OFFICIAL - Arena construction

[aknowledgeableperson]

Correct me if I am wrong, but here are the major steps that need to happen before a downtown area is built.
Determine the location. I know many have pushed the area around the proposed KC Live but others that I have conversed with on the City Council, CVB, and other decision makers are pushing for next to the Convention Center. That way its usage is more than a sports arena.
Size determined. Enough said.
Design made. See size above.
Cost estimate.
Financing decided. Hopefully no taxes would be needed to be voted on. If a vote is needed what to do if it does not pass.
City Council approval given. As stated in the Star in the past a majority of the Council does not have this as a priority so this could take some time.
Land acquisition. Hopefully condemnation would not be needed. If so process is delayed until completed. Even if no condemnation process can be long and needs to wait until bonds are issued to have funds to pay for the land.
Land clearance.
Construction. One and a half to two years.
Steps basically in order but one does not have to be completed until the next one starts.
Would be lucky to have an arena in 2008, most likely in 2009 given the politics and all.

[KCPowercat]

if that's what it takes then fine.....I'd assume it will not take 5 years but if it does, let's get the process started.

[JerseyGuy]

Arena should be versatile

By Douglas Reid Gamble

Special to The Star


A proposed multicounty bistate tax asks that about $150 million be spent on Kauffman Stadium. To put this in perspective, the ballpark recently built in Pittsburgh cost just $300 million. Yes, it may be easy to get into and out of Kauffman Stadium, but anyone who has seen firsthand the benefits of downtown ballparks realizes throwing $150 million at this stadium is throwing good money after bad.

Now let's discuss the much-needed downtown arena. Mayor Kay Barnes has struggled to find the $200 million needed, and plans call for only 20,000 seats, barely more than at Kemper Arena and not enough for the requirements to land an NCAA men's basketball regional. Kansas City will likely not land an NHL or NBA team but as we sat on our hands, Omaha, Neb., and Oklahoma City have opened new arenas and are more attractive to major events planners and their millions of dollars than Kansas City.

The opportunity: our chance to build something that will define the city for years. Kansas City should build one multi-use facility that will be home to the Royals and also double as an arena. The design needed is similar to the newest facilities being developed where retractable glass roofs and moveable/temporary riser seating allows for things like Kansas State playing a football game in the same facility that baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks call home.

This combination would allow enough seats for major sporting events, including the NCAA Final Four, and still provide more than 37,000 seats for baseball. Furthermore, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City would have the tools it needs to regain our convention/event advantage.

Each major event can inject $10 million to $30 million into metropolitan coffers. Just three events a year for 10 years pays for this facility. Overnight, the downtown revitalization puzzle would be solved and best of all, city officials would no longer have to write checks to lure developers downtown; they would be begging to get in.

We can again show that Kansas Citians too can see the big picture, design a remarkable facility, and actually get the metropolitan leaders on board to help get it financed. Now is not the time to try to get approved what can get approved. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and prove that this community can do things right. For a little more money than what is already on the table, we can build the right facility for the long haul and start to rekindle that go-get-'em attitude.

Douglas Reid Gamble is vice president of development for a hotel franchising company and a partner in the BW Seville Plaza Hotel in Kansas City. He lives in Kansas City.

[trailerkid]

I think he has some good points, but I do not think a stadium/arena would end up being a good place for either sport. Unless we were able to build something in the $1-2 billion range that is literally like nothing ever built on Earth before-- World Sports Stadium that literally adapts and transforms itself to whatever sport is being played. Have every single sports architecture firm in the city collaborate to design the stadium to end all stadiums. Since that is pretty unrealistic, I think there are two options.

1. Build a new stadium for the Royals and build a new basketball-specific arena that has expandable seating up to 40,000.

2. Build a 20,000 seat sports arena and build a new baseball stadium with a retractable roof with seats that could be reconfigured for a Final Four, major concert event or Wrestlemania.

I just do not really believe basketball was meant to be viewed in a 40,000 seat arena, but that is a whole different issue.

[aknowledgeableperson]

For many years many people wanted Kemper Arena to be managed privately. Now it is being privately managed. So those people should know what they are talking about, shouldn't they?
Well, in the paper this morning one of the reps of the firm states that a new arena, especially downtown, may not be needed at this time. Kemper Arena is sufficient for now, and for another 10 to 15 years especially if funds are invested fund to modernize it. And the funds required for the modernization would be less than what is required for a new arena.
Since this is the private management firm Mayor Barnes wanted maybe this is the first step of hers to back away from a new arena.

[QueSi2Opie]

Since this is the private management firm Mayor Barnes wanted maybe this is the first step of hers to back away from a new arena.

Then after we spend a couple of billion to transform the West Bottoms into a hotel, retail, entertainment district, it'll be well worth it in the end. NOT!

It's not all about Kemper...it's about location, location, LOCATION!

[trailerkid]

Kemper Arena is sufficient for now, and for another 10 to 15 years especially if funds are invested fund to modernize it.

April Fool's Day is over.

[trailerkid]

That hack Hearne Christopher wrote in his column today about the "pros and cons of a downtown arena." Unfortunately, no one told him he didn't have any pros listed in his column.

Anyone who thinks we need to renovate Kemper again (GASP!!!) needs help!!!

[quote]
Hyperbole:

Let's separate some sports media mythology from entertainment industry reality.

