THE FOURTH IS THE #1 DAY FOR LOST PETS
HERE'S HOW TO KEEP YOURS HOME

More pets go missing on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year, according to the Pet Resource Center of Kansas City. Fireworks send even calm animals into panic — "a pet that has never tried to escape before may suddenly jump a fence, push through a screen, or bolt out an open door," says the group's director of development, Madison Brown. And it's not just dogs — cats spook just as easily.

A few minutes of prep before the first boom keeps pets out of the shelter:

• Bring pets indoors early, and don't leave them outside — even in a fenced yard
• Check that collars fit and ID tags are current, and that microchip registration is up to date
• Set up a quiet, secure room — close windows and curtains, and run a TV, fan, or white-noise machine to mask the noise
• Skip taking animals to fireworks displays
• Watch the table, too: onions, grapes, corn cobs, chocolate, alcohol, and desserts are all hazards

If your pet does go missing: contact local shelters, call nearby vet clinics, and post clear photos to neighborhood social media pages.

👀 This Week Around KC

​💍 TAYLOR SWIFT AND TRAVIS KELCE DONATE 2 MILLION MEALS TO HARVESTERS BEFORE THEIR WEDDING​
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce gave to Harvesters and Children's Mercy in Kansas City ahead of their wedding this weekend, and Harvesters says the gift will provide 2 million meals across its 27-county service area. Interim president Valerie Nicholson-Watson confirmed the meal figure. The couple donated about $26 million to at least 20 charities this week across cities including Kansas City, New York and Nashville, per Variety. The per-nonprofit amounts for the KC gifts were not itemized.

​🏢 NEW MISSOURI TAX CREDIT COULD TURN EMPTY KC OFFICES INTO HOUSING​
Missouri's HB 3231 creates Innovation Zones and an office-to-residential conversion tax credit worth up to 30% of qualified conversion costs, starting with tax year 2027. Eligible buildings must be at least 25 years old, sit inside an Innovation Zone, and end up at least 50% residential. The state caps the credit at $50 million per fiscal year. Kansas City's downtown office vacancy sits around 17.4% and the city is short an estimated 64,000 affordable units, with roughly a dozen downtown buildings seen as prime conversion candidates.

​🛼 BOARDWALK STYLE ROLLER RINK RISING AT 18TH AND VINE​
A $1.7 million revitalization of Blues Park in the 18th and Vine district is building a 16,000-square-foot outdoor boardwalk-style roller skating rink. The project also adds 8-foot sidewalks, an 18 to 20 stall parking lot, public restrooms, and spectator stands. Asphalt paving and curbs were complete as of early July, with substantial completion targeted for the end of August 2026. It is part of the $400 million-plus Revive the Vine initiative.

​🚒 KCFD ADDS 10 SPECIALIZED UTVS FOR WORLD CUP AND BIG EVENT RESPONSE​
The Kansas City Fire Department added 10 specialized Utility Task Vehicles: 6 ambulance units, 2 fire suppression units, and 2 command units, in an investment topping $600,000. The ambulance UTVs carry full ALS gear and a patient cot, while the suppression units hold a 75-gallon water tank for grass, brush, dumpster, and debris fires. The smaller vehicles reach patients in packed event footprints where a standard ambulance or fire truck cannot get through, and will support FIFA World Cup activities and large summer events.

​🏛️ BANCROFT APARTMENTS ON TROOST HEADED FOR KC HISTORIC REGISTER​
The Bancroft Apartments at 4301 Troost Avenue, a roughly 0.356-acre building constructed circa 1917, are being added to the Kansas City Register of Historic Places under case CD-CPC-2026-00036. City planning staff recommended approval of the historic overlay, filed by Heritage Consulting Group, and the long-vacant building's designation is tied to a planned redevelopment. It is separate from the Bancroft School Apartments on Tracy Avenue.

