KC Current owners to build riverfront Levee Park ahead of World Cup. See the plan
As the KC Current drives development to transform the Berkley Riverfront into a destination neighborhood, the organization has announced plans for a new waterfront promenade to bring Kansas Citians even closer to the Missouri River.
The Current revealed details for a proposed new Levee Park in the area between the Riverfront Heritage Trail and the water that will include trails, overlooks, cafe zones, play areas, performance spaces and new landscaping.
The announcement comes weeks after developers working with the team broke ground on a project to bring hundreds of new apartments and more to the area, which continues to fill in after the Current’s CPKC Stadium opened in 2024.
The developers say their goal is to create new public space out of what is now “riprap and weeds,” and put in “native plantings, curated landscaping, and beautiful walkways.” It would join riverfront amenities in cities across the country like Seattle, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
“Through countless examples across our country, we’ve seen the power of bringing people closer to their waterfront,” Angie and Chris Long, co-founders and co-owners of the KC Current, said in a statement. “Our work to develop the Levee Park will reclaim the waterfront for all Kansas Citians — extending our city’s public realm closer to the Missouri River than ever before. By transforming this unused space into a beautiful new community asset, we hope to inspire Kansas Citians to engage with the water in ways we haven’t yet imagined.”
The proposed park would be public and its development would come at no cost to the city, which is granting the developers access to the land for free.
The City Council voted on Thursday to approve agreements for the developer to build, operate and maintain the new promenade. The council also voted to approve a provision to create a separate entertainment district zone for the Berkley Riverfront, which will pave the way for the sale and consumption of alcohol from portable bars under city licensing tied specifically to the riverfront area.
Developers expect to finish the park in time for the FIFA World Cup in summer 2026.
“The Levee Park will update an underutilized part of our riverfront into a beautiful gathering place where families can play, neighbors can connect, residents can relax, and everyone can experience nature in the core of our city like never before,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a statement.
This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM.