Kansas City’s historic Boone Theater broke ground on an $8.7 million renovation project that promises to transform the century-old building into a cultural hub housing the Black Movie Hall of Fame, the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, and a state-of-the-art cinema.
The project, led by Vine Street Collaborative LLC, aims to add to the 18th & Vine Jazz District, complementing the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Zhou B Art Center, and American Jazz Museum.
“This will make the 18th & Vine Historic District the center of Black culture in the entire world,” says Shawn Edwards, programming partner and creative force behind the Black Movie Hall of Fame. “I don’t think any other city in the world will have anything like this.”
At the groundbreaking ceremony, excitement was palpable among city leaders and project developers who have spent years bringing this vision to life. Construction on the 45,000-square-foot building has begun, with completion expected in 12-14 months.
The project represents more than just renovating a building – it’s about completing what Mayor Quinton Lucas calls a “cultural corridor” in the district.
“The next generation of 18th and Vine discussions isn’t about just our history, although we are incredibly proud of that,” says Lucas, “but it’s about the future that we build.”
Developers aim to have the Boone operational before Kansas City hosts World Cup matches in 2026. The timing could mark a new chapter for both the building and the district, with plans for a soccer film festival among the opening events.
For Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, who championed the district’s revival during his tenure as mayor and fought to save the building from demolition, the project represents a new generation of community leaders taking up the challenge.
“Thank goodness we have some smart people who are undoing some of the dumbness [of razing historic buildings],” said Cleaver. “We can’t function [as a city] without young visionaries who come in with new ideas for old buildings.”
A New Cultural Cornerstone
When completed, the renovated theater will house multiple cultural institutions and businesses. The ground floor will feature an event space that holds up to 600 people, the Black Movie Hall of Fame’s interactive museum space, and offices for the nonprofit Soul of Santa.
The building will also include micro-offices for the Black Repertory Theater KC, multimedia production company DistrKCt, and Benton Lloyd Chung, LLP.
Once renovations are complete, the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City (BRTKC) will have a permanent home at the Boone Theater. The BRTKC won the prestigious Paul Robeson Award last year, but the theatre company has rotated venues for its productions.
“Coincidentally, there might be an opening [for a show] next year for our 10th anniversary when we move in,” says BRTKC Artistic Director Damron Armstrong.
Bringing Movies Back to the Vine
Edwards envisions the Black Movie Hall of Fame as both a museum and active cinema. Beyond hosting film festivals and screening classic Black films, the venue will partner with streaming services and major studios to show first-run movies.
The programming will also include unique events drawing from Kansas City’s rich cultural history. Edwards plans to host “Sarah Rector-themed parties,” inspired by the legendary gatherings thrown by Rector, who became a millionaire at age 11 and later hosted jazz luminaries like Count Basie and Duke Ellington at her Kansas City mansion.
“We’re trying to bring it back to what the Jazz District used to be,” Edwards explains. “That’s where Black folks went to watch movies, that’s where Black folks went to watch stage plays … that’s where Black folks went to do whatever socializing they needed to do.”
A Long Road to Revival
The theater’s journey to this moment has been decades in the making. Originally opened as the New Rialto Theater in 1924, it was renamed in 1929 to honor John “Blind” Boone, a blind Black composer and concert pianist from Missouri who toured nationally from 1880 until his death in 1927 and whose music influenced Kansas City jazz.
The building was a vital piece of the commercial and entertainment center created by the Black community in the Historic Jazz District until it was converted into an armory in the 1940s. It has stood decommissioned since 1978.
Previous attempts to revive the building never fully materialized, despite various city investments over the years. In 2013, Kansas City agreed to spend $140,000 on renovation, followed by $1.2 million in 2016 to stabilize the building. The current project emerged from a 2020 city request for proposals, with Vine Street Collaborative selected for the development.
The Partnership Behind the Project
Vine Street Collaborative, led by Jason Parson, Shomari Benton, and Tim Duggan, has shown a commitment to the district through the successful renovation of 2000 Vine Street, now home to KC’s first Black-owned brewery. The partners bring together expertise in public relations, real estate law, and urban planning.
The $8.7 million project relies on a complex funding structure, with $3.2 million coming from federal and state historic tax credits. The city’s support includes selling the building for $10 and providing a 25-year property tax abatement.
