City of Kennewick

What City of Kennewick does

The City of Kennewick is a municipal government entity serving Kennewick, Washington — one of three cities in the Tri-Cities region of southeastern Washington State — with a workforce of 251 employees and ten operating departments including Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Community Planning, and Economic Development. The city delivers essential municipal services: law enforcement and emergency medical services (ambulance billing), fire suppression and prevention, water/sewer/stormwater utilities, parks maintenance and recreational programming, code enforcement, building permits and planning, and business licensing. Its primary constituents are Kennewick residents (residential taxpayers and utility customers) and local businesses (commercial taxpayers, permit applicants, license holders), with a growing secondary constituency of regional visitors and event organizers anchored by the Three Rivers Convention Center.

Revenue is generated through a tax-and-fee model rather than commercial sales: property tax and sales tax (including a public safety sales tax) form the primary funding base, supplemented by bi-monthly utility fees for water, sewer, stormwater, and ambulance services; per-transaction development and permit fees; business licensing fees; and recreation program fees (e.g., youth sports registration $69 resident/$93 non-resident, aquatic programs, community events). Capital projects are financed through municipal bonds, most recently the $71.3 million Three Rivers Convention Center expansion funded by a bond issued by the Kennewick Public Facilities District with no new tax burden on residents.

The technology stack supporting service delivery is built entirely on commercial off-the-shelf government platforms rather than proprietary systems: CivicPlus CivicEngage CMS for the website (go2kennewick.com), ArcGIS for GIS/mapping (utilities, parcel, zoning, precincts), Tyler Portico for citizen concern reporting, EnerGov for self-service permitting and inspections, and Rec1 for recreation registration. Digital products include the Notify Me email/SMS subscription system, online utility billing, GIS mapping portal, public records search, and council meeting broadcasts. Current digital accessibility compliance stands at 70% under WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with a CivicPlus-led redesign scheduled from June 2026 through February 2027 to achieve full compliance ahead of the April 2027 state deadline.

Name

City of Kennewick

Legal name

City of Kennewick

Website

https://go2kennewick.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The City of Kennewick is a Washington State municipal government serving residents and businesses of the Tri-Cities region with public safety, utilities, parks, permitting, and economic development services, currently undertaking a $71.3 million convention center expansion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Police Protection (922120), Fire Protection (92216), Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (23731)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Government & Municipal Event Venues (THAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Utility water sewer services
• Parks recreation programs
• Building permit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kennewick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Primary revenue source from property taxation for general city operations, public safety, and infrastructure maintenance.
2. Sales Tax Revenue: Sales tax collections including public safety sales tax for law enforcement and emergency services funding.
3. Utility Fees and Services: Water, sewer, stormwater, and ambulance services billed bi-monthly. Utility tax collected on services.
4. Business Licensing Fees: Business license issuance and renewal fees for commercial operations within city limits.
5. Development and Permit Fees: Building permits, planning applications, fire permits, and development review fees.
6. Convention Center Operations: Revenue from Three Rivers Convention Center events, with expansion through public-private partnership generating additional economic activity and hotel taxes.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The City of Kennewick is a municipal government that provides essential public services to residents and businesses within city limits, including police and fire/EMS public safety, water/sewer/stormwater utilities, parks and recreation programs, building permitting and inspections, code enforcement, economic development resources, GIS mapping, public records access, and community planning. It operates the Three Rivers Convention Center as a regional hospitality and events venue, with a major 115,000 sq ft expansion underway through a public-private partnership to drive tourism, jobs, and economic activity.

