After-Hours Diversions
Featuring a one-and-a-half-mile racetrack and a road course, the Kansas Speedway hosts two NASCAR Sprint races each year plus more than 200 events, including the American Royal World Series of BBQ and Rockfest, the largest one-day music festival in the nation. Opportunities range from track tours to rides in an official pace car, the Richard Petty Driving Experiences and on-track events. Your group can stand in Victory Lane or attend a reception in the pit area or one of the garages.
T-Bones Stadium in Village West is home to the Kansas City T-Bones minor league professional baseball team. The stadium seats more than 6,500 fans, and there’s no bad seat in the house — the farthest seat is only 50 feet from the field of play — so fans can see it all. A center field party area and party decks make great spots for pregame receptions and dinners.
One of the founding clubs of Major League Soccer and the 2013 MLS Champions, Sporting Kansas City, competes at Children’s Mercy Park in Village West. This state-of-the-art venue hosts 18,500 fans under a canopy roof that covers every seating section. The nonstop action can also be viewed on the park’s massive high-definition video boards, and behind-the-scenes tours are available. Meeting spaces include several options for gatherings of up to 400 people, all which overlook the field.
Wine buffs will want to check out Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery, just north of the Kansas Speedway. The vineyard grows nine varieties of hybrid and American native grapes. Groups can schedule a tasting of six to eight wines and receive a souvenir logo wine glass, browse the gift shop, stroll through the vineyard and take a tour led by the owners. Inside boutique Chateau Avalon Hotel, the d’Nile Wine Bar has created a thematic experience. From the “quicksand” floor to the eight-foot-tall gold Egyptian statues, there’s plenty to see. The menu features top-rated wines, spirits, small plates and desserts.
Service With a Smile
From start to finish, the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors Bureau makes meetings easy to plan. Preconference site inspections or FAM tours can be arranged, and an extensive meeting planner guide gives suggestions for facilities, itineraries and other activities.
During the conference or meeting, the CVB can offer a welcome from the mayor and/or the bureau president, as well as registration assistance. The CVB can supply planning assistance for off-site activities such as team building, dine-arounds and spouse tours. Welcome bags are customized for each group to make sure participants are acquainted with the Kansas City region.
“Our goal is to make sure your event is as successful and memorable as possible,” said Jobe. “We want to partner with you from the beginning to the very end.”
Kansas City, Kansas
Location: Eastern Kansas
Access: Kansas City International Airport, Interstate 70
Major Meeting Spaces: Reardon Convention Center, Children’s Mercy Park Memorial Hall, Great Wolf Lodge, Pinnacle National Development Training Center
Hotel Rooms:2,062 total rooms in KCK/Wyandotte County
Offsite Venues: Kansas Speedway, Dave and Buster’s, Hollywood Casino, Legends Outlets, Zip KC, Children’s Mercy Park
Contact Info:
Kansas City, Kansas, CVB
913-321-5800
www.visitkansascityks.com
