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From Star to Server 💾
An iconic building in downtown Kansas City to undergo $1B transformation. Plus: finalists for the Nelson-Atkins redesign, the Royals look to Johnson County, and a new park in Gladstone.

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Development
Former Kansas City Star Building to Become an AI Data Center
The former Kansas City Star printing press building in downtown KCMO will be converted into an AI data center.
Star to Server: The iconic glass building at 1601 McGee St. will undergo a $1 billion retrofit to become a 100+ megawatt AI innovation facility for Kansas City-based technology company Patmos. The 400,000-square-foot building opened in 2006 but has sat vacant since the Star moved to Crown Center in 2021.
Baseball is Out: The five-acre site was once considered as a potential new home for a Royals ballpark, but that option is now off the table. The new data center will be Patmos’ second facility in KC, along with centers in Dallas and Phoenix.
Although no official opening date has been announced, Patmos expects the retrofit to take "a fraction of the time” because of the building’s existing industrial capabilities.
Arts and Culture
The Nelson-Atkins to Announce Finalists for Global Design Competition
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is set to announce the finalists for its global architecture competition for campus expansion.
Historic Redesign: The museum announced in early October that it was launching a global design competition for a $170 million expansion to the museum’s facilities. From over 180 submissions, the list has been narrowed to a small group of architecture firms for the final phase.
Welcome to the Show: The museum will now host an Architectural Finalists Showcase on Thursday, December 12th from 6-8 pm. The showcase will be open to the public, and firms will share their proposals for the museum’s expansion. Tickets are $15, or $12 for museum members.
Get your tickets to the Architectural Finalists Showcase HERE.
Development
The Royals are Exploring Potential Stadium Locations in Johnson County
The stadium saga continues. The Kansas City Royals are considering a few locations in Johnson County for a new ballpark.
Sources are Saying: According to Bob Fescoe, host of 610 Sports’ “Fescoe in the Morning”, the Royals organization is in advanced discussions with the state of Kansas to bring a ballpark across the State Line. Fescoe named two locations in particular: the Aspiria Campus at 119th and Nall, and the Brookridge Development near I-435 and Antioch.
Not Out Yet: KCMO officials confirmed that the rumors are circulating, but they are vowing to continue to fight to keep both the Royals and the Chiefs on the Missouri side. Mayor Quinton Lucas pointed to the model of Starlight Theatre inside Swope Park as a potential model for a major attraction to be housed within a city-owned space.
A potential announcement could come before the MLB Winter Meetings in December.
📢 Tell Us: Where should the Royals go? |
Parks and Recreation
A New All-Inclusive Park is Coming to Gladstone
Last week, Gladstone city officials approved $500,000 to add an all-inclusive playground to Flora Park.
Fun for All: The city has partnered with Variety KC, a local nonprofit focused on creating inclusive spaces for children with disabilities, to make the park inclusive for kids of all abilities. Variety KC will also contribute $250,000 to the project.
On Deck: Renderings of the new space show an expanded playground area featuring zero-entry climbing equipment, slides of all sizes, and wheelchair-friendly play areas. The project will also include a second phase, which would add restrooms, a shelter, and easier access for vans and buses.
Phase one of the project will begin in the spring of 2025 and is estimated to be completed by the fall of 2025.
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In Other News…
☕️ FREE Coffee: Need a Monday pick-me-up? Stop by Grand Coffee Company (10610 Shawnee Mission Pkwy or 2345 Grand Blvd) for a FREE 12oz drink of your choice! Just tell them you saw it in KC Daily.*
🖼️ The Best in Art: “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” one of the most famous paintings in the world, is now on display through January 5th at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
⚽️ Pitch Pilot: The Kansas City Current officially announced that Caitlin Carducci has been named the club’s General Manager. The role is effective immediately, and Carducci has been serving as the interim GM since May.
🍺 Best of Beer: Kansas City’s Alma Mader Brewing was named to the Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine’s Readers’ Choice list for favorite breweries! Alma Mader ranked #15 in the “Small” category (fewer than 5,000 barrels per year).
📺 Catch the Game: Diamond Sports Group’s FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports), who owns the rights to stream Royals games, reached a deal with Amazon Prime to stream games (finally!)
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