​🏦 KC MOVES TO TAKE OVER THE VACANT FEDERAL RESERVE TOWER AT 925 GRAND​
The Kansas City Council approved an ordinance directing City Manager Mario Vasquez to begin receivership on the former Federal Reserve Bank building at 925 Grand Boulevard, vacant since the Fed relocated in 2008. Mayor Quinton Lucas introduced the measure at the June 11 council meeting. Receivership lets the city petition a Jackson County judge to appoint someone to rehabilitate the blighted tower after its owner, Delta Quad, faced foreclosure proceedings since 2025. The city has 60 days to file in Jackson County Circuit Court and must gather neighborhood input on the site's future.

What you might have missed last week

• Kansas City has always been a soccer city. The FIFA World Cup just gave the rest of the world a chance to see it.
• KCFD is operating a fleet of 30 thermal-imaging drones that give incident commanders a live aerial view of a scene before crews arrive.
• Riverside's new Morton Amphitheater officially opens July 3 with a free celebration featuring World Cup watch parties, local artists, food trucks, family activities, and a fireworks show.
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🏢 DEVELOPMENT SCENE

ROYALS REVEAL FIRST-LOOK RENDERINGS OF THE CROWN CENTER BALLPARK DRISTRICT

Newly filed rezoning documents are offering the clearest look yet at the Kansas City Royals' proposed downtown ballpark district at Crown Center. The plans show a north-facing stadium, consistent with the team's earlier renderings, along with a much larger mixed-use redevelopment surrounding it. If approved, the project would expand the district from approximately 9.1 million to 12.6 million square feet, combining new construction with renovations to existing buildings, including parts of Crown Center and the Westin Crown Center. The proposal also includes 8,219 parking spaces, although the future uses for many of the new buildings have not yet been announced.

A traffic study estimates that a sold-out game with 34,000 fans would generate demand for about 9,000 vehicles, with roughly two-thirds of attendees expected to drive and the rest arriving via rideshare, buses, or the streetcar. To support the development, the study recommends several transportation upgrades, including:

• Improvements to the US-71/22nd Street interchange
• Upgrades to the I-35/Pennway Street interchange
• Changes to the I-35 southbound off-ramp at 20th Street
• Pedestrian improvements along Pershing Road, additional Crossroads parking, and a zoned parking system designed to direct fans to parking lots based on where they're traveling from.

The proposal is scheduled to go before the City Plan Commission in August. Earlier this year, the City Council approved a plan to use $600 million in tax-increment financing (TIF) to help fund the stadium, although a petition seeking a public vote on the project is still pending. The Royals are targeting a 2027 groundbreaking, with the goal of opening the new downtown stadium for Opening Day 2030.

KC's Small-Business Scene

🛋️ FURNITURE MALL OF MISSOURI OPENS 1,000-ROOM FLAGSHIP IN OLD METRO NORTH MACY'S JULY 8​

Furniture Mall of Missouri opens its Northland flagship July 8 inside the former Macy's at Metro North Crossing, converting 150,000 square feet into more than 1,000 styled room setups for living rooms, bedrooms, dining and mattresses. The store is the Winter family's newest KC-area location, a furniture business the family has run since 1933. Grand opening day includes a ribbon cutting, food, games and day-only deals, and it anchors the 106-acre, $250 million Metro North Crossing redevelopment.

🎱 UNCLE JIM'S POOL HALL OPENS IN WESTPORT JULY 10 WITH 8 FREE TABLES​

Uncle Jim's Pool Hall opens July 10 at 4127 Mill Street in Westport, with 8 pool tables, 8 steel-tip dartboards and room for 573 guests. Pool and darts are free to play at opening. It's the newest bar in Allred Management's connected Horseshoe district, where guests can carry a drink between venues without showing ID again. Owner Brett Allred named the moody, brass-and-leather lounge after his late uncle Jim, an Ozark pool lover.

🍽️ THE FOLD BRINGS NEW AMERICAN COOKING TO THE FORMER CORVINO SPACE​

The Fold has taken over one of the Crossroads' most recognizable restaurant spaces — the Corrigan Station spot at 1828 Walnut St. that housed Corvino Supper Club for nearly a decade before it closed January 1. It's the downtown debut of the team behind Lee's Summit favorite Roots Seasonal Cuisine, owners Brandon Sharp and Amanda Accurso, with Todd Richards running the bar. The relaxed New American concept is built for both date night and a casual drink, and the name nods to their goal of a gathering place "for people from all walks of life."

