It's too late to do anything but grab ankle on this deal but let's take a realistic look at what the Sprint Center offers Kansas City residents:
KC folks can't get tickets to the events at the place.
The arena won't help business at the P&L District because history has shown us this same plan didn't work for Kemper Arena. Folks will go to their chosen event and then head home - Which isn't downtown because the numbers for population inside the loop have always been FAKE.
The Sprint Center will dramatically raise downtown parking prices. A great many parking lots are unregulated and you'll definitely hear people complain when they are directed to lots that charge up to and more than $40 bucks for a single event. Yep, things are going to get a lot more "competitive" downtown. Translation: Hefty price increases for convenience.
Did I mention the ticket fiasco? The Sprint Center will profit Ticketmaster far more than the people of Kansas City. As the ticket trust organization gouges prices for events that "regular folks" in Kansas City can't afford to see, you'll be hard pressed to find anybody who benefits from the company's greed.
The secret luxury suites are all owned by corporations and JoCo folks . . . You might be able to prove me wrong, IF the information wasn't guarded with more secrecy than Gloria Squitiro's shoe size.
NO ANCHOR TENANT YET!!! The Mayor failed to do anything about this before the opening of the place and as the months (and years) go by the allure of the Sprint Center will fade for a franchise that wants to relocate. KC voters were PROMISED a team and the failure to deliver just reflects on the overall failure of the Sprint Center to live up to it's hype.
Finally, let's not forget that the art adorning the place was put together by a NYC artist and the choice completely overlooked local talent. Also, every time I look at the place I can't help but remember that all of the glass in the building was manufactured in China . . . Which doesn't count as minority participation in the construction of the project, because there was almost none.
So who stays winning with this deal?
Ticketmaster, of course.
AEG
And the people who own pricey nearby parking lots.
Without a doubt, the only thing that people in Kansas City Proper got out of the deal was even more taxes for our town.
Don't forget the ticket brokers who profit from AEG and Ticketmaster not charging enough for tickets.
ReplyDeletebull e. vard is drunk. Just because the market will bear a $1000 ticket doesn't mean that they should be sold for that. Stop up the resell loopholes.
ReplyDeleteI think the laws regarding ticket sales need to be addressed. Professional scalping should be illegal. I can't buy a ticket fast enough with high speed internet but I can go to Ace Sports or any similar place and get front row tickets for 5x plus the face value of the tickets.
ReplyDeleteI don't think downtown is going to fail - I think City leadership has some obstacles to address but I think they can make things successful. City leadership only needs to give the people the power to make it successful. Downtown needs to continue to grow for the KC area to be a thriving metropolis.
Johnson Countians consider themselves to be Kansas Citians - as do residents of Wyandotte. We all interact, work and live in the same basic community. I'm proud to say I'm a Kansas Citian that lives in Johnson County. When asked where I'm from by outsiders I don't say PV, OP, Fairway, Mission Hills, I say KANSAS CITY.
T, I'd like to make a challenge to you. I'm a firm believer that if you are one that looks for wrongdoing, fault, errors and inequities that you'll find it everytime ad everywhere. Over a period of time this type of belief system will consume you.
Here is my challenge:
For one day try to write about positive things going on in our community. There are a lot of great people and organizations in the Kansas City area that help people and make life better for people everyday for people from all walks of life.
Try, also, to see life not as a Latino, but simply as just a human being fortunate to be born, raised and living in America.
Two things:
ReplyDeleteParking prices will only be $40 if people are willing to pay for it. There will actually be competition for parking downtown. Remember, there are more than twice as many parking spaces within the downtown loop than there is capacity for the Sprint Center. If people would rather park 3 blocks away for $10, no one will charge $40, even if it's right across the street. Parking will work on a supply and demand basis, where consumers will set prices because of competition....unlike somewhere like Arrowhead that has a monopoly on parking and can charge what it pleases.
As for Electric Avenue failing, there are actually people who live, work and convention around the P&L -- so there are people there who can support these businesses on non-event dats. No place can survive on event traffic alone - -there just aren't enough events to make that work. But if they can sustain business and then peak for events, they'll be fine. The P&L has a lot going for it in terms of location that should keep it viable even if there was never a Sprint Center event (which we know won't be the case). The failure of the areas around Trumans Sports Complex and Kemper is that there was no other reason for people to be in those areas other than for an event. So with traffic only existing 40-80 days a year, no businesses could make themselves viable there. Which then led to there being nothing to do when there are events. Nothing to do, means people leave after events.
Electric avenue seems to have addressed these issues.
You're dead-on. This is a fiasco.
ReplyDeleteIf I owned a parking garage, you can bet your brown ass that I would be upping the rates 10 fold...it's only good business.
That fact in itself would keep me from coming to Hanna Montana...along with that pesky restraining order.
brent,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I follow you about location. Truman Sports Complex has one the the best locations in town in terms of access to every freeway, and plenty of residential? As for Kemper, good access, interesting history and plenty of opportunity but for the off with the old and on with the new focus. I am a big supporter of downtown but I am realistic. People in KC seem to rush in and out of events with the exception of a Chiefs gameday tailgate party which in part was created to avoid traffic. I hope this entertainment opportunity combined with the KC Live District and all the other venues underway will cause people to have a little more patience with downtown. If they aren't willing to change their attitude, they will visit downtown less than ballgame traffic at the K.
