Yael's column

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:52 pm

Didn't see any mention yet of Yael Abouhalkah's column today about downtown stadium talk endangering Bistate II, so here's a link...

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 375663.htm

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:20 pm

How lousy... they signed the lease already???

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:30 pm

Several month ago... but the lease is still contiingent on Bistate 2 passing.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 6:13 pm

If you really want a downtown stadium, people, then you can't pass BSII as is!!!! Simple as that.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 6:54 pm

sethyg wrote:If you really want a downtown stadium, people, then you can't pass BSII as is!!!! Simple as that.

BS2 is not going to be amended...that is pretty much a given. Defeat BS2 if you want a stadium now as opposed to inevitably 10 years from now when they will find out how boneheaded it was to renovate a 40 year old stadium next to a freeway.

How is this renovation any different than the worthless Kemper renovation? Imagine if we had done the right thing then instead of the easy thing as we are doing now with Kauffman.

WoodDraw · Post by **WoodDraw** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 7:22 pm

Yael is against a downtown stadium, isn't he? But anyway, I loved the part where the Bi-State people said "the plan on November's ballot was superior to a downtown ballpark." It is? Based on what? Just the fact that it is cheaper? The part where they say that anyone who votes against it is shortsighted was also nice. Great way to try and pick up support.

I'd love to see the Downtown Council's study but it sounds like nothing will be released before the Nov. vote.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 7:49 pm

The fact is, Union Station is KILLING us on this issue. Had it succeeded, people would be saying, "Hmm....what about a park down there...?"

When it failed, the downtown park failed. As Steve Rose wrote, it's not so much that it loses money. We can live with that! Over-runs happen.

It's the fact that it's empty all the time that bothers people. THAT is why BI-2 will fail, and fail HARD out here in JOCO.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:39 pm

I'm fine with it failing, then maybe we can really focus on a stadium downtown. Bottom line, the Chiefs and PAC will get their money one way or another. Let's push the focus on downtown furthur, defeat BSII, and then see what this report has to say.

$300M+??? Pittsburgh says that's a load of bs.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:56 pm

pittsburghparoyal wrote:THAT is why BI-2 will fail, and fail HARD out here in JOCO.

I actually believe Bi-State will pass in Johnson County and fail in Jackson County. I'm voting "Yes" mainly for the Arts.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:58 pm

You don't know the resentment that the U.Station debacle caused people out here. Plus, this place LOVES tax hikes for education. will fail out here.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:03 pm

pittsburghparoyal wrote:You don't know the resentment that the U.Station debacle caused people out here. Plus, this place LOVES tax hikes for education. will fail out here.

I live in Overland Park, the people I talk to out here say this tax is better than the Union Station tax. Mainly because they're all sports fanatics that have stadium envy whenever they travel. While most would like to see a baseball stadium downtown, they still enjoy Kauffman's atmosphere.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:22 pm

I think people want a better plan from all involved. the "Science City" tag will sound a lot like "pac" to them.

the plan needs to be detailed, with management already selected to run it or at least an idea. the clowns from KC Museum ran it into the ground

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 8:50 am

The Bistate II versus Downtown stadium debate is might be getting some traction. Kevin Keitzman is pushing it hard. TV news is starting to talk about it. The Pitch and the Star are both writing about it.

I think people are more pissed about the process of deciding the plan than the actual plan itself. It was basically a secret committee of the Chamber of Commerice, Katheryn Shields, and some Joco businessmen. They pissed off a lot of suburban mayors by leaving them out of the discussion until the last minute, even though it will be up to those mayors to sell the plan in their communities. This whole thing was bungled from beginning to end, and that will be a bigger problem than the actual content of the proposal.

Post by **staubio** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:28 am

Pa, you are seriously overblowing the Union Station thing. Plenty of people that I know in JoCo don't know anything about how Union Station is doing. It certainly isn't commonly regarded as this huge failure that yielded no return whatsoever. Plenty of people enjoy Union Station. We saved it. That was what the tax was for. It isn't profitable with its current tenants and management, but that can be solved. We still have an amazing asset.

I'm worried about what kind of precedent we'll set for future bi-states if Jack votes it down and JoCo says yes.

I also hate that this has become a vote about a downtown stadium -- at least in the minds of people here. I hate that I have to vote AGAINST PAC and other great arts organizations just because I don't want to sink money into the K. I'm seroiusly torn on this issue. Split it up and it is a no brainer. The half arts, half sports thing is a dirty trick and I should vote against it out of principle.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:51 am

Agreed Staubio!