Brian Platt

City Manager Brian Platt first announced plans for a solar array at Kansas City International Airport, potentially the largest of its kind in the world, more than two years ago. But little has seemingly happened to move the progress forward.

Billions of dollars in development projects will begin construction around Kansas City in the next six months. KCUR's Up To Date spoke with Kansas City Manager Brian Platt about these developments, affordable housing and the latest on the streetcar extension.

Kansas City is seeking proposals from developers to turn the Country Club Plaza's tennis center into housing, retail or both. The land is prime real estate, with the Streetcar extension opening next year and the new Plaza owner planning improvements.

Kansas City Manager Brian Platt says construction on the KC Streetcar southern extension is in its final stages, and the route remains on track to open next year. Meanwhile, talks of potential east-west extensions are still in the works.

A group of Black leaders in Kansas City is circulating a petition to potentially rescind City Manager Brian Platt's new contract extension, alleging racist practices in his leadership. Platt told KCUR there is always work to be done on racial equity, but said he has not created a racial divide in his administration.

Andrea Dorch alleges in a recent lawsuit that Platt interfered in her job duties as head of the Civil Rights office in Kansas City. The lawsuit comes as the city is beginning to renegotiate Platt's contract as city manager.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas expects to vote yes when he heads to the polls on April 2 to vote on the 3/8-cent stadium sales tax extension. But with many questions still up in the air about how a downtown ballpark would impact small businesses and more, the mayor wants answers sooner rather than later.

Platt was named one of three finalists for the role of Austin City Manager, but withdrew his application after Kansas City Council voted to renegotiate his contract. Appointed in 2020, Platt is the city's highest-paid employee, charged with executing basic city functions and overseeing the budget.

The city has received 600 reports to 311 about potholes in just the last week. City Manager Brian Platt says city crews can fill hundreds of potholes per week, but weather and poor road conditions mean many more are taking out tires and breaking suspensions.

Kansas City’s Fountain Card, which has fewer requirements than a traditional ID card, will help residents who have issues getting government-issued identification by easing access to water services, library cards, bank accounts and other city programs.

Kansas City got more than 5 inches of snow over the last day, and this weekend, temperatures could drop as low as -10 degrees. Here’s what the city is doing to prepare, and how it plans to tackle the impending pothole season ahead.

Kansas City set a goal of ending all traffic fatalities by 2030, but last year proved to be one of its deadliest yet. While the Vision Zero program has been slowly fixing streets for pedestrians as well as cars, city leaders say it needs more funding to make that happen.