The location is good because the P&L restaurants aren't 100% reliant on event traffic for success. There are many local companies nearby, and more and more people in lofts nearby, as well as the conventioners (in the new, larger convention center). So basically, these restaurants in the P&L should be able to remain viable in this location, even if the Sprint Center wasn't there. With viable businesses surrounding the Sprint Center, while some people will certainly leave right after the event, many others will choose to go out for drinks afterward. And certainly some events will draw bigger after-event crowds. I would certainly think for instance that MU/KU basketball games taking place down there will have larger after-crowds than Hannah Montana.
ReplyDeleteThe point is, these businesses will survive with or without the sprint center because there are reasons for people to go there without the event. The problem with Truman Sports Complex and kemper is that there were never businesses or residences (or conventioners) close to these locations, so any retail/dining optins had to survive solely on game-day traffic. This is why nothing exists in these locations now. So people have no choice but to leave immediately following events, because there are no options nearby.
Building the P&L right by the convention center, convention hotels and H&R block headquarters should solve that.
NO ANCHOR TENANT!!! The Mayor failed to do anything about this before the opening of the place and as the months (and years) go by the allure of the Sprint Center will fade for a franchise that wants to relocate. KC voters were PROMISED a team and the failure to deliver just reflects on the overall failure of the Sprint Center to live up to it's hype.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS KAY BARNES AND CITY PLANNERS
I remember before Sprint Arena it was still hard to get tickets to certain events.
Tony, man, come on. The Kansas City Brigade will be playing there next year! :)
ReplyDeleteOne other note on the anchor tenent. No one ever promised an anchor tenent. They said it would succeed without one.
ReplyDeleteThey also said to realistically not expect one to sign on until after the arena was completed...realistic projections were for fall 2008 before an anchor tenent jumped on board. If we get into 2008/2009 without one it will be time to raise a flag of concern...for now, chill out people.
Maybe the Sprint Center could take its cues from Convention Hall, it's turn-of-the-century predecessor: Skating every day when there are no conventions or concerts!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the dirt bike racing and monster trucks
ReplyDeleteI agree the sprint center is going to end up being a huge turd in the downtown punch bowl. In all fairness this thing was started by Barnes. You may have a future case for poor handling on funks part when and if it fails. But for now kay should take the hit for the original bad idea.
ReplyDeleteThe uproar about the ticket procedures at the new downtown arena is truly amazing. Maybe people should go back to the campaign to fund the arena. Is not an increased tax on rental cars and hotels how the arena is being paid for? The campaigns main selling point was that out of town people would be paying for the arena. People that travel to Kansas City should be the ones complaining. The irony is that we have a person from Excelsior Springs complaining and some woman from Leawood on TV saying this isn’t fair. Naysayers, Naysayers. During the campaign St. Louis was trying to take Kansas City’s prosperity away and now its Ticketmaster. What are we to do? Maybe we should ask former Mayor Barnes, Steve Glorioso and those who negotiated the deal to explain this situation?
ReplyDeleteI want to state that I did not campaign for or against the arena. The only point that I made during the campaign was that Kansas City taxpayers would probably have to start paying for Kemper Arena. Maybe that is now
causing some of our budget shortfall?
$40 for a parking spot? You're retarded.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to go to the new Sprint arena and shit up in their nice new bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone want to start a "pool" on how long it will take event organizers (not AEG) and/or the actual performers to figure out that attendence occupancy percentages require close parking in cities that do not have mass transit (and then stop booking events)? Do not even try to claim KC has mass transit as all it has is communter runs. The closest large garage is H&R's and that's not available until mid evening. The next closeest lots are 1kc place/midland theater (repeat H&R comment) and over by the Rep. So who is going to coordinate all these night time event locations so they do not have activity on the same night? last, who is going to pay for night security at all these garages? Sigh.
ReplyDeleteFor now Sprint Center is sucessful. They are having a large number of events and making more money than if they actually had a BBall or Hockey Team. ( they charge far more money per event for an Eagles concert than for a professional BBall game.) Kansas City is winning the economic competition as long as they have the strong number of events they have been having. and by the way,
ReplyDeletethe City's whole plan was to attract fans from out side of KC MO to attend the events. This fills up restaurants and Hotels. So if you are not paying for it quit demanding they you get special ticket allotments. If Johnson County people and people from Iowa attend the events - KCMO wins
AS for the entertainment district - give it a chance to suceed economically before you criticize it. Remember there was retail downtown before there even was a westport or a Country club plaza. Those centers do not have a right to customers - they have to attract them and keep them. Years ago they attracted them away from downtown - now they will have to fight to keep them from going back downtown. It is called capitalism - no entitlements.
Kay took a shot at grabbing the brass ring - we will not know for a couple more years if she made it. But at least she took a shot to try and give us a downtown to be proud of.