A report from the city manager's office says the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game pumped more than $58 million into Kansas City's economy.
That success is prompting enthusiasm for courting other major national events, including the annual convention of the National Rifle Association.
Mayor Sly James says the NRA is among the groups he has talked with, but there is one major obstacle.
“The response was, 'We'd love to come here. Get another hotel and we will.' That's exactly what the NRA said – and a couple of other large conventions,” said James.
Discussion is ongoing at City Hall on the possibility of another large hotel downtown.
Developers say, though, that can't happen unless the city is a major partner – for example financing the hotel's construction and then leasing it to a hotel chain that would operate it.