As Northlanders, we’ve always been rather proud of and protective of the airport. It’s ours, right? It’s literally our backyard.
But now, as the new airport terminal comes to life, the Northland is showcased in a way that simply did not happen in the 50 years the former terminals welcomed visitors and locals to Kansas City.
“We are thrilled to be part of something so big and so important to Kansas City and to be an ambassador for Platte County,” says Kit Lacy, co-owner of Jowler Creek Winery.
Lacy is talking about Grapes and Grains, a bar on Concourse B featuring all local beverages. McCormick Distillery in Weston has created a single barrel that will only be sold at the airport. Only Kansas City area beers are on tap in the various restaurants.
“It is pretty surreal to see our product being displayed on such a large scale,” she says. “It’s exciting that this city chose to partner with so many great local businesses.”
The one million square foot terminal has 22 food concepts and all but four are local to Kansas and Missouri. Of those four, one is the very first Big Chicken, a concept by NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. But otherwise, you’ll find local names like Bo Lings, Pigwich, Urban Cafe and Parisi Coffee, among others.
And lots of barbecue. Kansas City has the distinction of being the only airport in North America with a barbecue smoker in the terminal. But the operators of that smoker have a fun story, unique to Kansas City.
In coordination with the people at OHM, a St. Louis company that develops and operates more than 100 restaurants in 12 airports, the Kansas City Barbeque Society hosted a competition in June 2022 at Worth Harley Davidson on Prairie View Road, less than five miles from the airport.
KCBS invited 36 teams to participate. The only qualification was that competitors live within 60 miles of the airport, had participated in three competitions in the past year, and were members in good standing of the KCBS.
The winner of the competition received $25,000 and a one-year lease in Concourse B. It’s the thing dreams are made of. Brad Colter and Breana Via of Grain Valley had both worked in restaurants as teenagers, but they had only been participating in competition barbecue events for about 18 months.
“We had a five-year plan that maybe would lead to bottling our sauce and rubs, but this has blown away that plan,” says Breana, an elementary teacher in the Lee’s Summit School District.
The day-to-day operations of Smoke ‘n Magic on Concourse B is managed by OHM, but Brad and Bre oversee recipes and more. Their products are for sale in the airport, as well as a Bloody Mary mix the team has created.
“The airport now smells likes Kansas City,” Bre says. “You step off your flight and the first thing you smell is barbeque.”
The Made For Kansas City Barbeque Contest will be repeated every year for the remainder of the 15-year lease with OHM. The public is invited to the contest June 9-10 at Worth Harley Davidson.
“This is, without a doubt, the most bespoke food and beverage program in a North American airport,” says OHM Executive Vice President Richard Chinsammy. “When we say local, we mean local.”
In addition to local restaurants at the airport, there are 10 retail outlets operated by the Marshall Retail Group out of Las Vegas. The company created a reproduction of the City Market that carries snacks and other goodies. A Made in KC Marketplace on Concourse A includes only products from local vendors such as Christopher Elbow and Growing Days, among others.
One of the more celebrated aspects of the terminal is the art found throughout, including the parking garage stairway. The $5.6 million worth of art makes it the largest such project in Kansas City history. More than 1,900 artists submitted proposals, 28 were selected and 19 of those are from Kansas City.
“A lot of my work includes the concept of travel, and I wrote about that in my proposal,” says Kathy Liao, a former art teacher at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph.
A native of Taiwan, Liao traveled frequently through the previous terminals and is humbled to be a part of such a meaningful project. “I’m still processing the whole experience because it was such a huge project to be a part of,” she says.
“Hello and Good-bye” located at gate B-63, captures the anticipation of travel, as well as the memories of destinations and their people. “I’m thrilled that this will be a part of Kansas City for such a long time.”
Platte County gets another shot of celebrity with an exhibit on the history of the land on which the airport was built.
Between the people movers on the way to the B gates is an interactive space that recognizes the native people of the region before there was a state of Missouri and a Platte County. One panel details the founding of Platte County in 1838, 17 years after Missouri became a state. Another panel highlights the Civil War in Platte County.
Across the walkway is another exhibit on the history of aviation in Kansas City, starting with the original airport in the Fairfax district, through the downtown airport to the development of the three-terminal airport in 1972. Considerable attention is given to TWA’s presence in Platte County beginning in 1931.
An important change for locals is the traffic flow. When picking up friends or family at the airport, you are encouraged to wait in the designated cell phone lot until their flight has landed and they have retrieved their luggage. The curb space is not as lengthy as the old terminals and there simply isn’t space for everyone waiting.
Another tip: Plan a flight soon, allowing you the opportunity to explore past the TSA checkpoints. Come early to explore and when your flight returns, don’t be in a hurry to leave. Stay around and have a drink, a meal or just take a selfie in front of the new digital fountain.
This is our airport. Celebrate!