Chiefs’ move to Kansas could transform commercial development across the metro

The Kansas City Chiefs’ planned move to the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area is already reshaping expectations for commercial growth, real estate investment, and long-term economic development. While the relocation would mark the end of the team’s decades-long run in Missouri, it is widely viewed by Kansas officials and developers as a generational opportunity to anchor new construction and private investment around a modern NFL stadium.

The proposed project centers on a new domed stadium in Wyandotte County, a move that would position the region to compete for major events beyond professional football, including concerts, conventions, and national sporting events. Economic development leaders say the stadium itself is only part of the story. The surrounding land is expected to attract a wave of mixed-use development designed to create year-round activity rather than a venue that sits largely idle outside of game days.

Developers are already speculating about new hotels, restaurants, and entertainment concepts aimed at capturing crowds drawn by games and special events. Retail space, office buildings, and residential projects are also likely, following a national trend in which sports venues anchor walkable districts that blend work, housing, and leisure. Similar developments around newer NFL stadiums have shown that teams increasingly serve as catalysts for broader commercial ecosystems rather than standalone attractions.

The Chiefs’ potential relocation is also expected to influence development patterns beyond the stadium site. Areas along major highway corridors in Kansas could see increased interest from employers seeking proximity to a high-profile destination and improved infrastructure. Hospitality and service industries are anticipated to benefit most immediately, while longer-term growth could include corporate offices and regional headquarters drawn by the visibility and prestige associated with the franchise.

Supporters argue the move would solidify the Kansas side of the metro as a hub for sports-driven economic development, while critics raise concerns about public financing and the loss of revenue for Missouri. Even so, real estate professionals note that large-scale stadium projects often generate momentum that extends well beyond initial projections, especially when paired with intentional planning and private-sector participation.

If the relocation proceeds, the Chiefs’ new home could reshape the commercial landscape of the metro area for decades, signaling a shift in how professional sports franchises influence urban growth, land use, and regional competition in the Kansas City area.

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Header image: A rendering of a new Kansas City Chiefs stadium that may be built near the Legends in Wyandotte County, Kan. Image | Manica

Royals Stadium debate pits economic promise against community pushback

The Kansas City Royals are weighing three potential locations for a new ballpark as their lease at Kauffman Stadium approaches its end, but a growing wave of local opposition — most loudly voiced in Johnson County — has turned the search into a high-stakes political and economic tug of war.

Team officials have identified North Kansas City, a site just south of downtown Kansas City, and the Aspiria campus area in Overland Park as the primary options under consideration. The Aspiria site, near 119th Street and Nall Avenue, drew public attention after a Royals affiliate purchased the property’s mortgage as part of a broader site-evaluation process.

Supporters of a move point to potential economic benefits: a modern stadium could spur mixed-use development, increase hotel and restaurant business, and expand the region’s entertainment footprint, particularly if paired with residential and office projects that promote walkability and year-round use. Proponents say a thoughtfully designed ballpark can act as a catalyst for urban renewal and new tax revenues without forever burdening taxpayers.

But the proposal at Aspiria has encountered intense resistance from suburban neighbors and municipal leaders worried about traffic, neighborhood character and the loss of existing jobs. T-Mobile, which maintains a major presence at the former Sprint campus, warned it could relocate more than 3,500 employees if a stadium were built on the site, saying the campus cannot accommodate both a corporate workforce and a major-league ballpark. That threat has become a central talking point for opponents who say the immediate economic costs could outweigh long-term gains.

Leawood and other Johnson County communities have hosted town halls, organized petitions and issued formal letters opposing the Overland Park option, arguing residents were left with more questions than answers about traffic mitigation, public financing and the long-term master plan for the area. More than 1,300 signatures have been collected on a petition opposing a stadium at the Aspiria campus, and local elected officials have publicly registered their concern.

North Kansas City and the downtown site offer different trade-offs. North Kansas City supporters emphasize better connectivity to existing transit arteries, shorter commutes for many metro residents and the chance to integrate housing and retail around the ballpark. A downtown-adjacent location promises higher foot traffic and tourism synergies but raises familiar worries about displacement, parking strain, and whether increased development around a stadium will serve longtime residents or primarily outside investors.

State and local deadlines add urgency. Kansas and Missouri lawmakers have moved incentives into place, and advisory deadlines this winter and next year have focused attention on the timetable for a deal — elevating both public pressure and political risk for officials who must decide whether to back taxpayer support for infrastructure and transit improvements.

The Royals insist no final decision has been made and that they are continuing to evaluate options in both states, but the path forward will require negotiating a delicate balance: placating anxious suburbs, retaining major employers, protecting neighborhood character and building a venue robust enough to anchor future development. Whatever site is chosen, the outcome will reverberate beyond baseball — reshaping traffic patterns, employment locations and the economic map of the Kansas City region for decades. 

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Header image: A rendering of a new Kansas City Royals stadium proposed just south of downtown Kansas City, Mo. Image | Kansas City Royals

Children’s Mercy moves forward adding new medical office building to Overland Park campus

City planners have given preliminary approval for Children’s Mercy to add a four-story medical office building and lobby extension to its Overland Park hospital campus, a move officials say will consolidate outpatient services, add parking, and support a wider $152 million expansion of the facility.

