Kansas City’s Science City will get a new name as it enters into a partnership with a well-known engineering firm.
Burns & McDonnell is partnering with the center, but not without a caveat. For its multi-million dollar investment the center will now be known as “Science City Powered by Burns & McDonnell.”
The merger was marked with a “geek wedding reception” last week playing off the science, technology, engineering and math focus of Science City.
“It’s extremely unique for a science center to partner with a private business to share their passion. And it’s ultimately rewarding to be in a partnership that’s making such an impact on its city,” says George Guastello, president and CEO, Union Station. “Our partnership with Burns & McDonnell has led to four student-inspired, million-dollar exhibits, grown attendance by 120 percent and, most importantly, deepened our engagement with area educators, students and families.”
Guasctello says that as Science City approaches 20 years of service to Kansas City that they are poised to now create a future “bigger and more impactful than ever thought possible.”
The “marriage” has a divorce built in, however, and and will last at five years unless an amicable continuation of the partnership can be found at that time.
Burns & McDonnell is also committing to two more Battle of the Brains competitions for K-12 students across the region, with the winning concept of each becoming a $1 million permanent exhibit for the science center.
Science City opened to great acclaim in 1999 choosing the refurbished Union Station as its location. While attendance has struggled in years past, this year’s numbers are projected to come in at around 300,000 visitors.
–Metro Voice
