Doubting Speedway location

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 5:21 pm

The main thing that pisses me off about the Speedway and its Wy Co reviatalization effort is that the Speedway is almost in Lawrence. Marinovich says that it's bringing in retail that people in KCK have been waiting for. The retail is so far away from the Wy Co population it's laughable. The Speedway isn't even on the fringe of KCK, it's out in the country.

The Speedway and the ensuing retail could've been built at the crossroads of I-70 and I-635-- an area with equal, if not better road acces than the present location. A major amount of bulldozing of roads and houses would've had to happen between State Ave. and 57th street to create an open area equal in size to the present land, but it had to be done with the current location anyway. Building nearer to the city would've made KCK look more progressive. Right now they're tearing apart perfectly good land at I-70 and the 435, while the rest of the city rots. Village West could've been used as an agent to block the city's decay, but instead it is simply ignoring it.

ShowME · Post by **ShowME** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 5:49 pm

Ever heard of the O'reilly Factor? KCK has there own version called the Minority Factor.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 6:07 pm

So you're saying that racism is the reason behind the lack of redevelopment within KCK?

ShowME · Post by **ShowME** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 6:29 pm

Uhhh yessir. I'll go ahead and stick my head out and say that race plays a factor. Let's see KCK is at least 25-30% African American, 25-30% Hispanic and you recruit Neckcar, Cabela's and Nebraska Furniture Mart. And you locate it by as many white people as possible. Oh yea to see the dividends these places are paying Tuesday's edition of the KC Star had Wyandotte Counties May unemployment rate at 12%. That's up from single digits in 2002.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 7:12 pm

not to put a damper on the criticism, but, as a kck worker in the core, the speedway at the suggested location of 635 and I-70 would have been a mistake. Even isolated as it is, the noise during races is tremendous, even a few miles away. As isolated as it is, it is still an issue with people living in the vicintity. And you can damn well believe that if Wyco went in and took the necessary land east of 635, it would have displaced many many more low income and minority folks than it did at 435. Then you really would have heard the screams of racism.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 8:04 pm

Yeah...noise is something I never thought about. I just hate that the city sits as it is while millions are poured into outskirts.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 8:15 pm

I agree completely. There are, however, some signs of growth in the core. The new federal courthouse, the new epa building (which is incredible), the new epa lab, the new hilton garden inn, the new towhmomes along washiington to name a few. I work at a school located at 11th and state. It is a state run school for blind children throughout the state. We've been there for 135 years. the area used to be very nice, and well maintained. Now, we never ever allow the students who live in our dorms leave campus after dark. They may only go off campus in groups, after parents give written permission acknowedgling that we cannot guarantee the student's safety off our campus. We are surrounded by a tall fence, and have security patroling grounds 24 hours a day. The gates a shut and locked in the evening. The police are well aware of the drug and prostitution issues in the area, but the simply don't care. I've personally expressed concern to law enforcement, and they shrug their shoulders and say that's life. No one, from the residents to the police seem to care much. Its very frustrating.

KCforumer · Post by **KCforumer** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 9:40 pm

The speedway is on the fringes of KCK's developed area. It wouldn't have worked at I-635 and I-70, because of the amount of properties that would have had to be aquired for the speedway, adjacent retail, and re-routing of State Av. Also, there would be major topographic limitatations in that location.

Post by **dangerboy** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 10:44 pm

Should KCK have bulldozed entire neighborhoods to build the speedway inside I-635? The competing location was in Platte County - this thing is so massive that it had to be located where there was lots of vacant land. This was probably one of the closest places to the core that had so much available land.

Don't forget the new development at I-70 and Turner Diagonal that includes Lowe's, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart Supercenter. Plus new housing in Downtown KCK and Rosedale. Development near the speedway is quick and easy on greenfield sites. Redeveloping the core is slow and tedious, but it is happening. If it wasn't for the speedway, KCK would still be floundering and bleeding. Much of it is still floundering, but at least now it has some hope.

Good2Great · Post by **Good2Great** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 1:40 pm

C'mon! We're not talking about neighborhood shops here. These are destination retailers.

No one has a strong desire for a neighbor MEGA OUTDOOR OUTFITTER or a MEGA FURNITURE CENTER. These aren't impulse oriented retail shops.

So KCK was supposed to ignore the Speedway's "sure bet" allure to pursue a Wal-Mart on Minnesota Avenue?

