KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
—
Kansas City, Kansas, is rolling out the welcome mat for World Cup visitors with a first-of-its-kind mobile visitor center — and it's housed inside a shipping container.
Visit KCK launched the mobile location June 8 at Nebraska Furniture Mart in Village West, one of the top tourist destinations in Kansas, as part of its "Kick it in KCK" campaign.
The site is also near where defending World Cup champion Argentina has been practicing.
"I am a soccer fan, so you know, of course, the first win was when the defending champions chose us as their home base. We couldn’t have asked for anything more," said Ritz Dasgupta, Senior Manager, Integrated Marketing Communications for Visit KCK.
Visit KCK transformed the shipping container into an air-conditioned, visibly branded hub with retractable doors.
The center is staffed with guides to help international, regional and local travelers find ways to experience KCK.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Dasgupta said.
Dasgupta said the new location is designed to meet visitors where they are.
"We wanted to create that touchpoint for our visitors who might be needing any information," Dasgupta said. “It just showcases that diversity. It’s even the diversity in the offerings that we have.”
Guests can access destination information, receive travel-planning assistance, learn about area events, and find "Kick it in KCK" merchandise throughout the tournament period.
Like Visit KCK's downtown visitor center, the mobile location also offers maps and brochures.
"You can go to the taco trail, you can go to the barbecue trail," Dasgupta said.
The "Kick it in KCK" campaign, which launched in December 2025, is underway with branded displays, street pole banners and graphics placed throughout the corridors of KCK, including Village West, downtown KCK and the Rock Island Bridge.
Large banners drape the entrance of Memorial Hall in downtown KCK, which serves as the official "Kick it in KCK" watch party location.
They’re hosting nine watch parties across eight days, and six are Spanish-language broadcasts.
One stop on the BBQ trail is Holy Smoke BBQ, located near 80th Terrace and Leavenworth Road.
The restaurant opened in 2022 and is among the newer entries on Kansas City's established barbecue scene.
"Since we're kind of newer compared to the other established barbecue places, we're very grateful to have that attraction," said JaRon Cook, general manager of Holy Smoke BBQ.
With the World Cup approaching, Holy Smoke BBQ has extended its summer hours to operate seven days a week and has added breakfast service.
They’re open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until they’re sold out.
Breakfast is from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The restaurant also runs a food trailer to reach customers across the city.
"Being mobilized since we're kind of newer, it's good to be out in the community versus stuck to one solid location," Cook said.
Both Visit KCK and Holy Smoke BBQ are betting that accessibility will be the key to a successful summer.
KCK’s mobile visitor center hours are seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the downtown location will still be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
