Here’s when the red KCTV Tower will shine bright in Midtown with its new lights
.png "A look directly upward from underneath the massive KCTV-5 tower, which was illuminated red on Dec. 5.")
The iconic KCTV tower in Midtown will glow once again this fall ahead of the World Cup.
The city announced in a news release that decorative lighting is being installed on the tower, and the official relighting ceremony will be Sept. 18. Testing will begin in this month.
The landmark broadcast tower, which stands 1,042 feet over Midtown off 31st Street and Main Street, was built in the mid-1950s and can be seen from miles away. It was once defined by the lights that ran up the tower, with red bulbs piercing through the night sky.
At one time, the lights even suggested the weather forecast, according to The Star archives. But by the mid-2000s, the lights were decommissioned due to aging infrastructure and high maintenance costs.
The city has pushed to re-light the tower under its Illuminate KC initiative, which focuses on bringing light back to city landmarks, and modern technology will make that a reality for the KCTV Tower.
“As Kansas City prepares to welcome the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we couldn’t imagine a better time to bring back this powerful symbol of our city’s pride and resilience,” KCTV general manager Curtis Miles said in a statement. “We’re proud to work hand-in-hand with city leaders to return the tower to its rightful place in our illuminated skyline.”
The City Council signed off earlier this month on a $1.1 million contract with Precision using capital improvements for the lighting project, according to city documents.
Landmarks that could see their own lighting projects under Illuminate KC include the Kit Bond Bridge and the Western Auto sign.