion. At VisitKC's Annual Tourism Outlook on Wednesday, they shared the details of visitors and investment for 2024, as well as looking ahead to future events, like the 2026 World Cup. KC mayor eyes legislation to combat predatory towing 'When you think about that unique visitor coming to Kansas City and their takeaway of 'This was such a fun city, I want to come back and vacation.' That's where my heart goes when you hear those stories,' said VisitKC President and CEO Kathy Nelson about her highlight of 2024. VisitKC reported record levels of business travel in 2024. 523 events helped fill nearly 528 thousand hotel room nights. That travel accounted for $370 million in economic impact. They also shared that visitors planned 326,000 incremental trips to KC, bringing in another $283 million in spending. One of Nelson's proudest accomplishments is their marketing campaign. They said that every dollar spent on advertising returned an average of $148 per visitor in spending. 'That's a thing,' Nelson said. 'I mean, it's hard to get any ROI like that.' Looking ahead means looking towards the FIFA World Cup in 2026, when Kansas City will host 6 matches starting on June 16, 2026. 'The global spotlight on Kansas City will be like nothing we've ever seen before,' Nelson said. 'It's one shot in our lifetime to get this right.' Nelson shared that Kansas City is ahead in transportation plans compared to other cities. She said FIFA approved phase one of their plan, and they've already secured buses for the event, the first host city to do so. KCPS breaks ground on new campus for school district Nelson also shared concerns that the number of international travelers might decrease in 2025. 'There's always concerns, no matter what the situation is with the federal government,' she said. 'It is concerning. There's no doubt when you see numbers that are declining instead of growing.' Despite the concern, Nelson says the occasion is not being taken for granted. 'We can't take this for granted. We're going to be a year out in June,' she said. Her goal is that international travelers come to a place that they probably haven't been before. 'They may have been in Miami or New York or L.A., but they don't know what Kansas City is,' Nelson said. 'So, it's on us in these coming months to get them to go, 'I got to make a stop in Kansas City.'' The FIFA World Cup matches begin in Kansas City on June 16, 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
