Crown Center

What Crown Center does

Crown Center is a privately held, 85-acre mixed-use urban redevelopment located at the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, owned by Crown Center Redevelopment Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc. The complex combines office, retail, hospitality, residential, entertainment, and dining assets anchored by Hallmark's international headquarters and was conceived in the 1960s by Hallmark founder Joyce C. Hall and his son Donald J. Hall to revitalize surrounding blighted urban land; the project was publicly announced in January 1967 and broke ground in September 1968.

The portfolio includes more than 2.2 million square feet of existing Class A office space (with an additional 2 million square feet planned), nearly 300,000 square feet of retail across three levels, two Marriott-operated hotels with a combined 1,457 rooms (the Westin Kansas City and the Sheraton Kansas City), attractions operated by Merlin Entertainments (SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center), a growing slate of curated attractions (the new Museum of BBQ, the Coterie Theatre, Kaleidoscope, Hallmark Visitors Center, the Ice Terrace), more than 20 dining options, and over 230 condominium units in two residential buildings. A central 49-jet synchronized fountain, the climate-controlled "Link" walkway system connecting the hotels, and approximately 6,000 parking spaces underpin the integrated destination experience that draws more than 5 million visitors annually.

Crown Center generates revenue across multiple streams: subscription/recurring office and retail leasing handled by an in-house leasing team, gross operating revenue at the hotels (channeled primarily through Marriott), transaction-based revenue from attractions, parking, dining, and gift card sales (denominations $5–$500, issued via Pathward, N.A.), and condominium/amenity fees from on-site residential units. Go-to-market is multi-channel — direct enterprise leasing for office, Marriott's global reservation system for hotels, physical retail and e-commerce for shopping, and event-driven marketing through festivals and seasonal programming (e.g., Mayor's Christmas Tree, KC Irish Fest) for footfall. Day-to-day property management is outsourced to Kessinger/Hunter Management Company, Inc., on a 24/7 basis, while Crown Center Fitness is operated in partnership with Corporate Fitness Works for office-tenant memberships at $30/month.

Name

Crown Center

Legal name

Crown Center Redevelopment Corp.

Website

https://crowncenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Crown Center is an 85-acre privately held mixed-use real estate complex in Kansas City, Missouri, owned by Hallmark Cards, that integrates 2.2M+ sq ft of Class A office, 1,457 Marriott-operated hotel rooms, retail, attractions (SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND, Museum of BBQ), dining, and residential, serving over 5 million annual visitors and enterprise office tenants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mixed-Use Real Estate Development

NAICS

Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Entertainment Venue Property Management (BPAJAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Large-Scale Headquarters Convention Hotels (THAGALAH), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Mixed-use real estate development
• Commercial office leasing
• Retail shopping center
• Hospitality and hotels
• Family entertainment attractions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mound City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Office Space Leasing: Crown Center leases over 1.8 million square feet of first-class office space across multiple buildings including 2301 McGee, 2401 Grand, 2405 Grand, 2600 Grand, and Pershing Road Buildings. The complex offers approximately 2.2 million square feet of existing office space with 2 million more planned.
2. Retail Space Leasing: The Crown Center shopping center offers nearly 300,000 square feet of leasable space across three levels. National brands and specialty merchants operate shops in the center.
3. Hotel Operations: Two world-class hotels operated by Marriott International generate revenue: The Westin Kansas City (724 rooms) and Sheraton Kansas City (733 rooms). Both hotels offer meeting facilities, restaurants, and health clubs.
4. Attractions and Entertainment: Attractions include SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, The Coterie Theatre, Musical Theater Heritage, Crown Center Ice Terrace, Kaleidoscope, and Hallmark Visitors Center. These attractions draw over 5 million visitors annually.
5. Parking Services: Crown Center provides approximately 6,000 parking spaces including covered secured garages with additional parking planned for new facilities.
6. Gift Cards: Crown Center Gift Cards are available in denominations from $5 to $500 and may be used at most shops, restaurants, attractions, theaters, and hotels at Crown Center. Sold online and at Customer Service.
7. Dining: Over 20 dining options ranging from fine dining (The American Restaurant) to fast-casual and quick-service restaurants including Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, Crayola Cafe, Spin! Pizza, and Unforked.
8. Residential: The six-acre urban residential neighborhood includes over 230 condominium units in San Francisco Tower (135 units in 31-story tower) and Santa Fe Place (100+ units in seven-story building), with a 450-space parking garage and amenities including social clubhouse, tennis courts, and swimming pool.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Crown Center operates an 85-acre mixed-use real estate development in Kansas City, Missouri that leases over 2.2 million square feet of office space, offers nearly 300,000 square feet of retail across three levels, houses two Marriott-operated hotels with 1,457 rooms, 230+ residential condominiums, family attractions, more than 20 dining options, a 52,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and approximately 6,000 parking spaces. Owned by Hallmark Cards through Crown Center Redevelopment Corp., the complex draws more than 5 million visitors annually.

