Setting the ’27 Civic Agenda

Three months after the World Cup experience, Kansas City’s conversation has settled into a familiar rhythm. We proved we could deliver on a global stage. Now we need to “build on that momentum.” Agreed. But what, specifically, are we going to build?

The young professionals featured in this issue’s 20 in Their Twenties feature give that question some urgency. They are building companies, advancing in their professions and investing themselves in this community. We celebrate their accomplishments. We should be just as interested in whether they can see their next 20 years here.

That decision is ours to influence. Ambitious people have options. Some will leave to gain experience, and we should give them reasons to return. Others would gladly put down roots if the opportunities and everyday economics make sense. Affection for Kansas City helps. It cannot substitute for a career with room to grow or a home within reach.

That is where a 2027 civic agenda should begin: with the conditions that allow businesses to expand and people to build lives around the opportunities they create. If we don’t, someone else will.

Columbus, Indianapolis, Omaha and Des Moines are competing for the same people, and they are taking action on these issues. A young professional weighing an offer in one of those markets will compare compensation, housing costs and prospects for advancement. A spouse’s career matters, too. So does the ease of starting a business or raising a family. We should measure ourselves against those choices. Being a place people like is an advantage. Being the place they choose requires sustained work.

Housing belongs near the top of the list. The Mid-America Regional Council identifies housing availability and affordability as issues affecting access to jobs, economic development and quality of life. Employers recruiting talent and young adults trying to establish households have a shared interest in getting more homes built at prices working people can afford. Local governments should set production goals tied to employment and household growth, then—this is key—examine the rules and delays that make those goals harder to meet.

The same discipline should apply to business investment. Major jurisdictions on both sides of the state line should be nire transparent with permitting timelines, identify recurring bottlenecks and commit to faster decisions on routine projects. Jackson County needs easily understandable commercial assessments and a dependable appeals process. Employers making long-term commitments need to know what the rules are and what compliance will cost.

Those may sound like concerns for developers and property owners. They reach much further. The cost of opening a business affects whether someone takes an entrepreneurial risk. The time required to expand a facility affects when an employer can add jobs. Uncertainty works its way into rents, hiring decisions and the opportunities available to someone starting a career.

Employers have obligations here, too. We cannot keep describing talent as our greatest asset while leaving its development to someone else. Apprenticeships, paid internships and technical credentials deserve sustained investment, with results measured in completions, placements and advancement. Young employees also need access to mentors, meaningful responsibility and a clear understanding of what it takes to move up.

For entrepreneurs, access to an established company’s purchasing department may matter as much as another networking reception. Business leaders can open those doors. They can also bring younger professionals into civic work before a résumé or bank balance qualifies them for the usual invitation.

Quality of life demands equally practical attention. Safe neighborhoods, dependable infrastructure, good schools and attainable child care belong in an ED conversation. So does the ability to get to work reliably. A region asking people to commit their futures here should take seriously the daily demands on their time and income.

We do not need another sprawling wish list. Chambers, employers and civic organizations should agree on a manageable set of commitments with the public officials responsible for delivering them. Publish the measures. Assign responsibility. Report progress often enough that missed targets require an explanation.

Bring younger residents into that work at the beginning. Ask what would cause them to leave, what would persuade them to stay and where the region’s promises fall short of their experience. Their answers should help set priorities.

Challenge for a Bold Vision: What’s Next?

Years ago I prepared a bold statewide plan for a Missouri-based bid to host the Summer Olympics. Kit Bond loved my plan and took them to Washington. It included the University of Missouri as host for most competitions and two international airports and a six-lane I-70 with an integrated bullet train to move thousands of fans each day. The plan included a research triangle including Springfield, one 20 times the size of the one in North Carolina. On the heels of the World Cup, I believe leaders should bolster existing efforts to focus on bringing large events, conventions, conferences, reunions and more here. We’ve proven the city can come together and host big events. I believe it is time to amplify that effort with a more formal organized effort.  

The World Cup gave Kansas City a deadline and a common purpose. Building a stronger region requires that same willingness to take responsibility after the applause ends.

The young leaders in these pages are doing their part. Our job is to make sure their ambitions have room to grow here.

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2026