Power & Light District Headlines USA Today Story Naming Kansas City as Top 5 Destinations to Watch

KANSAS CITY, MO (January 2, 2009) — The Cordish Company is proud to announce that Kansas City Power & Light District has been recognized as one of the headline reasons that Kansas City, MO has been named to the 2009 Top 5 Destinations to Watch by USA Today. The multi-billion dollar rebirth of Kansas City has placed them on the list as the only city in the United States named as a “destination on the rise” and a “good value to travelers looking to vacation affordably” in 2009.

The Kansas City Power & Light District is an a eight-city block mixed-use entertainment development built and managed by The Cordish Company in the heart of downtown Kansas City. Featuring a diverse tenant mix, the unique Kansas City Live! and offers more than 150 free events annually, the Power & Light District is the number one reason to put Kansas City on your list of places to visit in 2009.

Since the grand opening in March of 2008, the Kansas City Power & Light District has welcomed over 5.4 million guests, making it one of the most successful attractions in the Midwest.  It continues to gain momentum with the recent opening of the 3,000 seat historic Midland Theatre and the early 2009 opening of a destination full-service grocery store as well as the Mainstreet Theater, a six-screen all-digital flagship for the AMC movie chain. 

The Power & Light District also has an “eco-friendly” focus, with an iconic four-story wind turbine clock tower and a large publically accessible green roof park.  Some of the free festivals and celebrations planned for 2009 include the Blues Festival, Annual Art Festival, Family Fun Days and regularly scheduled rock and country music series featuring national and regional artists. The calendar of current events can be found on the Power & Light District at website at www.powerandlightdistrict.com. The Power & Light District is anticipated to draw over 8-million visitors this year.

Kansas City has arrived on the global stage as a unique, appealing and affordable destination.  Downtown is the literal and figurative heartbeat of the city and offers a multitude of affordable family activities year round.  We are proud that USA Today is simply the latest publication to recognize the city as an “up-and-comer” for the 2009. 

About the Kansas City Power & Light District (www.powerandlightdistrict.com)

The Kansas City Power & Light District is a vibrant, new eight-block neighborhood in the heart of downtown Kansas City that is redefining the City from its skyline to its sidewalks. The District links together the renovated Bartle Hall Convention Center, the new Sprint Center, offices, hotels, entertainment, cultural destinations and residential developments.  The $850 million mixed-use District anchors $5 billion of complimentary development efforts in downtown Kansas City. The combination of entertainment, retail, nightlife and residential with the District’s imaginative and innovative design, has created an intriguing 24/7 neighborhood.

About Kansas City Live!

KC Live! is an entire city block of hot spots within the Kansas City Power & Light District. With two levels and fourteen (14) high energy entertainment venues, nightlife establishments and restaurants, KC Live! caters to every type of guest! KC Live! has been host to some of the  nation’s top entertainers including Dierks Bentley, Vertical Horizon, Three Dog Night, Pat Green, Finger Eleven and the Flobots, as well as the city’s most premiere events, including Bloom Goes Electric, March of Dimes Walk-a-thon, the Pitch’s Taste of Kansas City, and KC Beerfest.  Entertainment is a frequent happening at the KC Live! Stage.  The District is an evolving neighborhood and the Midwest’s premiere entertainment destination. Visiting the District is a truly an experience—and the District invites you to savor it all!

The Cordish Company

The Cordish Company (www.cordish.com) now in its fourth generation of family ownership, is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate including one of the leading real estate development companies in the <st1:country-region>United States</st1:country-region>.  The company has diverse development expertise with divisions focused on Entertainment & Mixed-Use, Gaming & Lodging, Sports Anchored Districts, Shopping & Lifestyle Retail, Office and Residential.  The Cordish Company also owns and manages a diverse group of operating businesses, ranging from restaurants/clubs to live music promotion to film/media distribution.  In Gaming & Lodging, the company and its affiliates are best known for having developed the two Florida-based Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, FL and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa, Indiana Live! (outside Indianapolis, Indiana), and Charleston Place (Charleston, South Carolina).  The Cordish Company has received the highest possible national awards in its various areas of expertise. In real estate, The Cordish Company has received an unprecedented six Urban Land Institute Awards of Excellence.