A new report shows tourism in Overland Park saw a spike in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. Data put together by international advisory firm Tourism Economics shows 4.7 million visitors came to Overland Park in 2022, spending more than $850 million and generating some $95 million in local tax revenues. “Overland Park’s visitor economy has rebounded beyond pre-pandemic levels,” said Warren Wilkinson, president of Visit Overland Park, the city’s tourism and marketing bureau. “While these results are fantastic, we must continue to compete with other communities to expand our position as a great place to visit, live and work.” Overall, year-over-year visits in 2022 were up more than 12%. It comes after a concerted effort to direct funds towards promoting the city in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city spent $500,000 in federal pandemic relief funds in each of the past two years on marketing efforts.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Lenexa is hoping to add more midrange housing options — including potentially townhomes and affordable starter homes — to areas of the city still open for development. This type of housing, often called “missing middle housing,” tends to be more dense and attainable cost-wise, though it’s lacking in many communities where there might be a market for it, Community Development Director Scott McCullough said. Encouraging these new housing options has so far been a major focus of the city’s comprehensive plan update process. Exactly what the end result of this process will look like for Lenexa is unclear at this stage, though McCullough said it could ultimately require the city to consider changes to city code and a reevaluation of some of the city’s long-range residential development plans.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post