Product overview

Crown Center is a mixed-use urban development complex in Kansas City, Missouri developed by Hallmark Cards. The portfolio includes Crown Center Shops (retail), Crown Center Office Buildings (commercial real estate), two Marriott-operated hotels (Sheraton and Westin), multiple attractions (SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND, Coterie Theatre, Kaleidoscope, Hallmark Visitors Center, Museum of BBQ), diverse dining options (The American Restaurant, Unforked, Spin! Pizza, Halls Kansas City), residential towers (San Francisco Tower, Santa Fe Place), public spaces (Crown Center Square with fountain), seasonal Ice Terrace, Crown Center Fitness, and event/meeting space (Crown Center Exhibit Hall). The complex spans 85 acres and welcomes over 5 million visitors annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The American Restaurant: Fine dining restaurant opened in 1974 atop Crown Center, designed by Warren Platner. Awarded the 2018 Design Icon Award by the James Beard Foundation.

Products and services

• Crown Center Shops A three-level retail center with nearly 300,000 square feet of leasable space featuring national brand stores, specialty merchants, and local shops including Halls Kansas City. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday noon-6pm.
• Crown Center Office Buildings Over 1.8 to 2.2 million square feet of first-class office space across multiple buildings including 2301 McGee, 2401 Grand, 2405 Grand, 2600 Grand, and the Pershing Road buildings, managed by Kessinger/Hunter. Major tenants include Marsh Inc., Fleishman-Hillard, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Shook Hardy & Bacon, Assurant Inc., and IBM.
• Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center A 733-room hotel in a 40-story guest tower featuring a 60-foot-high lobby, 17,400-square-foot ballroom (Kansas City's largest hotel ballroom), meeting facilities, and Spectators Gastro-Pub restaurant. Operated by Marriott International.
• The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center A 724-guest-room hotel with ballroom, health club, meeting facilities, and The Brasserie restaurant. Features a 60-foot lobby waterfall and garden carved from natural limestone. Operated by Marriott International.
• SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium A two-story aquarium featuring 5,000+ creatures including sharks, stingrays, and rescued sea turtles, with interactive Touchpool experiences and Behind the Scenes Tours. Operated by Merlin Entertainments.
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center A fun, highly interactive and educational attraction ideal for children 3-10 years old, offering a 2-3 hour experience. Operated by Merlin Entertainments.
• The Coterie Theatre A nationally recognized non-profit theater providing professional classical and contemporary theatre with educational outreach programs. Located on Level 1 of Crown Center Shops.
• Kaleidoscope A free creative art experience for children ages 5 to 12, sponsored by Hallmark.
• Hallmark Visitors Center An attraction offering a glimpse into the history, products, and processes of Hallmark Cards.
• Museum of BBQ The world's first museum dedicated to all aspects of barbecue, featuring 4,223 sq ft of interactive exhibits covering barbecue elements (Meat, Rub/Spice, Wood, Fire, Smoke, Sauce) and American barbecue regions (Carolinas, Memphis, Texas, Kansas City).
• Crown Center Ice Terrace Kansas City's only public outdoor ice skating rink, operating November through February.
• The American Restaurant A landmark fine dining restaurant opened in 1974 atop Crown Center, designed by Warren Platner with decorative wood elements and Gothic-inspired bentwood rosette-topped pillars across 6,500 square feet of terraced space. Awarded the 2018 Design Icon Award by the James Beard Foundation. Offers private dining experiences and guest chef events.
• San Francisco Tower Residential Condominiums A 31-story tower with 135 high-rise condominiums as part of Crown Center's six-acre urban residential neighborhood south of Crown Center Shops.
• Santa Fe Place Residential Condominiums A seven-story building with more than 100 condominium units, featuring a social clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pool, and landscaped garden area. Includes a 450-space parking garage.
• Crown Center Square and Fountain The central gathering space featuring terraced lawns, the iconic 49-jet fountain with dancing water shows synchronized to music recorded by members of the Kansas City Symphony, and an Entertainment Pavilion hosting seasonal events.
• Crown Center Fitness A state-of-the-art fitness facility operated in partnership with Corporate Fitness Works, located on level 3 of the 2480 building. Membership is $30/month, open to office tenants at 2301 McGee, 2405 Grand, 2600 Grand, and 2400-2480 Pershing Road. Hours: Monday-Friday 6:00 am-7:00 pm.
• Unforked Restaurant A restaurant offering fresh and locally sourced seasonal cuisine, located on Level 1 of Crown Center Shops.
• Crown Center Exhibit Hall A 52,000-square-foot versatile meeting facility accommodating up to 1,800 people theater-style, configurable in multiple ways.
• Crown Center Gift Cards Gift cards available in denominations from $5 to $500, redeemable at most shops, restaurants, attractions, theaters, and hotels at Crown Center. Sold online and at Customer Service on Level 2. Issued by Pathward, N.A., Member FDIC.
• Crown Center Wheelchair and Stroller Rentals Wheelchair rental requires a $50 refundable deposit with photo ID; single stroller rental is $2 cash plus $25 deposit and double stroller is $4 cash plus $50 deposit. Available at Customer Service on Level 2.

