There are three places called Kansas City.
The first two are the actual cities in Kansas and Missouri. They specifically include the legal and political boundaries of those municipalities.
The third one is the place more than two million people call home when someone outside of the metropolitan area asks them where they live. When I’m in Chicago, Jerusalem or Florence, Kansas City is my “home.” I call it the “Big K” Kansas City.
Both of these descriptions accurately define the places called Kansas City. But just as Obi-Wan Kenobi explained in Star Wars, “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view.”
Our own personal point-of-view depends on how each of us sees our city.
But understand there are two realities to consider: the political and legal boundaries versus the market boundaries, as Michael Gallas explained to several hundred civic leaders last month during the recent Kansas City Revealed conference.
Market forces disregard most political boundaries. Businesses barely consider political boundaries when referring to a “local” market. Watersheds, traffic patterns and criminals don’t adhere to political boundaries either. I mean seriously, it’s not smart business for both Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri to have their own water treatment plants that empty into the same place on the same river. I’d like to think we can do a better job as we plan for the future of the “Big K” Kansas City?
So, what is your primary image when you hear Kansas City – is it just the city, or the whole metropolitan area?
Most of us consider The Royals, Chiefs and Wizards as our hometown teams, regardless of which city we actually live in. And, it’s our Plaza, Truman Library, Power & Light District, Speedway, airport and Union Station.
It will be easier to focus our efforts on greater Kansas City as we move forward because both The Chamber and Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) will move their headquarters into adjoining space at Union Station at the end of this year.
(Photo was contributed to the American Institute of Architects by Yakov Brodsky)
Kansas City saved Union Station from the wrecking ball back in 1996. Voters in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson County in Kansas approved a one-eighth of a cent bi-state sales tax to restore and redevelop Union Station and create a science museum. The tax raised $118 million toward the total $250 million project. The remaining money was raised through private donations and federal funds. The passage of the bi-state tax is thought to be the first of its kind in the history of the United States.
We worked across all political lines to completely refurbish the station and return this jewel to prominence among our city’s treasures. It worked. We brought new life to a historic and integral part of our city’s legacy.
Not so long ago, Union Station served as the jumping-off point to help defend and preserve our future. I believe Union Station will do that once again.
It serves as greatest single “proof point” of regional cooperation.
Place Matters. Context Matters. And Union Station is simply spectacular.
We saved Union Station. We improved it. And when thousands of people “meet” in Union Station in the normal course of business at The Chamber and KCADC, this special, physical space will help empower every one of us to transcend traditional political boundaries to make decisions that will propel the entire Kansas City metropolitan area.
I’m exceptionally optimistic Union Station will quickly become THE Center for Community Collaboration. Union Station belongs to everyone who calls Kansas City home. Numerous other civic groups are considering a similar move to Union Station. Whether they move offices or not, their voices will be heard in Union Station.
Obi-Wan was right: As we reinforce the new role of Union Station as THE Center for Community Collaboration, every place called Kansas City benefits.
Onward and upward.