Plan Advances to Redevelop Country Club Plaza

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of Kansas City ("Port KC") today advanced a long-discussed plan to redevelop the Country Club Plaza, one of Kansas City's century-old signature commercial district.

Since 2020, the Plaza has lost nearly half of its appraised and seen dozens of shuttered businesses and discontinued special events. The Port KC vote sets in motion a 15-year, 19-block redevelopment that will add nearly 1,000 residential units, 1.7 million square feet of commercial and retail space, and new and modern hotel availability.

Today's vote also comes after over ten months of negotiations with Kansas City Public Schools and other taxing jurisdictions to ensure more funding comes to our schools as the County Club Plaza succeeds, a long-term priority of Mayor Lucas.

"The Plaza is a crown jewel of our region, but so are our children," said Mayor Quinton Lucas. "Today's action finally moves the Country Club Plaza into the 21st Century, ensuring that the Plaza will be positioned to compete for the finest commercial, residential, and convention opportunities in the Midwest. It also ensures our schools and libraries will share in the Plaza's growth and redevelopment."

City and Port KC staff worked directly with Kansas City Public Schools and other affected taxing jurisdictions throughout the negotiation. The financing structure known as a PILOT, or "payment in lieu of taxes" would begin in 2027 and is designed so that schools and other local governments don't see a drop in revenue while the district is being rebuilt, and see growing returns as new development comes online:

• More than $234.5 million in guaranteed base payments to schools and other taxing jurisdictions over the term of the agreement, with built-in annual growth

• An estimated $46.5 million more as new buildings are completed

• More than $281.1 million total projected to flow to schools, the city, the county and other taxing jurisdictions over the life of the project

• $5,000 per residential unit contributed to the city's Housing Trust Fund as new apartments are built

Today's vote authorizes Port KC's intent to issue bonds for the project and continues negotiation of a Master Memorandum of Understanding with the developer. Formal bond authorization for each phase of construction will return to the Port KC Board of Commissioners for approval at future meetings, with the first phase expected this fall.

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