Kansas City's Downtown Convention District: Premier Hub for Events & Conventions
Kansas City’s Downtown Convention District package is the crown jewel at the heart of the region’s business epicenter:
- Nearly 6,000 rooms are available in the district—2,000 of which connect to the Kansas City Convention Center
- The Kansas City Convention Center is a first-rate facility that touts incredible 800,000 square feet of get-down-to-work space.
And with the free-to-ride, state-of-the-art KC Streetcar linking the entire Downtown corridor, the center of the country has decidedly become the center of attention.
MEETING HOTELS
Two major properties headline the hotel offerings in the Downtown Convention District: the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, which boasts 983 rooms and 17,040 square feet of meeting space, and the newly-opened Loews Kansas City, touts 800 rooms, 60,000 square feet for onsite meetings, plus connection to the Kansas City Convention Center. Each is only steps from the convention facilities, making event logistics simple for planners and coordinators alike.
Meanwhile, a collection of trendy boutique properties (both new and recently renovated) like 21c Museum Hotel, Hotel Indigo, Hotel Phillips and the Hilton President bolster—and have helped reshape—the rest of the Downtown lodging landscape.
OTHER EVENT SPACES
Separate and just down the street from the KCCC is Sprint Center, one of the busiest arenas in the country, as it plays host to countless superstar musicians, blockbuster performances and sporting events like the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships and the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championships (2008, 2010-2020).
The facility features 17,000 square feet of space and a seating capacity of 18,000-plus—perfect for one-of-a-kind exhibitions.
There's also the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland, a classic venue originally opened in 1927 and refurbished in 2008, which features 62,550 square feet of space and room for up to 2,500 people.
DINING & NIGHTLIFE
Revel in after-hours entertainment at the KC Live! Block, home to bars, clubs and restaurants in a single, open-air area—ideal for raising toasts to jobs well done, dancing the night away and even watch parties for a variety of different sports, all only three blocks from the Kansas City Convention Center.
The fun begins once the work ends. Kansas City’s dining scene thrives well beyond burnt ends, but KC’s specialty is a delicacy for a reason, because only something this good could be from the barbecue capital of the world. Sample ‘cue in the Power & Light District at County Road Ice House, Downtown at Plowboys Barbeque and in the Crossroads Arts District at Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue.
Attendees can take clients out to sample finer dining in KC, with nearby notable spots including Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room (Crossroads), Pierpont’s (Union Station), Bristol Seafood Grill (Power & Light), Lidia’s (Crossroads) and The Majestic (Downtown).
The free-to-ride, 16-stop KC Streetcar offers quick and easy access to surrounding neighborhoods and districts, such as River Market, the Crossroads and Union Station/Crown Center. Each offers a distinct flavor of Kansas City, from envelope-pushing art galleries and local craft breweries in the Crossroads to international cuisine in the River Market and internationally renowned exhibits at Union Station.
Kansas City Convention Center
Look no further than the Kansas City Convention Center to find the crème de la crème of the city’s meeting facilities. A sprawling, eight-square-block construction, the KCCC encompasses 800,000 square feet of room, with 388,800 square feet accounting for contiguous, column-free exhibit space on a single floor.
The LEED Silver-certified, 46,484-square-foot Kay Barnes Grand Ballroom is another highlight thanks to sophisticated lighting systems, waterless plumbing, energy-efficient heating and cooling and more, making it ideal for saving money and the environment.
There’s also Municipal Arena, a sports-centric arena that’s hosted everything from Final Fours to volleyball competitions and other high-profile athletic events. And for special presentations? Look no further than Music Hall, a gorgeous Art Deco theater with a 3,600-square-foot foyer, grand staircase and a seating capacity of 2,363.
