With a convenient central location and rich cultural heritage, Kansas City offers an intriguing option for meetings and event professionals seeking an eye-catching new destination.
See what KC has in store for meeting planners and convention attendees, why Essence calls it one of the top places you need to visit in 2024, and how the region’s deep ties to Black history live on within our modern institutions.
Convention Resources
The Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Facilities boast more than 800,000 square feet of meeting space, including a fine arts theater, an arena, 388,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space on a single floor, and many more available options. The Kansas City Convention Center features a direct connection to the 800-room Loews Kansas City Hotel via skybridge and easy proximity to 6,500+ hotel rooms in the downtown core.
It’s all within seamless reach via the free-to-ride KC Streetcar, just steps from downtown convention properties and operating with consistent arrivals seven days a week.
Attendees can also access KC cultural staples within close proximity. Some of the city’s favorite jazz clubs, including the Phoenix and the Majestic, are only a few blocks away from downtown hotels and gathering spaces. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra regularly takes the stage at two venues directly adjacent to the Kansas City Convention Center: The Folly Theater and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
18th & Vine
Just a few minutes from the Kansas City Convention Center via rideshare or the city’s free bus service, the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District has been at the epicenter of Black culture in the area for more than a century.
There’s no better immersion into the neighborhood’s history than a visit to the Museums at 18th & Vine. Housed under a single roof, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum preserve the stories of Black Americans, their defining influence in shaping key elements of our modern culture, the fight for progress in Kansas City and around the country. Across the street, the Paseo YMCA still stands as the site of the Negro National League’s founding in 1920. You’ll also find the American Jazz Walk of Fame and the Gem Theater, a 500-seat performance venue defined by its shining neon sign.
The Blue Room is attached to the American Jazz Museum and hosts live jam sessions every weekend. Soiree dishes out upscale dining experiences accompanied by live music, while Vine Street Brewing occupies a historic stone structure as Missouri’s first Black-owned brewery. The two-story space is perfect for informal gatherings and after-hours celebrations.
More resources in the district include the Black Archives of Mid-America, the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy and the Mutual Musicians Foundation—a still-working jazz club with roots as the country’s first union for Black musicians. Finally, for those looking to indulge in Kansas City’s signature cuisine, Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque and Gates Bar-B-Q are two legacy joints that have descended directly from the original fathers of KC barbecue, and both continue to operate restaurants near 18th & Vine.
Neighborhoods to Explore
A short walk from the KC Convention Center, the Kansas City Power & Light District is a lively neighborhood full of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. Keep an eye on the events calendar at the KC Live! Block for a lineup of live performances and gameday watch parties. Across the street, T-Mobile Center welcomes an impressive calendar of concerts all throughout the year.
The City Market hosts the region’s largest farmers market each Saturday and Sunday. Plus, the area is home to a series of hole-in-the-wall shops and restaurants with global influences that are open all throughout the week.
In the Crossroads Arts District, popular breweries and distilleries line the street, making it a perfect destination for an afternoon happy hour or an evening excursion. Check out the Country Club Plaza for striking Spanish-inspired architecture and several blocks full of upscale shopping.
Amenities & More Resources
Kansas City’s Black-owned businesses provide plenty of ways to enhance your attendees’ meeting experience while investing in the local community. Line up a fresh start to the day with Ruby Jean’s Juicery, offer a sweet intermission with cookies from Brown Suga* or leave guests with a bag of locally roasted coffee beans from Black Drip Coffee.
Find further inspiration for gifts and goods with a trip to The Black Pantry. The purpose-fueled storefront is stocked with Black-owned products from Kansas City and across the country, from quick snacks to home goods and travel kits.
To explore more of Kansas City’s Black-owned businesses and service providers to enhance your gathering, browse the directory available through KC Black Owned.
