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Kansas City unveils bust honoring Mayor James; speakers praise streetcar, KCI terminal and bond spending
Summary
Kansas City held a ceremonial unveiling of a bust honoring Mayor James. Speakers highlighted the Midtown streetcar—28099s daily ridership, economic development projects and a recently completed KCI airport terminal; the mayor emphasized collective effort over personal credit.
Kansas City officials on 2026-06-05 unveiled a bust honoring Mayor James at a public reveal that celebrated the city—280—9s recent infrastructure and development milestones.
The event—28099s presenter opened with lighthearted remarks about the sculpture and then credited Mayor James with helping steer projects that speakers said reshaped the city—280—9s image and functionality. The presenter said residents now use the Midtown streetcar for daily transit, praised redevelopment along the riverfront and noted the city is welcoming travelers through a "brand new KCI airport terminal." The presenter also stated the city—280—9s GEO bond work over recent years amounted to "seven hundreds of millions of dollars," a phrasing the transcript records; the amount is reported here as the speaker characterized it.
Mayor James, accepting the honor, framed the moment as recognition of collective work rather than individual achievement. "When you look at this, don't think about me. Think about us," Mayor James said, thanking staffers named in the program and his family in attendance. He credited longtime aides and staff, singling out Joanie for her role "as chief of staff" and noting contributions from others, including Lissa and the city manager, Schulty.
The artist who created the bust described an enduring personal connection to the city. "I have loved this city since the moment I knew the definition of the word home," the artist said, calling the piece a tribute to "community spirit" and thanking organizers for the opportunity.
Organizers concluded the short ceremony by inviting family members to take photos with the bust and closing the event. No official policy actions, votes or formal directives were made at the ceremony.
Notes: speakers at the event used phrasing such as "seven hundreds of millions of dollars" and referenced "tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands" of visitors in relation to the new KCI terminal; where figures were presented only in conversational terms at the ceremony, this article reports them as the speakers described them rather than asserting precise totals.
