The Overland Theater, built in 1946, is a city landmark and played a significant part in the development of Overland Park. Overland Park was mostly rural, less than 20,000 people, and needed a place to conduct social activities.

Opening day was Christmas day, featuring "The Hurricane," starring Dorothy Lamour, and "In Old California" starring John Wayne. At that time, the sidewalks along 80th Street were made of wood, and the price of tickets was 20 cents for children and 50 cents for adults.

The building itself is notable. It is an excellent example of Art Deco design, featuring glass block, porthole windows, geometric tile, curved walls, tubular steel decoration, pink neon and mirrored columns. The architect was Robert Boller, a nationally-known movie palace designer.

At one time, the theater’s name was changed to the KIMO South. In 1977, it became home to Theatre for Young America.

In 1988, the City of Overland Park purchased the building to ensure that the historic building was preserved. It opened as The Rio Theatre in 2000. Some renovations have been made with an effort to keep the original appearance. The original peach tile and entry structure remain.