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| DESCRIPTION: This 14-square-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district is filled with romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains. Designed in 1922, the Country Club Plaza features boutiques and fashionable national stores as well as distinctive restaurants, outdoor cafes and nightlife hotspots. |
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| ADDRESS: Plaza Customer Service: 4745 Central Street, Kansas City, Mo. |
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| LOCATION: 10 minutes south of Downtown. |
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| PHONE: 816-753-0100 |
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| WEB SITE: www.countryclubplaza.com |
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HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Plaza boasts a list of more than 150 shopping and restaurant destinations. Seasoned shoppers will recognize fine stores like Anthropologie and St. John. In addition, original Kansas City stores like Halls and Tivol give local flavor to the Plaza's reputation as a national fashion center.
- The area is home to more than 30 restaurants and eateries, many featuring outdoor dining areas, live music and happy hour specials.
- Stretching 55 acres, the old world architecture of the Plaza features Spanish-style towers, red-tiled roofs and ornate ironwork. With more than 40 fountains and 50 sculpted works of art, the Plaza is often referred to as an "outdoor museum."
- The Cinemark Palace at the Plaza offers first-run movies, 15 auditoriums, a full bar and food menu and a VIP room.
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| HOURS: Open 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Thurs., noon - 6 p.m. Sun. Check with individual merchants for specific hours. |
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| ADMISSION: Free. |
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| ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: Approximately 15 million. |
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| HISTORY: Designed as the nation's first suburban shopping district for the automobile, the Country Club Plaza was the vision of developer J.C. Nichols. Seeking to create a real estate development that captured the allure of Spanish marketplaces, Nichols purchased several small lots of land in a swampy and undeveloped area in 1907 and opened the Plaza's first buildings in 1922. The J.C. Nichols Company's ownership of the Plaza ended in 1998 when North Carolina-based real estate company Highwoods Properties acquired the rights. Originally nicknamed "Nichols' Folly," the Country Club Plaza's Moorish architecture now features more than $1 million in artwork, comprised of the district's fountains, murals and more than 30 statues. |
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| WHERE TO GET LUNCH: With 30 restaurants and 17 outdoor dining venues, the Country Club Plaza offers a diverse dining landscape to busy shoppers. Housing Kansas City favorites like Fred P. Ott's and Plaza III, the Steakhouse, as well as several establishments new to the Plaza like M&S Grill and Brio Tuscan Grille, there is something to suit every appetite and budget. |
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| WHAT'S NEARBY: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art are just minutes away. The Toy & Miniature Museum is just to the south on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus. |
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| DID YOU KNOW: The Seville Light, at the eastern gateway to the Plaza, is an exact replica of a fountain in Seville, Spain, one of Kansas City's sister cities. |
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| DON'T FORGET: Your camera. The Plaza's 40+ whimsical and artistic fountains create fantastic photo opportunities. Check out the elaborate J.C. Nichols Fountain at 47th Street and J.C. Nichols Parkway; it remains Kansas City's most photographed fountain. |
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| GROUP TOURS: Two carriage companies — Surrey's and Pride of KC — offer horse-drawn tours everyday, while gondola rides are available through Ambiance on the River, every Wednesday through Saturday. |
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| PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the MAX to the Plaza stop. |
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DRIVING THERE: From the north: Take I-35 S, exit on Southwest Trafficway after traveling through Downtown. Stay on Southwest Trafficway for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.
From the west: Travel on I-70 E, exit on I-35 South and then exit again on Southwest Trafficway after traveling through Downtown. Stay on Southwest Trafficway for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.
From the south: From I-35 N, take the Shawnee Mission Parkway/56 E exit. Continue for about 10 minutes. After passing State Line, stay to the left with Ward Parkway traffic traveling east. The Plaza is just a few blocks away. Turn left on Wornall Road or J.C. Nichols Parkway.
From the east: Take I-70 W, travel through Downtown and join the I-35 S traffic. Exit on Southwest Trafficway and drive for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.
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| PARKING: Eight parking garages offer free parking on the Country Club Plaza. |
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| PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Gayle Terry, director of marketing, at 816-960-6232 or gayle.terry@highwoods.com. |
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