Searching for Solutions: How downtown Kansas City transformed

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When it comes to crime, St. Louis and Kansas City face similar obstacles. Despite this, Kansas City is building off its recent success with sports and tourism to spur growth and pride. It's an intentional and collaborative approach. 5 On Your Side’s Brent Solomon recently traveled to Kansas City and found that the city’s leaders are even utilizing everyday people to help pitch their city.

People who have visited downtown Kansas City are familiar with the big landmarks like The T-Mobile Arena and the Power and Light District. What immediately catches your eye is the rise of mixed-use developments including apartment buildings, businesses, high-rise buildings, and construction signifying more growth on the horizon.

Jahleel Smith, 27, enjoys living in downtown Kansas City. Smith especially likes concerts, comedy shows and live music at T-Mobile Arena.

"There's a lot of development and a lot of building,” said Smith. "I work 3 blocks from here, very convenient."

When asked if he’s worried about his safety while living in downtown Kansas City, Smith said no, not at all. He says crime is not as prevalent downtown as it is in other parts of the city.

Kansas City's Downtown Council puts safety ambassadors to work with the goal of keeping this area clean, safe, and attractive. Kathy Nelson heads up “Visit KC.”

"We have the yellow jackets, the guys that are out. You might see them day and night cleaning sidewalks. They're also security for us,” said Nelson. "They're 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. "

The downtown Kansas City visitors see now is the result of a $10 billion transformation over the last 15 years or so that’s been paid for by investors, businesses, and city government.

Before that safety was a bigger issue.

"Blighted a little bit. My mom worked at the Western Auto building which is now apartments and my dad worked down at the airport, we'd come down to pick up my mom from work and he'd always say 'stay in the car stay in the car. ‘Don’t get out of the car' and there was nothing after 5 o’clock, there was nothing happening down here."

Not anymore. Leaders say Kansas City’s solutions often come from having a strategy, like making downtown a magnet and not just for sporting events. On a recent Thursday night, the place was packed with people.

Transportation helps. City buses are free and so are street cars taking you from one part of the city to another. The city plans to add even more routes to accommodate visitors.

And then there's the Visitor Influencer Program.“Visit KC” offers routine training for those who work in the hospitality industry, teaching them how to sell the city as they interact with tourists.

Bailey Hall is a hospitality worker.

"Knowing that extra information gives that little bit of extra umph to everyone's experience coming to Kansas City,” said Hall.

One of Kansas City’s strongest advocates is Mayor Quinton Lucas.

"I think it helps us re-define what people may think about Kansas City,” said Mayor Lucas.

We caught up with Mayor Lucas at the site of the new KC Current soccer stadium now under construction. Lucas touts it as the only women-specific soccer stadium in the world.

He says Kansas City’s revitalization and growth was dependent on changing the mindset.

“I think everybody had to realize that it was first of all possible to walk and chew gum,” said Mayor Lucas. "It's really getting people to believe that while this is a great place to be from, we don't want that to be the description when we’re going around the country and going around the world. Instead, you want to be a place where people are saying 'I need to go back again and again and again."It's a collective effort to keep people like Jahleel Smith, living in downtown Kansas City.

"People say 'It's a gem'. Like 'It's a gem.' It's one of the best-kept gems and people are moving here and there's a lot of buzz,” said Smith.

Kansas City is also rebuilding its historic neighborhoods. Mayor Quinton Lucas explains why that effort is also attracting tourism, revitalization, and business expansion.

Kansas City is the third destination 5 On Your Side teams have traveled to Searching for Solutions. We’ve also made trips to Detroit, Michigan and Indianapolis, Indiana.