Columbus
Kansas City Business Journal
U.S. Bank picks leader to run KC health care division
U.S. Bank launched a nationwide health care banking division, hiring Alisa Eaton to run the Kansas City area operation.<\p> Eaton's team includes experts to assist dentists, doctors and veterinarians with up to $25 million in revenue. <\p>
Among small businesses, there's a huge divide on finances
The smallest businesses are the ones most likely to be struggling, as larger small businesses report better conditions.<\p> The latest data from the Federal Reserve’s Small Business Credit Survey — released earlier this year but since followed up with a more detailed breakdown by size and demographics — shows how, even within the realm of small businesses, there is wide variation.<\p>
Mystery warehouse tenant would bring 100 jobs to Olathe
BlueScope Properties Group seeks tax incentives to support the development of its third warehouse facility in Olathe's Great Plains Commerce Center. <\p> The Kansas City developer proposes building a 149,500-square-foot warehouse, which will become Building B, on 11 acres near the northeast corner of 159th Street and Lone Elm Road.<\p>
KCI's 20 most in-demand destinations without a nonstop flight
If you want to fly from Kansas City International Airport to Jacksonville, Honolulu, Cleveland or one of hundreds of other U.S. airports, you're going to have to make a connection.<\p> During the previous year, the 20 destinations below were drawing roughly 40 people daily from KCI (Code: MCI) even though they did not have meaningful nonstop service. (KCBJ has defined substantial nonstop service as airports having at least 40 flights, or an average of about 10 flights per quarter, during the year.)<\p>
KC tenants sue out-of-town landlord over infestation, security
Residents of a 379-apartment community in south Kansas City have sued their landlord, claiming pest and rodent infestation and a lack of security.<\p> San Francisco-based Landmark Realty manages the facility and owns it through KC Waldo Heights Apartments LLC. The residences, built in 1967, are at 81st and Campbell streets, just west of Troost Avenue in the Marlborough neighborhood.<\p>
Biz owner pleads guilty to wiring money tied to $4.7M drug trafficking
Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, a 48-year-old Mexican citizen residing in Overland Park, pleaded guilty Monday to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.<\p> Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal LLC, an Olathe-based company that offers money transfer service. She is one 44 defendants indicted in the case tied to a $4.7 million conspiracy to sell heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs in the Kansas City area. She was first charged in September 2022.<\p>
NASB Financial stock buyback involves a bit of mystery
NASB Financial Inc., the 11th-largest bank based in the Kansas City area by market share of deposits, authorized a stock repurchase program of up to $25 million of its outstanding shares through June 1, 2027. <\p> While this is a typical move for a public company, one element stands out. The $25 million represents about one-tenth of the company’s $251.36 million market capitalization as of Friday. <\p>
New Plaza owners plan to fill storefronts, project sites
The Country Club Plaza's buyers on Monday unpacked a long-term roadmap for revitalizing the 101-year-old shopping center as a regional asset.<\p> Ray Washburne, president of Dallas-based HP Village Management LLC, said his group bought the Plaza with an eye toward addressing a lack of infrastructure investment that led him to close the Mi Cocina restaurant he co-owned in the center more than a decade ago. The Mexican restaurant now could return, and join other new retailers, as the buyers plan more than $100 million in private investment in items like sewers and roofs. <\p>
KU Health will invest $300M in Liberty Hospital
The University of Kansas Health System will invest more than $300 million in Liberty Hospital’s operations as part of a merger that closed on Monday.<\p> The milestone comes a year after Liberty Hospital’s board of trustees began evaluating potential business combinations. After reviewing 30 potential partners, the board selected KU Health. The merger gives Liberty Hospital a strong partner in a competitive health market that is getting only more difficult for independent hospitals, while KU Health gets its first hospital in Missouri and a boost in Kansas City’s growing Northland. <\p>
Small-business grants you can apply for this month
Small-business owners might be more confident about their future, but they are still worried about inflation.<\p> That’s the big takeaway from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Index, conducted in partnership with MetLife, which hit the highest level of optimism since early 2020, with about 73% of business owners expecting their revenue to grow in the next year. <\p>
Trendy women's clothing chain plans first area store
