Former mayor remembered for inspiring civic pride and national recognition for KC

Kansas City, Missouri – Earlier this week, residents of Kansas City came together to honor one of their own. The Sylvester “Sly” James, Jr. Pavilion was officially opened at the Kansas City Convention Center. The event celebrated the lasting influence of former Mayor Sly James, whose tenure from 2011 to 2019 helped reshape both the city’s physical landscape and civic spirit.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, who was on the City Council while James was in charge, led the dedication and spoke about how much James meant to Kansas City.

“Having served on the City Council during Mayor James’s tenure, I witnessed firsthand how his visionary leadership played a role in transforming Kansas City into a nationally and internationally recognized city,” said Lucas.

He talked about how important James was in moving forward infrastructural projects that made the city more recognized nationally, as well as how dedicated he was to helping kids learn to read through the Turn the Page KC program. The pavilion that now bears his name is a symbolic tribute to both of these areas of impact: the city’s expansion and the investment in future generations.

“The pavilion dedication recognizes his lasting impact on both our city’s infrastructure and our children’s futures,” said Lucas.

In his remarks, James reflected on the pride he’s always felt for his hometown and the culture shift he worked to create.

“I love this city, always have. I’ve never been ashamed to tell people, regardless of what year it was or where I was, that I was from Kansas City,” former Mayor James said.

“The one thing that we wanted to work on when we were elected was changing the attitude of the city from a city that’s when the first time something was mentioned, the response was, ‘No, we can’t do that’ to ‘How do we get it done?’ And we got that done; the attitude changed, and now people wear Kansas City, KC, on all sorts of things on their bodies, including tattoos, underwear, socks, hats, shirts, and whatever else. But people are proud to be from Kansas City.”

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James left behind a number of important changes. One of the first was Turn the Page KC, a reading program that started during his first year in office and has since grown into its own organization. Its goal is to make sure that all third graders in Kansas City are reading at their grade level. Many people say that the initiative has helped raise awareness and get resources together to help increase literacy in young children.

James also pushed for big investments in infrastructure, such as starting the redevelopment plan for the new Kansas City International Airport terminal and laying the basis for the modern streetcar system. These developments helped start a new era of progress, which brought the city more attention on a larger scale.

City officials, lifelong supporters, and people who wanted to show their appreciation for a leader whose time in office is typically linked to progress, hope, and civic pride all came to the dedication event. Kansas City acknowledges and honors individuals who believe in its potential and help it grow. His name is now carved onto one of the city’s most famous public places.