Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes
8 a.m., Thursday, April 9, 2026, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.
Attending: Sam Alpert, Rudy Chavez, Angela Crawford, Ed Downey, Jody Flickner, Eric Floyd, Matt Harris, Chris Heegn, Kevin Hendrickson, Mike Himes, Brian Hurst, Scott Jennings, Chuck Martin, Bo Moreno, Ralph Oropeza, Wes Rogers, Tina Shonk-Little, Christ Stanton, Bill Tillman, Stacey Zerr, Laura Wagner, Bob Jacobi.
•Thanks to Rosana Privitera-Biondo and Mark One Electric Co., Inc. for hosting.
•Presentation from Angela Crawford, The Builders, a chapter of the AGC, on the impact of the World Cup on the KC region construction industry. (Presentation slides attached). Impacts on traffic both vehicle and pedestrian, hotel/private rentals expected to begin 7-10 days before the first match on June 16 as fans begin arriving as well as the four teams who have KC-area base camps. The English base camp will be near Plumbers Local 8. In addition to the six matches the Fan Fest at the Liberty Memorial will run June 11-16, 19-31, 26-27, July 3-5 and 9-11, bringing up to 75,000 per day to that site at 25,000 at a time. The region’s bus inventory will double during the World Cup time. MODOT and KDOT will limit project work while KCMO will not accept building permits and will review any already approved for that time. The Downtown Marriott is expected to be the media headquarters. KCI expects significantly increased activity as well. Since many come without living space reserved, camping will be common though no increased capacity has been planned. Pedestrian traffic will also increase substantially. School projects may be particularly impacted; contractors and workers are recommended to adjust starting times and planned travel time with earlier in the day having less impacts. Concerns also exist about ICE activity during the period. Game parking will be minimal—most attendees will be riding buses from designated spots throughout the area. Patience is urged throughout the period.
KCMO Councilman Wes Rogers added that MODOT plans to have one lane open each way along 169 between Downtown and north of the river, with the 169 bridge to 635 also planned to open again before the matches. He said that the city’s new modular jail should be open then, that most bars/restaurants do not plan to be open 23 hours per day as permitted, and that are hospitals led by KU Medical Center are coordinating for the expected increase in demand. Residents and visitors will be recommended to use urgent care clinics rather than hospital ERs for all but the most serious medical emergencies.
The Builders, a chapter of the AGC and the Mechanical Contractors Association are planing an update on the impact in May, date and location TBA.
•Laura Wagner, North Kansas City School Board, thanked the committee members for support in her reelection April 7 to the board. She also praised her working relationship with McCownGordon Construction on district projects made possible by the bond issues passed last year and supported by the LMC. Committee members thanked Laura for her service on the board.
•Other April 7 election results were largely viewed positively by committee members. The KCMO earnings tax renewal, with 75% of the vote, was vital. New mayors in Independence and Lee’s Summit (Kevin King and Beto Lopez, respectively) are expected to have solid working relationships with the industry. Other city council and school board elections were also viewed as good results, with many bond issues passing as well.
•Legislation updates include concern about Missouri HB 2748, which would mandate an additional hour of physical activity in K-12 schools. While such additional activity is a positive, there is concern it would take away the ability of many students to engage in career preparation programs both during and after school. Other bills being followed in Missouri include the sales/income tax swap, port authority changes and the state budget. Kansas has wrapped up its regular session and is now in veto session. Locally the Building Trades are supporting efforts to include registered apprenticeship standards in local government and school construction projects to enhance workforce development, taxpayer value and wage/benefit standards. Methods to help contractors who wouldn’t currently qualify under such a standard are being examined. Recent studies show union projects are 14% more efficient than nonunion, and mixed projects are more than 5% more efficient.
•NICE is holding its iBuild event April 28. Most trades are participating but there is room for more trades and contractors to exhibit. Between 2,700 and 3,000 students are expected to attend at Bartle Hall. More volunteers are needed. Because of the World Cup impact on convention and meeting dates, there are no dates available at Bartle in March or April 2027 and the American Royal has limited dates. Other venue suggestions with 130,000 square feet and ideally both inside and outside spaces are welcome. NICE is starting to schedule activities for the ’26-27 school year for Senior Days at apprenticeship programs among others; the Summer Educator Externship is set with Pipefitters and iBEW Local 124 among the sites.
•Tina Shonk-Litte, NICE and HWIT, was recently honored for her work. She also had the Parade of Hearts she developed gain sponsorship for its exhibition and it was ranked among the top hearts.
•Registration is now open for the 40th Mid-America Labor/Management Conference July 5-8. The registration site is https://cvent.me/gqeVkZ. Keynote speaker is Kim Becking, and Ironworker Ike Pritchett will tell his story about a newer safety helmet saving his life in a construction accident. Early hotel reservation are urged as the World Cup is filling rooms throughout the state. Camden on the Lake reservations are available at 573-365-5620 or [https://camdenonthelake.com;/]https://camdenonthelake.com.
•The LMC’s 47th Anniversary Celebration later today will have Dr. John Gaal presenting on mental health. More than 200 are expected to attend.
•The LMC’s Craig Whitaker Memorial Golf Tournament is planned for July 21. Reservations are already being received; a reservation form is on the back of this meeting’s agenda.
•Upcoming Events:(For details on these events, please contact the sponsoring group or LMC).
*LMC Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner, April 9, Argosy Casino
*Working Families Friend Poker Tournament April 17, 5:30-10:30 p.m., Pipefitters Local 533
*Builders PAC Sporting Clay Shoot April 17, Powder Creek
*What Employers Need to Know About Marijuana in the Workplace, April 20, 11 a.m., Stinson
*iBuild Showcase, April 28, 2026, Bartle Hall
*Kansas Apprenticeship Day, State Capitol, Topeka
*The Workforce Behind the Growth, KC Business Journal event, April 30, 8-10 a.m. at McCownGordon
*Workers Memorial Day May 1, Loose Park KCMO, 11 a.m. rsvp lorek.karena@dol.gov
*The Builders a Chapter of the AGC Scholarship Golf Tournament May 4, 9 a.m., Ironhorse
*DBA-MAR Golf Tournament, June 11
*World Cup games in KC June 16, 20, 25, 27 and July 3 and 11, 2026
*Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 5-8, 2026, Camden on the Lake
*LMC Craig Whitaker Golf Tournament July 21, Eagles Landing
*Primary Elections Aug. 4
*NICE Annual Luncheon Oct. 15, KC Convention Center
*LMC /BOMA-KC Public Officials Reception Oct. 15, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
*General Elections Nov. 3
•The next meeting will be Thursday, May 14, 8 a.m., at Mark One.
•M/S/C to adjourn at 9:15 a.m.
The mission of the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City is to enhance collaboration by solidifying trust and communication between labor and management in the community
