Header image: Altitude 970, strategically located near the Kansas City International Airport and KCI 29 Logistics Park, is an example of the premier luxury apartment communities sprouting up around Kansas City to support the growing demand. Photo credit: BAM Capital
Header image: Rendering of new layout being planned for Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. Image credit: OMNIPLAN
Kansas City International Airport
The 2023 NFL Draft held at KC's Union Station brought in $164.3 million in economic impact, according to Lane4's Kansas City Report. Other "Quick Stats" cited include $35 million: the number of times “Kansas City” was mentioned April 27-30 (2023) on print, radio and digital promo; the event created 1,200 temporary jobs; and more than 68,000 pounds of leftover beverages, meals, and packaged snacks were donated to Harvesters and Pete’s Garden. Feature photo credit: Getty Images.
Electrification is taking hold as the world seeks ways to reduce its carbon footprint and innovate in electric intelligence, most notably within the automotive industry. With the rising demand for electric vehicles (EV), the global EV battery market continues to grow, with an estimated value of $56.4 billion in 2022 and an expected value of $134.6 billion by 2027. In North America, the electric vehicle battery manufacturing capacity in 2030 is projected to be nearly 20 times greater than in 2021.
Kansas City is experiencing this growth and investment firsthand. In July 2022, Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., announced plans to build one of the largest EV battery manufacturing facilities of its kind in the United States in De Soto, Kan. The planned megaproject is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs and result in an investment of up to $4 billion, which represents the largest economic development project in Kansas history.
Construction on the facility began in November 2022, with mass production of batteries planned for Q1 2025. The facility’s capabilities and economic impact, along with KC’s strengths as a major automotive hub, make the region a key player in the North American EV industry.
In addition, the newly opened single terminal at Kansas City International Airport is powered by an all-electric power system. This includes wireless charging pads for KCI's fleet of electric buses, the first system of its kind at a municipal international airport. KCI is the first LEED Gold-certified terminal/concourse project in the Midwest and only the second in the U.S.
At KC SmartPort’s upcoming Annual Industry Briefing: Electric Revolution, Ajay Gnanasekaran, director of strategy and program management with Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., and Chris Ruckman, vice president of energy storage with Burns & McDonnell, will examine how the electrification of the automotive industry and other sectors will have a trickle-down effect across the supply chain. Diving into how Kansas City’s infrastructure, workforce and location enable the region to quickly respond to the evolving needs of the EV industry.
Learn more and register for KC SmartPort’s Annual Industry Briefing: Electric Revolution on April 12.
Hunt Midwest has announced plans to build out an additional 700,000 SF of Class-A space in SubTropolis, the world’s largest underground business complex.
This expansion, built on speculation, provides an excellent solution for warehousing and distribution operations struggling to meet the current supply chain and speed-to-market demands created by today’s online shoppers.
With more than 7,000,000 SF of industrial space, SubTropolis offers benefits beyond traditional above-ground industrial buildings. Lower operations and leasing costs top the list, along with a naturally temperature-controlled climate, ideal for storing inventory with a limited lifespan or specific temperature needs.
“The naturally climate-controlled environment in SubTropolis provides a low-cost solution for distribution space in the heart of the logistics corridor,” said Mike Bell, senior vice president with Hunt Midwest.
SubTropolis delivers warm-shell warehousing with demisable space from 50,000 – 300,000 SF and occupancy in 90 – 120 days. The short build-out period ensures that businesses experiencing rapid growth can scale operations to continue to meet consumer demand in a timely manner.
“Building a business complex into limestone cliffs isn’t something that’s done every day. But Hunt Midwest has been able to successfully leverage one of Kansas City’s natural resources to create a unique environment that benefits many business models,” Bell said.
A substantial portion of SubTropolis’ footprint is currently occupied by e-commerce, archival and document storage, pharmaceutical and animal health facilities and food distributors.
The complex’s location also adds value, as Kansas City is the most centrally-located of major U.S. markets. KC is at the heart of a railway corridor reaching from coast to coast and Canada to Mexico and the Kansas City International Airport moves more air cargo each year than any airport within a six-state region.
Tenants residing in SubTropolis reach 90 percent of the country with their products within two days via ground or air, resulting in reduced delivery costs.
Combined with other features such as an on-site, low-latency fiber network and 24/7/365 armed security, the expanding footprint of SubTropolis is poised to support the future growth and business needs of industries focused on keeping up with today’s fast-paced economy.
About Hunt Midwest: Hunt Midwest is a dynamic real estate development company privately held by the Lamar Hunt family. Based in Kansas City with over 50 years of development, construction and management experience, Hunt Midwest’s wide range of projects include industrial, commercial, mission critical, self-storage, residential, multifamily, senior living, mixed use and SubTropolis, the world’s largest underground business complex. Hunt Midwest is part of the Lamar Hunt family’s diverse portfolio of entities involved in real estate, sports/media, energy/resources and private equity investments. In addition to Hunt Midwest, marquee entities include the Kansas City Chiefs, Hunt Southwest, FC Dallas Soccer Club, Toyota Stadium, Chicago Bulls and United Center.
About SubTropolis: As the world’s largest underground business complex, SubTropolis sets the standard for subsurface business developments. SubTropolis was created through the mining of a 270-million-year-old limestone deposit creating a 1,200-acre real estate development. In the mining process, limestone is removed by the room and pillar method, leaving 25-foot square pillars that are on 65-foot centers and 40 feet apart. SubTropolis is home to more than 55 local, regional, national and international companies that employ in excess of 2,000 people.
