12 huge events that will change Kansas City by 2026

KC is on the precipice of these city-altering events happening over the next four years.

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Here’s a look into KC’s not-so-far future.

Photo by @kansasdroneguy

There’s a buzz in the air, and it’s not just from winning another Super Bowl . Kansas City is on the precipice of several city-altering events. Can you feel it?

We brainstormed some of the big ways KC is stepping up these next four yearsget a load of this:

2023

New KCI terminal | Feb. 28 | The largest single infrastructure project in KCMO’s history is now open , revolutionizing the region’s welcome mat for the first time in half a century.

NFL Draft | April 27-29 | KC is once again in the national spotlight as every NFL team (and as many as 600,000 fans ) converge on football’s championship city.

West Bottoms | Begins 2023 | Developers will kick off a ~$500 million “micro-village,” adding 1,250 apartments and rebuilding crumbling infrastructure through 2035 .

Pennway Point | Late 2023 | 3D Development officials confirmed to KCtoday they are on track to open this new entertainment district by the end of the year.

2024

KC Current Stadium | Spring | The world’s first stadium dedicated to professional women’s sports will open for the 2024 NWSL season.

Rock Island Bridge | March | This old railroad bridge is set to become an entertainment district and the nation’s first cross-state aerial park .

Buck O’Neil Bridge | December | This project seeks to establish a 100-year-long connection between I-35 and 169 Highway (with better pedestrian access).

Meta | TBD | This tech giant is already investing $800 million in its first KC data center — with the possibility of a full $40 billion campus down the line.

History, literally in the making.

2025

KC Streetcar extensions | Early 2025 | Both the Main Street Extension and the Riverfront Extension are underway, sparking millions of dollars in investment.

Panasonic | March | This $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant will create at least 4,000 jobs and position the KC region as an integral part of EV technology.

2026

South Loop Project | Before the World Cup | Leaders are pursuing an aggressive timeline to finish a four-block park over I-670 .

World Cup | June-July | The world comes to Kansas City. “It’s going to be bigger than we think it’s going to be,” Tim Cowden, president and CEO of KCADC , said.

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Travis is a launch editor for KCtoday and is based in Kansas City, MO. He previously worked for local news stations such as FOX4KC after earning his degree at the Missouri School of Journalism. In his free time, he loves to mountain bike, play the saxophone, and talk extensively about coffee + urban design.
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