For years, downtown Kansas City was considered less than a destination spot for tourists and Kansas Citians alike. A severe lack of entertainment options meant few headed downtown in the evenings and on the weekends. And then a little thing called the Power and Light District opened, and downtown Kansas City was once again a viable part of the city.

“Really, downtown Kansas City has long needed the kind of energy the Power and Light district has brought to us,” says Mike Hurd, marketing director for the Downtown Council of Kansas City.

“Downtown for years really suffered ... by not having hardly anything to do once it become evening time. Now that’s forever changed.”

Officially open since this March, the Power and Light District has far exceeded expectations, bringing in more than 2.8 million visitors. The response, says director of marketing Jon Stephens, shows the kind of need Kansas City had for a venue like this.

“It’s an entertainment option that’s been missing from Kansas City and the Midwest for a long time,” he says.

“The number one feedback we get right now is that they cannot believe it’s Kansas City.”

On one city block sit two levels of restaurants, night clubs and entertainment venues. Power and Light offers a wide variety of options, appealing to a diverse range of people.

“It really has become truly just the gathering spot for the city entirely,” Mr. Stephens says, “because there really is such a great mix of attractions. There’s something there for everyone.”

That includes a bowling alley, piano bar and movie theater. Restaurant options range from Italian and seafood to Irish bar food and gourmet hamburgers. The nightclubs also offer variety, with an Irish pub, rock and roll bar, Latin dance club and retro lounges.

One of the most unique attractions in the Power and Light District is the covered open-air courtyard that sits in the middle of all the action. Visitors can enter the courtyard through several outdoor entrances or through back entrances in the restaurants and nightclubs. An arena liquor license allows people to bring their drinks into the courtyard from one of the bars or purchase them at the Living Room, the seasonal outdoor bar.

On one end of the courtyard sits the KC Live stage, where local and national music acts perform throughout the week.

“There’s always some kind of really good music on that stage,” says Jim Waltry, general manager of the Power and Light District. “It ties together the whole entertainment section.”

Though the Power and Light District has been open for five months, there’s still more to come. Mr. Stephens says within the next couple months new additions will include a soul food restaurant, a steak house and the re-opening of the historic Midland Theater, with Melissa Ethridge as the first performer. So even if you’ve been to the district before, chances are there’s something there you haven’t seen yet.

“Through the rest of this year, there’s usually something new every time you visit,” Mr. Stephens says.

Lifestyles reporter Lacey Storer can be reached at lstorer@npgco.com