Kansas City is a large, major midwestern city on the border of Missouri and Kansas. It is the largest city in Missouri with a population around 450,000 (another 150,000 in the Kansas portion) people and more than 2 million in its metropolitan area (2005 estimate). Kansas City is a city that tends to hide itself from tourists. Having reportedly more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, it can be a beautiful city, too. It is also unique, in that it is split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri. The suburbs are largely south of the central city, though the area north of the Missouri River (known locally as the Northland) is beginning to experience growth similar to the south. Numbering of east/west streets begins at the Missouri River with the east/west division occurring at Main Street. Westport is around 40th St., the Plaza at 47th St., Brookside at 55th, and Waldo beginning around Gregory (71st St.). Downtown Kansas City is generally defined as the areas including the River Market, the central business district (the Loop), the Crossroads Arts District, Crown Center and Union Station. After years of neglect and decay in the 1980s and 1990s, downtown is making a comeback. Many once-abandoned buildings in downtown have been (or are being) rebuilt into high-dollar condominiums and loft apartments. The demand for residences downtown is quite high. In October of 2007, the Sprint Center sports arena was completed, bringing a modern sports and entertainment venue to the downtown core. The Power and Light District, was constructed and opened in 2008. The P and L District comprises 5 high rise residential and office towers, with many clubs, bars, restaurants, and shops on the lower floors. A new performing arts center south of the convention center area is in the works. The Downtown Council operates security and cleaning/maintenance crews, who keep downtown’s streets clean and serve as a security pr...