🚚 NEW FOOD TRUCKS FIND THEIR FOOTING AT THE LOVE LOT AS WORLD CUP CROWDS ROLL THROUGH​

Two family-run food trucks are drawing tournament crowds at the Love Lot, 3306 Main St., right by the streetcar line. Pancake Dreams, a breakfast concept founded in Kansas City, Kansas by Julia Abuoun and her 10-year-old daughter Amirah, is eyeing a brick-and-mortar in 2027. Creole KC, from Haitian-born Jims Desauguste — who also runs Black Garlic — serves late, until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The lot, organized by Tameisha Martin of the Love Is Key truck, runs on month-to-month vendor agreements.

🎨 ART SCENE

KC JUST UNVEILED
​4 NEW PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS

Kansas City has added four new public art installations through its One Percent for Art Program, which sets aside a portion of eligible city infrastructure project funds to commission public artwork. The program aims to integrate art into everyday public spaces while supporting local artists and creating pieces that reflect the city's history, culture, and diversity.

The newest installations include:

• Lean on Me by Amie Jacobsen at the Kansas City Zoo's Lion Exhibit
• Golden Roots by Michael Artis at Swope Parkway and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
• Bebop Bridge by Mark Reigelman along Grand Boulevard between 2nd Street and Berkley Riverfront Park
• River Cloud by Ben Butler at Berkley Riverfront Park

The city selects artists through a competitive open-call process, and additional opportunities are available for artists interested in future projects. The Municipal Art Commission also holds public virtual meetings on the first Friday of each month, allowing residents to stay involved in the city's public art initiatives.

🏐 SPORTS SCENE

KC MADE WORLD CUP HISTORY
​HIGHEST TV RATINGS OF ANY HOST CITY

Kansas City has cemented itself as one of the defining host cities of the FIFA World Cup 2026, welcoming more than 275,000 fans across four group-stage matches and over 201,000 visitors to the FIFA Fan Festival. The city played host to unforgettable moments, including Lionel Messi's first career World Cup hat trick, Curaçao earning its first-ever World Cup point, and all four Kansas City metro-based teams advancing to the Round of 32. Organizers also praised the region's volunteers, hospitality, and transportation network for delivering a world-class tournament experience.

The tournament has produced impressive numbers across the region:

• 275,079 total stadium attendance, averaging nearly 69,000 fans per match
• 201,262 visitors at the FIFA Fan Festival, representing more than 150 countries
• More than 140,000 passenger trips on World Cup transportation services
• A record 48,260 KC Streetcar riders in a single day
• Kansas City International Airport recorded its second busiest day ever
• Kansas City ranked as the #1 TV market in the U.S. at the tournament's halfway point, posting a 3.80 household rating and a 29 share, outperforming every other American market
• KC also led the nation in viewership for both U.S. Men's National Team group-stage matches, including the win over Australia, which became the second most-watched men's World Cup group-stage match and second most-watched USMNT match in U.S. history.

The World Cup's impact has extended far beyond the stadium, with record-breaking fan events like the 36,000-person Oranje Fanwalk, strong support for local businesses, and national recognition of Kansas City's soccer culture. The city's World Cup run isn't over yet, as Arrowhead Stadium is set to host a Round of 32 match between Colombia and Ghana on July 3, followed by a quarterfinal on July 11, continuing to put Kansas City on the global stage.

🎯 REAL ESTATE SCENE

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🌆 This Weekend in Kansas City!

🏆 SUMMER GUIDE

Your KC Summer, All in One Place

We put together a 21-page Kansas City Ultimate Summer Guide covering everything you need for summer 2026.
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From World Cup match days and Pride to the best BBQ patios, hidden gems, day trips, free outdoor movies, pet-friendly markets, and a full neighborhood Saturday itinerary.
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Whether you've lived here 20 years or just moved in, there's something in here you haven't tried yet.