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Merlin EntertainmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerlin Entertainments operates SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center at Crown Center. SEA LIFE features 5,000+ creatures including sharks, stingrays, and rescued sea turtles with interactive Touchpool experiences. LEGOLAND offers a fun, highly interactive 2-3 hour experience ideal for children ages 3-10. Both attractions are located adjacent to each other at Crown Center Square.
• Marriott InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarriott International operates two world-class hotels at Crown Center: The Westin Kansas City (724 rooms, opened 1973, renovated 2013) and Sheraton Kansas City Hotel (733 rooms, opened 1980, renovated 2013). Both are connected to Crown Center's shops and office buildings via The Link climate-controlled walkway. The Sheraton features Kansas City's largest hotel ballroom at 17,400 square feet.
• Kessinger/Hunter Management Company, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKessinger/Hunter Management Company, Inc. is the property management company managing Crown Center on a day-to-day basis. Their onsite management staff responds to every tenant call. Key contacts include Dave Lingo (President), Lynette Palmer (Tenant Relations Director), Amanda Tinoco (Security Operations Manager), and Matt Porter (Director of Operations). Main number: 816-274-8484, answered 24/7.
• Corporate Fitness WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate Fitness Works operates Crown Center Fitness, a state-of-the-art fitness facility on the 3rd level of the 2480 building, opened November 2017. Membership is $30/month and open to employees of office tenants at 2301 McGee, 2405 Grand, 2600 Grand, and 2400-2480 Pershing Road. Hours: Monday-Friday 6:00 am-7:00 pm.
• Hallmark Cards, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrown Center Redevelopment Corporation (CCRC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc. The complex was envisioned by Hallmark founder Joyce C. Hall and his son Donald J. Hall in the early 1960s to transform the blighted area surrounding Hallmark's headquarters into a thriving mixed-use community. Hallmark's international headquarters is located at Crown Center.
• James Beard FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe James Beard Foundation awarded The American Restaurant at Crown Center the 2018 Design Icon Award, recognizing it as only the third recipient of this prestigious honor. The award recognizes restaurants whose design has remained substantially unchanged for at least 20 years and has influenced subsequent restaurant designs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Country Club Plaza: Country Club Plaza is a competing mixed-use outdoor retail, dining, and office destination in Kansas City, Missouri. Directly comparable to Crown Center in geography, customer base, and integration of upscale shopping with entertainment and dining.
• Power & Light District: Power & Light District is an entertainment and dining district in downtown Kansas City operated by Cordish Companies. Directly comparable to Crown Center as a KC entertainment destination anchored by attractions, restaurants, and event programming.

Regional players

• Legends Outlets Kansas City: Legends Outlets is a major retail and entertainment center in Kansas City, Kansas, with outlet shopping, dining, and a Sprint Center-adjacent events calendar. Comparable as a KC-area destination shopping and entertainment complex competing for similar tourist and family visitor dollars.
• The Magnificent Mile (Magnificent Mile Association): The Magnificent Mile is Chicago's premier shopping, dining, and entertainment corridor along Michigan Avenue with integrated hotels and attractions. Comparable as a destination retail-entertainment district, though primarily a linear street rather than enclosed mixed-use campus.

Broad incumbents

• Mall of America: Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the United States, featuring an amusement park, aquarium, and hotel. Comparable as a destination-scale retail-anchored entertainment complex with hotel and attraction components.
• Downtown Disney / Disney Springs (Walt Disney World Resort): Disney Springs is a Walt Disney World-owned shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Comparable as a destination entertainment-anchored retail and dining complex, though at vastly larger scale and integrated with a theme park ecosystem.
• West Edmonton Mall: West Edmonton Mall is one of the world's largest shopping and entertainment complexes, featuring an indoor amusement park, water park, hotel, and ice rink. Comparable as a mega-scale retail/entertainment destination with hotel and attraction integration.
• Simon Property Group: Simon Property Group is the largest U.S. REIT focused on retail real estate, including destination malls. Comparable as a portfolio operator of retail and entertainment-anchored shopping centers with mixed-use ambitions.

Emerging players

• American Dream Meadowlands: American Dream is a large-scale retail and entertainment complex in East Rutherford, NJ featuring Nickelodeon Universe, an indoor water park, and an ice rink. Comparable as a destination entertainment and retail property with integrated attractions and theme-park-style experiences.

Others

• Brookfield Properties: Brookfield Properties operates large-scale mixed-use and office real estate across major North American markets. Comparable as an operator of premier mixed-use urban destinations with office, retail, and entertainment components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crowncenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Crown Center