KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City’s two-year-old airport terminal could have a new name by the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives next June.
Mayor Quinton Lucas met Wednesday morning with representatives from the Harry S. Truman Library Institute about renaming the terminal in the former president’s honor.
Lucas’ office and the Truman Library Institute confirmed the meeting to KSHB 41 News.
"The Truman Library Institute had an engaging meeting with the Mayor to discuss ideas to honor President Truman at KCI,” Truman Library Institute Executive Director Alex Burden said in a statement. “The ideas are in very preliminary stages and we look forward to collaborating with civic leaders on a specific plan of action in the coming weeks. President Truman’s legacy of leadership continues to resonate and remain relevant 75 years after his Presidency."
The idea seemed popular with travelers Wednesday at KCI, which opened in February 2023 as a new state-of-the-art, single-terminal structure.
“I think it'd be a good idea,” said former Livingston County, Missouri, Deputy Sheriff Terry Leighty. “I like Harry S Truman. I've met him, known him, good president. So, why not?”
Several airports across the country have been named after former presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
“I think that's a great way to honor him,” said Nicole Lane, who lived in Kansas City for 20 years and returned Wednesday via KCI for a visit. “... Kansas City has such deep history in so many different aspects — from architecture and building to all of our history downtown with the World War I Museum [and Memorial]. But really, everybody knows about Harry S. Truman and Independence being his hometown.”
This isn’t the first time Kansas City has considered naming the terminal or even changing the airport’s name.
A commission suggested naming it for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 2018, and the names of several former mayors have also been floated along.
Lucas declined an interview request after the meeting, but his office provided a statement to KSHB 41 News:
"The Mayor is meeting with representatives of the Harry S. Truman (Library) Institute, dedicated to preserving the memory of President Truman's impact on the world and the Kansas City region. Mayor Lucas continues to listen to proposals on naming initiatives that have recently included honors for former Mayor Sly James, proposed renamings for former City Auditor and Mayor Mark Funkhouser, and other figures of local importance over Kansas City's 175-year history.
“Any airport renaming would require action by the City Council and consultation with federal authorities. Regardless of decisions around the Truman name, the Mayor supports the work of the Harry S. Truman Institute and the Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence in sharing the transformative efforts of area-native President Truman to bring peace to the world and to bring equality to the Armed Forces and our federal workforce."
Jazz legend Charlie Parker is another name that’s been suggested in the past, but Truman certainly seems to be as deserving of the honor as anyone.
“Well, he ended the war, for one thing,” Leighty said. “He was born and raised here, for another. He put the city of Kansas City and Missouri first before anything else, so why not name it after a person that believes in the area, always has been and always will be.”
The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and the Truman Library Institute are also located in the Kansas City area.
“Truman is really the only one that I can think of [deserving of the honor],” Lane said. “... There's so many other things that tie Harry S. Truman to here — all the restaurants, and, of course, his home here and the library. It just seems fitting.”
Naming the terminal in Truman’s honor wouldn’t be too difficult, but it would offer a chance to remember his life and legacy in new ways for those flying in and out of Kansas City.
Changing the name of the airport would be a much more time-consuming and difficult process — and one likely to draw opposition from those eager to keep the current branding and avoid confusion among travelers.
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KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.