Canadian clothing brand Aritzia LP will open its first Kansas City-area store in Leawood's Town Center Crossing. <\p> The store will open in the fall at 5000 W. 119th St., an Aritzia spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. L.L. Bean formerly occupied the space. Outside the metro area, Aritzia's closest locations are in Denver and the Chicago area. <\p>
Wine Spectator toasts 19 area restaurants
Nineteen Kansas City-area restaurants have received recognition this year for their top-notch wine programs.<\p> Wine Spectator revealed its 2024 Restaurant Awards honorees, which included five newcomers to the list: Rye KC, Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room, Scratch Gourmet Kitchen, and Wandering Vine at the Castle. Farina, which has previously won the Award of Excellence multiple times, earned its first Best of Award of Excellence. <\p>
These are KCI's top destinations of 2023 — and how they are trending
The Mile High City, Sin City and a sunny Florida destination top Kansas City International Airport's list of where passengers are flying to most often.<\p> While total passengers arriving or departing the airport (Code: MCI) were up 17.74% in 2023, the increase was anything but uniform across the 50 most popular destinations for travelers departing from KCI.<\p>
KC lifestyle magazine turns page with new publisher, ownership group
The masthead at Kansas City magazine recently underwent an overhaul.<\p> Kathy Boos, who has led the regional lifestyle magazine almost since it launched in 2005, sold the publication to an investor group called KC Publishing LLC.<\p>
Q&A: Brokers see steady office activity from these tenants
A local brokerage firm has faced some of the same office questions as the small and midsize companies it has helped with workplace moves around the metro.<\p> Since launching Range Realty Partners in April 2021, co-founders Miles McCune and Travis Helgeson say they've deliberated about their future space needs in connection with new hires their six-person firm may pursue later this year. In that way, their experience mirrors that of smaller companies at the center of deals they've taken part in, on the tenant and landlord representation side. Those deals remain prevalent around Kansas City, even if they don't significantly move the needle on the metro's overall office vacancy.<\p>
Kansas draft bill would sweeten the pot for Royals, Chiefs
The day before the Kansas Legislature convenes to try to lure the Chiefs and/or Royals to the state, legislators put forth a draft bill tweaking its big incentive tool to make the effort possible.<\p> With a special session starting Tuesday in Topeka, a joint conference committee made up of members from the Senate and the House met Monday to discuss the draft bill aimed landing a pro sports team. <\p>
Major landlords targeted by class-action lawsuits over pricing
Several major apartment landlords from across the country are under fire over rental rates — allegations that have spawned a wave of class-action lawsuits and garnered the attention of state and federal authorities. <\p> The lawsuits have high-stakes for the apartment market and beyond, with potential to shape how pricing software could be utilized in multiple industries. <\p>
Top 5 KC law firm opens third Texas office
Polsinelli PC opened an office in Fort Worth, Texas, bolstering its existing presence in Dallas and Houston.<\p> The Fort Worth office will be anchored by attorneys and administrative professionals from a former law firm called Commercial Law Advisors. Zachary Garsek joins as a partner, Elizabeth Hatch is counsel, and Corinne Alley and Natalie Edwards are associates. <\p>
Legal dogfight? Companies tussle over canine pharmaceutical
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. filed a preemptive lawsuit against Dechra Veterinary Products, trying to stop a rival from launching a generic version its congestive heart failure drug for dogs. <\p> Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim claims Dechra created a drug called Anada that infringes on three Boehringer patents for a drug it developed called Vetmedin. The patents were awarded to Boehringer in 2014 and last 20 years. <\p>
Google makes changes to Northland data center plan
Google filed final development plans for phased data center construction on close to 500 acres it bought late last year in Kansas City's Northland.<\p> The search engine giant last week submitted revised plans for Rocky Branch Creek Technology Park, located northeast of Interstate 435 and U.S. Highway 169 on agricultural property that for years has been master planned for data center development. The new filings are marked as being for a "confidential client," but Google in January confirmed it had acquired the 492.7-acre site, as AG Rose Solutions LLC, for a potential data center project. <\p>
Kansas City Business Journal
5K+
Posts
688K+
Views
The Kansas City region's source for local business news, breaking news alerts, newsletters, business intelligence and local business networking. An American City Business Journals publication.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.