Everything New Coming to Wichita in 2026 and Beyond

Wichita has never been a city that sits still. New attractions are opening, familiar destinations are adding fresh experiences, and several major projects are reshaping how people live, work and spend time throughout the area.

Some of these additions are already welcoming visitors. Others are under construction or still in the planning stages. Either way, there is a lot happening in the Air Capital—so we gathered some of the biggest Wichita developments to have on your radar in 2026 and beyond.

The Adventure Playscape at Exploration Place Is Now Open

One of Wichita’s most anticipated family attractions officially opened on March 13, 2026. Exploration Place’s Adventure Playscape transformed 6.5 acres of riverfront property into an outdoor destination with 10 themed environments inspired by Kansas landscapes, history and identity.

The experience includes aviation-inspired play structures, water features, climbing areas and activities designed for a range of ages and abilities. By May, Exploration Place reported that the Playscape had already welcomed more than 100,000 guests.

The Wichita Foundation Amphitheater, another piece of Exploration Place’s riverfront expansion, is also entering a busy new chapter. Along with RiverFlix movie nights, the venue is expected to host a Levitt music series beginning in fall 2026—giving families another reason to spend an evening along the Arkansas River.

A New Otter Experience at Tanganyika Wildlife Park

If feeding a giraffe or meeting a sloth no longer feels adventurous enough, Tanganyika Wildlife Park has added an experience that may be difficult to top: swimming with Asian small-clawed otters.

The small-group, keeper-led encounter allows guests to enter shallow water with the otters while learning about their care, behavior and training. Reservations are limited, so this is one Wichita-area experience you will want to plan in advance.

One Last Season for Stingray Cove—and Four Big Birthdays

Not every Wichita update is about something arriving. Sedgwick County Zoo has announced that 2026 will be the final season for Stingray Cove after a successful five-year run. The interactive attraction is scheduled to remain open through October, giving visitors one more opportunity to touch and feed the stingrays before the experience closes.

The zoo is also celebrating the first birthdays of four African elephant calves—Bomani, Kijani, Asali and Dakari. Their births in 2025 made Sedgwick County Zoo the first accredited zoo in the United States to welcome four African elephant calves in a single year.

A New Dillons Marketplace Is Coming to West Wichita

West Wichita is preparing for a major new grocery and retail addition. Dillons broke ground in June on a 99,000-square-foot Marketplace near K-96 and Ridge Road on West Village Circle.

The approximately $35 million store is expected to open in 2027 and will be the first newly built Dillons location in Wichita in more than 15 years. Announced features include a large grocery selection, prepared foods, a Murray’s Cheese Shop, sushi, bakery and deli departments, a drive-through pharmacy, apparel and home items, and a fuel center. The project is also expected to create more than 250 jobs.

For residents of northwest and west Wichita, this project is another sign of the continued growth around the K-96 corridor.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus Is Taking Shape Downtown

One of the most consequential Wichita projects may not be a restaurant or attraction at all. The 350,000-square-foot Wichita Biomedical Campus is rising downtown as a joint project involving Wichita State University, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas.

The campus will bring health-related education programs into one location, including medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy, speech-language-hearing and other clinical training. According to Wichita State, construction is on track to finish in December 2026, with staff moving in during spring 2027 and classes beginning in summer 2027.

Beyond the building itself, the project could have a lasting effect on downtown activity by bringing students, faculty, healthcare professionals and visitors into the area every day.

More Development Is Planned Near K-96 and Greenwich

The K-96 and Greenwich corridor is another area to watch. In 2026, the City of Wichita authorized a new series of STAR bonds connected to plans for a major multi-sport athletic facility, a family resort-style hotel, additional commercial sites and related infrastructure.

Because large developments can change as financing, tenants and construction plans come together, we would treat this as a project to follow—not a guaranteed opening on a specific date. Still, the public financing activity shows that additional growth is being pursued in one of Wichita’s busiest retail and entertainment corridors.

East Kellogg and K-96 Are Entering a Major Construction Era

Growth also comes with road construction. The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded a $287.97 million contract to reconstruct portions of East Kellogg and K-96—the largest construction contract KDOT had awarded at the time.

The project includes expanding approximately two miles of U.S. 54 to six lanes, rebuilding about one mile of K-96, replacing 26 bridges and adding frontage roads intended to maintain access to local businesses. Construction was expected to begin in spring 2026, with traffic updates released as the work progresses.

It may create some short-term headaches for east-side commuters, but the finished corridor is intended to improve traffic flow and support long-term mobility as northeast and east Wichita continue to grow.

More Restaurants and Retail Additions Are Still Developing

Wichita’s restaurant and retail lineup is always changing, and several proposed locations are still working through leases, permits or construction. One development to watch is a possible new Wingstop at NewMarket Square. A building permit was filed for the former Interstate Batteries space, and reports have suggested a possible opening by the end of 2026—but the deal had not been finalized when it was reported.

That distinction matters: a permit or announced plan is encouraging, but it is not the same thing as an official grand-opening date. We will keep watching for confirmed additions as Wichita heads into 2027.

What Does All This Growth Mean for Wichita Homeowners?

New attractions, employers, stores and infrastructure can make different parts of a city more convenient and appealing—but no single project automatically determines what a home is worth. Real estate values are shaped by a combination of location, condition, recent comparable sales, housing supply and buyer demand.

If you are considering a move, it helps to understand not only what Wichita looks like today, but where new investment is taking place and how different communities fit your lifestyle.

What upcoming Wichita addition are you most excited about? Share this article with a friend who loves keeping up with everything happening around the Air Capital.