• Myth No. 1: Downtown is the ideal place for an arena.

Reality check: “Not being downtown, I believe, is an advantage,â€

[KCPowercat]

hmmm, very unbiased column interviewing the guy who's job it is to pimp Kemper.

Maybe Hearne should go back to the hard hitting rumors of crowd's being overestimated.

[aknowledgeableperson]

To summarize what the Global Sprectum person is saying, the only reason to build a downtown arena at this time is for any additional nightlife it MAY generate to supplement KC Live. With regards to events and so on a new arena will not make much difference than what we have right now. For a city short on funds it would appear that the best option would be to update Kemper. KC Live if it is any good should be able to survive on its own. An arena nearby will not make or break that project.

Maybe, what the City should do is look at downtown Kansas City as a whole instead of each individual area. Something that Kemper the banker has stated. Then it can be determined what is needed and where it is needed to achieve what is desired. Yes, more studies but when dealing with the amount of funds involved and limited current funds that should be the course to take.

[KCPowercat]

With regards to events and so on a new arena will not make much difference than what we have right now

This is far from fact. His company is hired to promote Kemper.....new arena comes in, they lose money.

Kemper is an absolute dump in a dead area.

[staubio]

As much as it pains me to say so, I agree with some of what is being said. I think the gist is that a new arena is not going to bring us anything we can't already get using Kemper. Kemper is already on the periphery of downtown. The baseball stadium is what would have the biggest, guaranteed impact on downtown.

[LyRiCaL GanGsTa]

akp wrote:

To summarize what the Global Sprectum person is saying, the only reason to build a downtown arena at this time is for any additional nightlife it MAY generate to supplement KC ive. ....................................
............................ yada-yada-yada-blah............................................
............... blah-blah ........................................................

Maybe, what the City should do is look at downtown Kansas City as a whole instead of each individual area. Something that Kemper the banker has stated.

Your "knowledgeable factor" went up 100% with this statement. For a minute I thought you actually were 'getting it'.

........ With regards to events and so on a new arena will not make much difference than what we have right now. For a city short on funds it would appear that the best option would be to update Kemper. KC Live if it is any good should be able to survive on its own. An arena nearby will not make or break that project........

You went back to moronic dork-dom with this quip.

[staubio]

I agree with Mr. Knowledge in that I think KC Live should be able to survive autonomously. With 150 or so events a year, an arena certainly isn't going to carry the district.

Everyone, imagine if you had the money it would take to build a decent, Big XII friendly arena downtown. Is that what you'd use the money for, or would you pick another major project or many smaller projects with the same cash, assuming you could still get most of the same big events coming to your old arena?

[LyRiCaL GanGsTa]

Spekaing of Kemper Arena - Nemeth The Retard Behemoth wrote"

You know, it didn't work in the bottoms.

He actually admitted that up front! Then goes on to say an arena isn't the best place for downtown? What part of "it didn't work" does he need to do an expensive analysis on? These are the idiots and mentality that has destroyed downtown KC.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I agree with Mr. Knowledge in that I think KC Live should be able to survive autonomously. With 150 or so events a year, an arena certainly isn't going to carry the district.

Everyone, imagine if you had the money it would take to build a decent, Big XII friendly arena downtown. Is that what you'd use the money for, or would you pick another major project or many smaller projects with the same cash, assuming you could still get most of the same big events coming to your old arena?

Given the overall needs of the City and the City would be the one responsible for it and political considerations it would be best to go with the many smaller projects (more bang for the buck) to benefit many in the community then to sink it all into one building to benefit just a few. And one of the small projects would be to finish modernizing Kemper Arena.

[aknowledgeableperson]

With regards to events and so on a new arena will not make much difference than what we have right now

This is far from fact. His company is hired to promote Kemper.....new arena comes in, they lose money.

Kemper is an absolute dump in a dead area.

They don't lose money. They get their fees irregardless. Besides their contract would probably be expired before an downtown arena is completed.

[KCPowercat]

their contract is based on them being the #1 arena....if Kemper is nothing more than a horse barn, they can't ask for as much to manage the facility.

[LyRiCaL GanGsTa]

[quote]Let's separate some sports media mythology from entertainment industry reality.

• Myth No. 1: Downtown is the ideal place for an arena.

Reality check: “Not being downtown, I believe, is an advantage,â€

[aknowledgeableperson]

Just what experience do you have in an arena operation??????????
This guy and his company has lots of experience in arena operations in various enviroments. It is with that experience he speaks. I may not be a big fan of Global Spectrum but they do know what they are talking about.
And there is no way the City will have the Big 12 basketball tournament on an exclusive basis. With four schools in Texas and two in Oklahoma they will have their share of the action. And with arenas in Denver and St. Louis it is possible that they could see some action also. The Big 12 is after the best possible financial package they can get. The same is true for any NCAA tournament action.
And Kemper Arena did not cost us the Scouts and Kings. Their ownerships did. The Scouts were not prepared for the increase costs of talent due to the sudden existance of the World Hockey League (believe that is what it was called) and they sold the team. And the local owners of the Kings sold to the Sacramento guys because they could not compete with free agency in the NBA.
And you know what. Monster Truck Shows bring in alot of money for the arena. Three days of the trucks are worth more than 10 indoor soccer games and about 8 hockey games. So you know what they can book all of the Monster Trucks they can.