The renaissance that has taken shape in Kansas City, Mo., has brought an abundance of new possibilities for off-site gatherings at new attractions in the last three years, adding to the lineup of other options within two miles of the Kansas City Convention Center.
The new Power & Light District has an array of venues.
"We offer incredible flexibility for events of any size or budget," says Christina Kuhn, the district’s event and marketing coordinator. "It’s one-stop, no hassle, full service that can include multivenue coordination and dine-arounds. The possibilities are endless."
KC Live! Block, the district’s largest rentable venue, takes up a city block. It has 14 entertainment venues and a 25,000-square-foot covered outdoor area that can take groups as large as 8,000 people. There are lounges and private restaurant rooms on different levels.
The development includes two restored theaters: Midland Theatre by AMC, first opened in 1927 and reopened last year, and The AMC Mainstreet, dating to 1921 and reopened in May. Both can handle gatherings of up to 2,000 people.
Connected to Sprint Center by a common lobby is the 41,500-square-foot College Basketball Experience, an entertainment facility with hands-on, interactive exhibits on two floors that allow fans to experience the game. It includes the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. It has a range of spaces for meetings and functions and can arrange team-building events and competitions. The entire facility is also available for private rental in the evenings.
Rental spaces at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial, which debuted in the Crown Center area almost three years ago, include a 230-seat auditorium, an auditorium, a lobby that can host 300 for receptions, a main gallery with a capacity for 800 people, a conference room and a cafe. The grounds of the facility are also available to groups.
West of Crown Center, the Boulevard Brewing Co. has a kitchen and group spaces, including a brewhouse and tasting room, the largest accommodating up to 225 people.
A mile north of the convention center, the Arabia Steamboat Museum features 200 tons of treasure recovered from the Arabia, which sunk in Kansas City in 1856. Its atrium can accommodate events of up to 125 people. Located in the historic River Market area, it is near City Market, one of the Midwest’s largest farmers market and the site of events, festivals and concerts.
Two miles to the east of the convention center is the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District, where the American Jazz Museum shares a complex with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Its Gem Theater, built in 1912 and the centerpiece of the district’s restoration, is equipped to handle groups of 20 to 500.
For More Info
American Jazz Museum
816.474.8463
www.americanjazzmuseum.org
Arabia Steamboat Museum
816.471.1856
www.1856.com
Boulevard Brewing Co.
816.474.7095
www.boulevard.com
College Basketball Experience
816.949.7500
www.collegebasketballexperience.com
National World War I Museum
816.784.1918
www.theworldwar.org
Power & Light District
816.877.8325
www.powerandlightdistrict.com
