Kansas City, Missouri

===21st century===
====Downtown Kansas City re-development====
[[File:Kansas_city_(16778782291).jpg|thumb|[[Downtown Kansas City]] looking over [[Union Station (Kansas City)|Union Station]] from the Liberty Memorial]]
In the 21st century, the Kansas City area has undergone extensive redevelopment, with more than $6 billion in improvements to the downtown area on the Missouri side. One of the main goals is to attract convention and tourist dollars, office workers, and residents to downtown KCMO. Among the projects include the redevelopment of the [[Power & Light District]] into a retail and entertainment district; and the Sprint Center, an 18,500-seat arena that opened in 2007, funded by a 2004 ballot initiative involving a tax on car rentals and hotels, designed to meet the stadium specifications for a possible future NBA or NHL franchise,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/08/02/daily19.html|title=Voter OK of arena tax 'changes everything'|work=Kansas City Business Journal|access-date=March 30, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307203144/https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/08/02/daily19.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and was renamed [[T-Mobile Center]] in 2020; Kemper Arena, which was functionally superseded by Sprint Center, fell into disrepair and was sold to private developers. By 2018, the arena was being converted to a sports complex under the name [[Hy-Vee Arena]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.hy-vee.com/corporate/news-events/news-press-releases/iconic-kansas-city-venue-named-hyvee-arena/|title=Iconic Kansas City Venue Named Hy-Vee Arena|publisher=[[Hy-Vee]]|access-date=May 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529130457/https://www.hy-vee.com/corporate/news-events/news-press-releases/iconic-kansas-city-venue-named-hyvee-arena/|archive-date=May 29, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The Kauffman Performing Arts Center opened in 2011 providing a new, modern home to the KC Orchestra and Ballet. In 2015, an 800-room Hyatt Convention Center Hotel was announced for a site next to the Performance Arts Center & Bartle Hall. Construction was scheduled to start in early 2018 with Loews as the operator.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article180921826.html|title=For some on the KC council, patience on the convention hotel is wearing thin|work=kansascity.com|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119103816/http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article180921826.html|archive-date=November 19, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

From 2007 to 2017, downtown residential population in Kansas City quadrupled and continues to grow. The area has grown from almost 4,000 residents in the early 2000s to nearly 30,000 {{as of|2017|lc=yes}}. Kansas City's downtown ranks as the sixth-fastest-growing downtown in America with the population expected to grow by more than 40% by 2022. Conversions of office buildings such as the Power & Light Building and the Commerce Bank Tower into residential and hotel space has helped to fulfill the demand. New apartment complexes like One, Two, and Three Lights, River Market West, and 503 Main have begun to reshape Kansas City's skyline. Strong demand has led to occupancy rates in the upper 90%.<ref name="kansascity">{{Cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article84819842.html|title=Three projects are part of a surge in downtown KC apartments|work=kansascity.com|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201104733/http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article84819842.html|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

The residential population of downtown has boomed, and the office population has dropped significantly from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s. Top employers like AMC moved their operations to modern office buildings in the suburbs. High office vacancy plagued downtown, leading to the neglect of many office buildings. By the mid-2010s, many office buildings were converted to residential uses and the Class A vacancy rate plunged to 12% in 2017. Swiss Re, Virgin Mobile, AutoAlert, and others have begun to move operations to downtown Kansas City from the suburbs and expensive coastal cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/10/25/swiss-re-office-kansas-city-move.html|title=Missouri writes up $20M to lure 400-employee insurer across state line|work=Kansas City Business Journal|access-date=September 30, 2018|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308031734/https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/10/25/swiss-re-office-kansas-city-move.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://kceconomy.org/2017/10/05/source-of-metro-employment-growth-shifting-east/|title=Source of Metro Employment Growth Shifting East?|date=October 5, 2017|website=Kceconomy.org|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041614/https://kceconomy.org/2017/10/05/source-of-metro-employment-growth-shifting-east/|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Transportation developments====
The area has seen additional development through various transportation projects, including improvements to the [[Grandview Triangle]], which intersects Interstates 435 and 470, and [[U.S. Route 71 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 71]].

In July 2005, the [[Kansas City Area Transportation Authority]] (KCATA) launched Kansas City's first [[bus rapid transit]] line, the [[Metro Area Express]] (MAX), which links the River Market, Downtown, Union Station, Crown Center and the Country Club Plaza. The KCATA continues to expand MAX with additional routes on Prospect Avenue, Troost Avenue, and Independence Avenue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kcata.org/transit-initiatives/prospect_max|title=Prospect MAX {{!}} Transit Initiatives|publisher=KCATA|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112190613/http://www.kcata.org/transit-initiatives/prospect_max|archive-date=November 12, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2013, construction began on a two-mile [[KC Streetcar|streetcar]] line in downtown Kansas City (funded by a $102 million ballot initiative that was passed in 2012) that runs between the River Market and Union Station, it began operation in May 2016. In 2017, voters approved the formation of a TDD to expand the streetcar line south 3.5 miles from Union Station to UMKC's Volker Campus. Additionally in 2017, the KC Port Authority began engineering studies for a Port Authority funded streetcar expansion north to Berkley Riverfront Park. Citywide, voter support for rail projects continues to grow with numerous light rail projects in the works.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morris |first=Mark |url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article334693/Missouri-Supreme-Court-all-but-ends-battle-over-KC-streetcar-financing.html |title=Missouri Supreme Court all but ends battle over KC streetcar financing |newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]] |date=December 24, 2013 |access-date=July 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806194804/http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article334693/Missouri-Supreme-Court-all-but-ends-battle-over-KC-streetcar-financing.html |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kcrta.org/streetcar/|title=Midtown/UMKC Streetcar Extension Resources|publisher=KCRTA|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044055/http://kcrta.org/streetcar/|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, Jackson County, Missouri, acquired unused rail lines as part of a long-term commuter rail plan. For the time being, the line is being converted to a trail while county officials negotiate with railroads for access to tracks in Downtown Kansas City.

On November 7, 2017, Kansas City voters overwhelmingly approved a new single terminal at [[Kansas City International Airport]] by a 75% to 25% margin. The new single terminal replaced the three existing "Clover Leafs" at KCI Airport on February 28, 2023.