The Overland Park Planning Commission this summer unanimously approved a revised development plan and forwarded the proposal, which covers the site near 5808 West 110th St, to the City Council with conditions that address stormwater, signage, mechanical screening, and pedestrian access.

Hospital officials have said the office building is a central element of the system’s multi-phase program to modernize the Kansas campus, consolidate outpatient clinics now scattered across multiple locations and free up space inside the hospital for renovated inpatient and procedural services. The health system announced the broader $152 million project in April, describing the medical office building as part of work that also includes surgical upgrades, new service offerings and exterior and parking improvements.

Children’s Mercy’s public materials and local news reports say the new outpatient facility is intended to create a more seamless experience for patients and families and to concentrate specialty clinics and administrative offices that currently occupy a variety of sites. Project schedules published by the hospital indicate the medical office building is slated to open in the summer of 2027, with other campus renovations rolling into 2029.

The planning documents submitted to the city include site maps, stormwater studies and design standards that will guide the next stage of approvals; they require the hospital to resolve engineering and landscaping details before a building permit is issued. Those conditions are typical for campus expansions that abut established neighborhoods and major arterials, city staff wrote in a companion report.

If the City Council approves the plan, the project will move into final development review and permitting. Hospital leaders have framed the work as an investment in regional pediatric capacity, saying improvements at Overland Park will benefit families across Kansas while complementing Children’s Mercy’s larger system campuses. 

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Header image: A rendering of the preliminarily approved new four-story medical office and lobby extension of Children's Mercy– Overland Park, Kan. Image | Children's Mercy credit: HDR

Mid‑America Real Estate sells Summit Fair, a leading Lee’s Summit retail destination

Mid‑America Real Estate Corporation’s Investment Sales Group announced the sale of Summit Fair, a well‑known retail and dining destination in the southeastern suburbs of Kansas City. Principals Ben Wineman and Joe Girardi served as the exclusive listing brokers on behalf of the seller, Phoenix‑based RED Development. On the buyer’s side, Block & Company, Inc., Realtors — represented by David Block and Zach Albrecht — acquired the property on behalf of a private investment group.

Located off Interstate 470 and U.S. Highway 50 in Lee’s Summit, Summit Fair is an open‑air “lifestyle center” boasting roughly 510,000 square feet of retail space and an occupancy rate near 90%. Anchors in the center include top national names like Dick's Sporting Goods, H&M, DSW and shadow‑anchors such as JCPenney and Furniture Mall of Missouri. The property also supports a broad mix of inline tenants, from retailers and fitness studios to restaurants and specialty shops — including Lululemon, Sephora, Orangetheory Fitness, Pure Barre, and many others.

According to the buyer’s announcement, Summit Fair attracts more than 4.3 million visits annually — placing it among the top 7 percent of shopping centers in Missouri by foot‑traffic performance. The lifestyle center’s pedestrian‑friendly layout, landscaping and walkable storefronts contribute to its popularity as a community gathering place.

With this acquisition, Block & Company now manages ten multi‑tenant centers in Lee’s Summit and plans to build upon Summit Fair’s success. The firm intends to expand the tenant mix, lease available space, and program community‑oriented events — efforts aimed at enhancing Summit Fair’s role as a long-term retail and social hub for area residents.

While earlier listing materials from Mid‑America reported a square‑footage figure of approximately 241,923, the buyer’s and public‑market sources align on the 510,000 SF benchmark. This suggests the larger number likely reflects the full center footprint rather than a subset — underscoring Summit Fair’s scale and regional importance. 

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Header image: The central courtyard of Summit Fair retail center in Lee's Summit, Mo. Image | Mid-American Real Estate

Kansas City TIF Commission approves $484 million redevelopment plan for historic Scarritt Building

Kansas City’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission has approved backing for a roughly $480 million redevelopment plan that would transform the Scarritt Building, a historic downtown skyscraper, into a mixed-use complex featuring a luxury hotel, apartments, retail, and a music venue.

Under the plan, the Scarritt Building at 818 Grand Boulevard would be adaptively reused as a 167-room destination hotel branded by Universal Music. The broader project, located on the 800 block of Grand Avenue, would also include a residential tower with 319 multi-family units, about 28,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 1,400-seat music and entertainment venue.

Port KC, the public development authority driving the project, approved the resolution to issue up to $480 million in taxable revenue bonds to support the development. Construction is expected to take place in two phases over roughly five years, with work on the Scarritt Building renovation slated to begin in 2026.

The Scarritt Building, completed in 1907, is one of downtown Kansas City’s oldest skyscrapers. It has been largely vacant in recent years but carries historic significance, having been added to historic registers.

The redevelopment effort seeks to pair preservation of the landmark building with catalytic growth for the surrounding Grand Corridor. Officials argue that restoring the Scarritt Building — alongside new housing, retail, and entertainment — aligns with broader goals of revitalizing the city’s core and driving long-term economic vitality.

If all goes according to plan, the development could bring new residents, visitors, and cultural amenities to downtown Kansas City, anchored by the historic Scarritt Building and powered by modern investment.

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Header image: An aerial rendering highlighting the historic Scarritt Building at 818 Grand Blvd. in the Grand Corridor of downtown Kansas City. Image | Hoefer Welker