Racism caused Nebraska Furniture Mart, Cabela's and Great Wolf Lodge to choose against a Quindaro location?

Your head is so far up ya your breath smells like poo.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 2:47 pm

Nice last comment...

Actually I guess the real issue is... spending all time and effort on a piece of undeveloped farmland or spending all time and effort on restoring the most decaying city in the region? That's where racism comes into play. Let's stop building outward and build inward.

Good2Great · Post by **Good2Great** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 3:04 pm

I'm all about class!

I agree that the rot-infested areas of KCK need to be brought up to at least musty or dingy. Relevant to this thread, however, the Speedway is a win-win that's being put together with relatively little effort. Sure people are busting their humps to get the deals done, but compared to doing the same with a blighted area, this is a piece of cake.

We've established Star Bonds to assist in financing the speedway projects, thus eliminating the use of new sales taxes to assist the rest of the area. Therefore, we're reliant on the ancillary spending of the patrons of the area and must HOPE that they buy gas, groceries and other services in WYCO outside the boundaries of the incentivized area.

How about establishing a theme park based on the hit movie "The Wiz" at the WYCO Fairgrounds. That would incorporate the existing demographic into a soul-based Wizard of Oz theme-park promising a revitalized KCK?

Sometimes I amaze myself at the twisted-helix of country boy simplicity and rocket science complexity my mind generates.

Thank you! I'll be here all week...try the veal!

GuyInLenexa · Post by **GuyInLenexa** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 3:05 pm

I was at Cabela's the other day and a vast majority of the KS liscense plates were from Johnson County.
Look at a map you can see why anyone would want to locate there.
You have access from all the metro and Lawrence and Topeka.
Demographics are important to a business to be successful.
Easy and safe access to the retail establishment to people that have the ability to buy would be paramount.
I do not think it is race as much as being in areas that people and statistics may show as being "not as safe" as other areas. I think the "now forgotten" 18th and Vine district's loss of momentum is an example.
I think the Speedway and the adjoining new businesses are good for all of Greater KC. It serves at a major anchor for western Wyandotte.
All of KCK will profit from sales tax increases.
This complex will not cure KCK of it's woes of urban decay. I really do not think that was ever the objective.
KCK has seems to have always been in the shadow of KCMO. There are a myriad of issues on rebuilding KCK's urban core.
I think, in time they will be resolved.
I think KCK should look at what Long Beach CA has done to revitalize. You should start with capitalizing on the lower property costs and the unique positve things in KCK.
I always thought a start would be a large Mercado type of farmers market/market place in downtown KCK. A place that would be safe, easy parking, and allowing everyone to enjoy the urban diversity there.

rem

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 9:55 pm

I always thought a start would be a large Mercado type of farmers market/market place in downtown KCK. A place that would be safe, easy parking, and allowing everyone to enjoy the urban diversity there.

That is exactly what I have been thinking would be a good investment downtown. Some kind of a city square of the Europena or Latin American mold, possibly modeled after the Zocala of Mexico City- a large open space for meeting and for community events surounded by four story buildings with ground level retail and aparments above, and farmers market- incorporating the local Mexican, Strawberry Hill, etc. retailors- use that as a centerpiece for development, then court international business- citing the access to KCI (via 635) and the long awaited KC as NAFTA port idea.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 11:26 am

ShowME wrote:Ever heard of the O'reilly Factor? KCK has there own version called the Minority Factor.

That $hit is too funny!

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 11:38 am

phxcat wrote:Some kind of a city square of the Europena or Latin American mold, possibly modeled after the Zocala of Mexico City- a large open space for meeting and for community events surounded by four story buildings with ground level retail and aparments above, and farmers market- incorporating the local Mexican, Strawberry Hill, etc. retailors- use that as a centerpiece for development, then court international business- citing the access to KCI (via 635) and the long awaited KC as NAFTA port idea.

Excellent idea, but a lot of money would be invested in the risky development. For now, the city wants to revitalize the Strawberry Hill and Quindaro neighborhoods with a historical/cultural theme before they invest in a full scale downtown residential/retail type district.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 3:25 am

Okay... I take it back. I don't doubt the Speedway location. It's a fine location for a Speedway. To be honest I really wouldn't want the Speedway even 2 miles from my house. I think its location is excellent in that it is somewhat isolated from residential, yet still in a very accessable area of the metro.

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