Product overview

The City of Kennewick's digital presence is built on the CivicPlus CivicEngage platform and offers residents a comprehensive suite of municipal services through its website. The primary service areas include public safety (police and fire departments with their respective divisions), parks and recreation facilities and programs, utility services (water, sewer, stormwater), online permitting and development services, code enforcement, economic development resources, and government administration. Key digital products include the Online Permitting Self-Service Portal for building and planning permits, the GIS Mapping Portal for spatial data access, the Notify Me notification subscription system for email/SMS alerts, the Public Records Online Search for document retrieval, and Council Meeting Broadcasts for transparent governance. The city also provides emergency management services, community planning, and various citizen engagement tools through its integrated platform approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kennewick Police Department Services Law enforcement services for Kennewick residents and visitors including patrol, criminal investigation, special services (K-9, traffic, reserves), animal control, crime prevention programs, citizen academy, and public records. Operates divisions for administration, criminal investigation, patrol, and special services.
• Kennewick Fire Department Services Fire suppression, emergency medical services (ambulance), fire prevention inspections, smoke alarm assistance, hands-only CPR training, and fire safety education. Includes Support Services Branch with Prevention and Training divisions.
• Parks and Recreation Parks maintenance, recreational facilities, pools and splash pads, athletic complexes, community centers (Keewaydin), sports leagues, special events, and recreation programs for all ages. Facilities include Civic Athletic Complex, Lawrence Scott Park, Southridge Sports and Events Complex, and Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex.
• Online Permitting Self-Service Portal Web-based portal (EnerGov) for building permits, planning applications, fire permits, and development services. Includes online building and planning permitting, schedule inspections, and permit search functionality for property owners, contractors, and developers.
• Utility Services Water, sewer, stormwater management, utility billing, water treatment, wastewater treatment, and backflow prevention programs. Services include leak adjustments, water quality monitoring, conservation programs, and PFAS information for Kennewick residents and businesses.
• Code Enforcement Property maintenance enforcement, nuisance abatement, zoning compliance, and citizen complaint processing. Includes municipal code enforcement and building use improvement oversight for residential and commercial properties.
• Economic Development Services Business licensing, economic incentives, property finder, opportunity centers (Clearwater, Columbia Center, Downtown, Southridge, Vista Field), craft beverage program, and business development resources for commercial enterprises operating in Kennewick.
• Notify Me Email and SMS notification subscription service allowing residents to subscribe to updates for city news, alerts, calendar events, road closures, emergency notices, and department-specific notifications with category-based subscription management.
• GIS Mapping Portal Interactive mapping services including utilities map, parcel map, zoning map, wards and precincts map, and downloadable GIS data. Built on ArcGIS platform with multiple mapping portals available at kennewick.maps.arcgis.com.
• Public Records Services Online public records search, accident reports, council meeting documents, ordinances, resolutions, permits, planning records, and interlocal agreement search tool. Includes public records request portal.
• Community Development Services Building inspections, development standards, municipal code, zoning administration, subdivision code, comprehensive planning, and missing middle housing initiatives for residential and commercial development in Kennewick.
• Council Meeting Broadcasts Live and archived video broadcasts of city council meetings, available for public viewing through the city's media center for transparent governance and citizen engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 710+ full-time jobs by fifth year of Three Rivers Convention Center expansion
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• A-1 PearlflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Public-private partnership for Three Rivers Convention Center expansion and hotel development. A-1 Pearl developing 162-room AC by Marriott hotel with connection to convention center. Project includes retail spaces. Construction began May 2025, hotel completion Winter 2026. Creates 264 hotel/retail jobs.
• Kennewick Public Facilities DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIssuing bond for Three Rivers Convention Center expansion. Project funded through bond with no new taxes to taxpayers. Works with City of Kennewick to finance public infrastructure improvements.
• Benton-Franklin Health DistrictcoreOthersCollaborative partnership for food and beverage business approvals, restaurant inspection reports, and public health compliance for local businesses.
• Washington State Liquor and Cannabis BoardcoreOthersState agency partnership for liquor licensing approvals for food and beverage businesses operating in Kennewick.
• Fitch & AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partnership for Kennewick Fire Department's 2023 Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover (SOC) study to guide department operations and resource decisions.
• Retter & Co. Sotheby's International RealtyminorOthersSponsor for Columbia River Dog Park project, along with Toyota of Tri-Cities, contributing to funding of new public park amenity.
• Toyota of Tri-CitiesminorOthersSponsor for Columbia River Dog Park project, contributing to funding of new public park amenity in Columbia Park.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• CivicPlus: Vendor platform that powers Kennewick's website and citizen engagement tools. Relevant as the primary technology partner whose roadmap directly shapes the city's digital service delivery capability.
• Tyler Technologies: Vendor for the citizen concern reporting portal (Tyler Portico) and broader municipal ERP systems used across local governments. Indirectly comparable as ecosystem peer shaping service delivery infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• City of Spokane, WA: Larger Washington municipal government with broader convention, parks, and transit operations. Functions as an aspirational comparable for regional destination strategy and infrastructure scale.
• City of Vancouver, WA: Larger Washington municipal government providing comparable public safety, utility, and parks services. Comparable governance structure and revenue model with greater population scale.
• City of Tacoma, WA: Larger Washington municipal government with established convention, waterfront, and parks portfolio. Comparable as a regional destination city with similar municipal service mix and revenue diversification strategy.

Direct peers

• City of Richland, WA: Direct Tri-Cities peer; neighboring municipal government providing the same slate of police, fire, utilities, parks, and permitting services to an adjacent population. Highly comparable in scale, services, and economic ecosystem.
• City of Pasco, WA: Third Tri-Cities municipal government offering identical core municipal services (public safety, utilities, parks, permitting) to a similar population base. Closest comparable jurisdiction in the same labor market.
• City of Yakima, WA: Mid-size Washington municipal government with similar service portfolio including convention facilities, parks, and utilities. Provides regional benchmark for tourism-driven economic development strategies.

Regional players

• City of Salem, OR: Pacific Northwest state capital municipal government with similar population scale and comparable full-service municipal portfolio including convention center, parks, and utilities.
• City of Eugene, OR: Similar-sized Pacific Northwest municipal government with comparable parks, recreation, and convention/event portfolio. Adjacent geographic peer offering insight into similar service delivery models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cityofkennewick99336
• Facebookfacebook.com/KennewickWA
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofkennewick
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-kennewick

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 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 City of Kennewick