John Moncke Named President of Kansas City Power & Light District
As Downtown District Continues to Grow, Former Sporting Kansas City Executive Fills New Leadership Role in Power & Light District
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Aug. 3, 2021) – The Cordish Companies, Kansas City Power & Light District and Sporting Kansas City announced today that John Moncke will be transitioning from Executive Vice President of Stadium and Brand Revenue for Sporting Kansas City to a new role as President of the Power & Light District effective August 3. As part of the transition, Nick Benjamin, current Executive Director of the Power & Light District, has been named a partner within The Cordish Companies and will be stepping into a national role as Managing Partner of the Company’s Midwest portfolio, as well as continue to oversee Multifamily Development for the Company’s residential division, Cordish Living. Benjamin will continue to be based out of the Power & Light District and Kansas City where he resides with his wife and children.
“The Cordish Companies is incredibly excited to welcome John as President of the Power & Light District,” stated Blake Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies. “John’s experience and commitment to community-driven initiatives in Kansas City is unmatched and we are thrilled to have him join the team at such an exciting time of momentum and growth in the District. Nick’s leadership in Kansas City for over a decade has been instrumental in cementing the Power & Light District as a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and a catalyst for downtown Kansas City’s revitalization. We are extremely proud to name Nick a partner within our Company and look to his leadership for years to come.”
Moncke has enjoyed an illustrious 10-year career at Sporting Kansas City, leading the team’s extraordinarily successful brand development in the years following its 2010 rebrand as Sporting Kansas City, helping manage the execution of Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game and MLS Cup and in recent years taking responsibility for in-stadium revenue and experience at the state-of-the-art Children’s Mercy Park. Moncke has been involved over the years around the fan and brand experience, from helping launch Live KC to developing the stadium’s merchandising plan to designing the team’s uniforms in collaboration with Adidas. For more than eight years, Moncke has also worked closely with the Power & Light District team as the primary liaison between the highly successful No Other Pub entertainment venue and Sporting Kansas City, helping to maximize the integration of the Sporting brand with the No Other Pub and KC Live! experiences.
"This is my hometown, and I’m so proud of our city,” said Moncke. “I spent a life-changing decade at Sporting Kansas City working with some of the best people in the sports industry, and we were focused every day on finding innovative ways to tell the local Kansas City story on a global stage. Through working closely with Nick Benjamin and his team over the past several years on our joint venture and other projects, I’ve been inspired by how The Cordish Companies have transformed the way we live, work, and play in the city. Now we’re set for the next exciting phase of growth."
The Kansas City Power & Light District, which employs over 1,000 team members, will be celebrating 14 years of operation this October. In those years under Benjamin’s leadership, the District has grown to encompass nine city blocks including more than 500,000 square feet of restaurants, entertainment, office, shopping and lifestyle amenities, with more than 65 best-in-class local, regional and national tenants. It also now includes 603 apartment units in One Light and Two Light Luxury Apartments, the first two new construction high-rise, market rate apartment buildings in the history of downtown Kansas City. By 2023, the total residential units in the Power & Light District will be 1,028. Of the 900 current residents in One Light and Two Light, more than 60% are new to both the state and the metro area. Since the Power & Light District opened in 2007, the downtown residential population has grown from 5,000 to more than 30,000, the downtown office population has grown from 60,000 to more than 110,000, and the downtown tax base has grown by more than $60M.
The Power & Light District also recently welcomed Spark Kansas City, a collaborate coworking space at the base of Two Light for local entrepreneurs, creators and innovators to locate and grow their businesses. Since opening in the fall of 2020, Spark has supported the growing Kansas City entrepreneurial community, placing members within close proximity to hundreds of successful businesses, dining options and entertainment within the Power & Light District, as well as offering an exciting Work/Play/Live experience – a first for the Kansas City startup ecosystem and an innovative approach to downtown residential living.
The Power & Light District is coming out of the pandemic poised for growth, with the exciting opening of the B&B Mainstreet Theater later this summer, construction starting on Three Light Luxury Apartments and the Midland Lofts, and the recent return of the live events and concerts that have established KC Live! over the years as the Living Room of the Midwest. Moncke’s skill set, experience and perspective as a long-time Kansas City resident make him uniquely positioned to take advantage of those growth opportunities.
“Downtown Kansas City has made tremendous progress since 2007, establishing itself as one of the country’s fastest growing downtowns and putting Kansas City on the map as a destination of choice for employers and residents from all parts of the country,” stated Benjamin. “While that progress is notable, I truly believe that the potential for growth and improvement in downtown Kansas City is greater in the next 10 years. I couldn’t be more excited to have John Moncke at the helm of the Power & Light District as we navigate and work to maximize the breadth and positive impact of that growth in the coming years. His creativity, intelligence and entrepreneurial spirit are exactly what downtown Kansas City needs.”
The relationship between the Power & Light District and Sporting Kansas City has deep roots, beginning with the extraordinarily successful partnership between the two organizations to host FIFA World Cup Watch Parties in 2010 and growing in scale with the opening of No Other Pub in 2013. Sporting Kansas City is thankful for Moncke’s leadership and vision, and both Sporting Kansas City and the Power & Light District see tremendous potential for increased collaboration between two of Kansas City’s favorite brands as a result of the transition.
“John has had a significant impact over the last decade on everything from kit design to fan experience,” said Jake Reid, President of Sporting Kansas City. “He has set us up for what will be a very bright future at Sporting Kansas City, and we are all thankful for his 10 years of dedication and hard work. We are excited to watch John continue contributing to the culture of Kansas City as he steps into his new role with the Power & Light District.”
About The Cordish Companies
The Cordish Companies’ origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately-held, family ownership. During the past ten decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into a global leader in Gaming; Commercial Real Estate; Entertainment Districts; Sports-Anchored Developments; Hotels; Residential Properties; Restaurants; Coworking Spaces; and Private Equity. One of the largest and most respected developers in the world, The Cordish Companies has been awarded an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for public-private developments that are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. The Cordish Companies has developed and operates highly acclaimed dining, entertainment and hospitality destinations throughout the United States, many falling under The Cordish Companies’ Live! Brand, highly regarded as one of the premier entertainment brands in the country. Welcoming over 55 million visitors per year, these developments are among the highest profile dining, entertainment, gaming, hotel and sports-anchored destinations in the country. Over the generations, The Cordish Companies has remained true to the family’s core values of quality, entrepreneurial spirit, long-term personal relationships, and integrity. As a testimony to the long-term vision of its family leadership, The Cordish Companies still owns and manages virtually every business it has created. For more information visit www.cordish.com or follow us on Twitter.
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About the Kansas City Power & Light District
The Kansas City Power & Light District is a vibrant nine-block neighborhood in the heart of downtown Kansas City that is redefining the City from its skyline to its sidewalks. The District links together the renovated Bartle Hall Convention Center, the T-Mobile Center, offices, hotels, entertainment, cultural destinations and residential developments. The combination of entertainment, shopping, nightlife and residential with the District’s imaginative and innovative design has created an intriguing 24/7 neighborhood. For more information, visit www.powerandlightdistrict.com or www.facebook.com/KCPowerLightDistrict.