News


Commercial Real Estate Recovery Expected to Take Years

A report from S&P Global shows sectors of the economy are in danger of refinancing risks, especially in office spaces. Foreclosure on a CRE property is not often “the best course of action” when loan lenders look at restructuring debt,… more

Kansas Receives Third Gold Shovel Award For Panasonic Plant

The Panasonic gigafactory project has been recognized for its economic developmental impact by Area Development magazine. This award marks the third year in a row Kansas has received the Golden Shovel Award by the publication. The Panasonic factory in De… more

KCK’s Rock Island Bridge Brought to New Heights

Posted June 13, 2023 The Rock Island Bridge's central truss was raised by 3 feet, 4 inches last week, bringing the future entertainment district that much closer to completion. The $12 million project needed to meet the current 750-year standards… more

Olathe Approves Walmart Beef Processing Plant

Posted June 13, 2023 The Olathe Planning Commission has approved Walmart’s preliminary proposal to build a beef packing and distribution plant, a $257 million project that it says will create nearly 675 jobs by 2027. The company plans to break… more

Last Year’s Higher Ed Funding Highest Year Since 2008

State funding for public higher education rose to nearly 5 percent in the fiscal year 2022, according to the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF). A report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) showed the most recent spike… more

Glimpse Into How Gen Z Will Shake Up The Workforce

Since the pandemic, the national workforce has taken a significant hit with many workers deciding to leave their jobs and now the next generation of the labor force is ready to fill those positions. Private employers added 278,000 jobs in… more

Q&A with Lia McIntosh

Q: What were the key takeaways to come from Horizon 2023 as well as more timely challenges that Kansas City business leaders face? A: Well, part of our presentations surrounds the importance of education for the workforce, that not only… more

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Reach Record High Since 2021

Figures for seasonally adjusted initial claims reached the highest level since October 2021, according to a news release from the Department of Labor. For the week ending June 3, advanced figures for seasonally adjusted claims was 261,000, up from last… more

Seaboard The Only Kansas Company on Fortune 500

The only Kansas City entrant to appear on this year's Fortune 500 goes to Merriam-based Seaboard Corp (SEB). The company placed in the No. 364 spot on the list of rankings. Seaboard holds more than 12,000 employees and brings in… more

Data Show Plunge in Business Borrowing

New data from the Federal Reserve Bank show a steep decline in business demand for commercial and industrial loans since interest rates began their sharp rise to combat inflation in the second quarter of 2022. The Fed’s survey of lending… more