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Each year, the Triangle’s top leaders explore a rising city, gathering inspo and intel via the Raleigh Chamber’s Inter-City Visit & Leadership Conference. With sights set on sparking Raleigh’s own evolution, the 2025 crew touched down in Kansas City—home to 2.2M+ and a ~1.2M-strong workforce, with average single- family home values hovering just under $300K. More than a conference, it was a deep dive into KC life— from hot spots to development insights to sports as a major economic driver. Here’s what stood out.
“The benefits of having headquarters locations in the city, including bold leadership and significant community investments.” —Katherine Thomas, VP of Business Development & Marketing, Alfred Williams & Company
“Touring the new Kansas City women’s soccer stadium was a standout moment—a powerful example of how thoughtfully designed sports venues can serve as anchors for broader economic development and placemaking. It reinforced how intentional investment in community-centered spaces can drive vibrancy and growth.” —Shelley R. Curran, Cary Assistant Town Manager
“Regional cooperation is critical for residents to prosper. It was obvious that siting a city in two different states creates issues. We need to work as a region! Also, I was blown away by the beautiful and significant public spaces that enhanced the function and vibe of the city.” —Matt Smith, VP of Development & Strategic Partnerships, Wake Tech Foundation
“Kansas City was determined to build a streetcar system—and accomplished their goal, funded with a combination of federal funds, special obligation bonds, a Transportation Development District, a utility contribution and local advertising revenue.” —Mitchell Silver, Raleigh City Councilor District A
“I was most impressed to see the women’s soccer stadium in Kansas City—very relevant given the NC Courage stadium needs an upgrade.” —Mayor Janet Cowell
“Biggest takeaway: Raleigh needs to build a stadium for our women’s soccer team, NC Courage, in Downtown Raleigh with views of our skyline.” —Nicole Stewart, Director of Engagement, A.J. Fletcher Foundation
“The need for a children’s hospital in our region. Mercy Children’s Hospital showed us the difference this can make in providing care with empathy.” —Mary-Ann Baldwin, Executive Director, Cooper Charitable Foundation
“We learned so much from our friends in KC, especially about the power of sports to drive local economic growth, as seen in the transformational CPKC Stadium—the first built specifically for professional women’s sports. And, no, the BBQ wasn’t better than NC!”—Mary Heath, Chief Administrative Officer, McAdams
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How about affordable housing in Raleigh? maybe you can talk about that instead of all the new restaurants popping up.
We want to move there but feel it is an expensive place, much more expensive than Greensboro (where we currently live). And what about making this city a disability-friendly city — it does NOT feel that way.