OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by trailerkid »

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Thats exactly it - it is very difficult to keep a skilled bar staff happy if you make them stick around when the bar and hotel are dead and all they can make is their $3.25 minimum wage.  Having worked a hotel bar in KC I can tell you this is not at all uncommon for hotel bars - you set the closing time early and if the business justifies it, you let people stay late.
If no one is coming in and it's dead, then don't get a skilled bartender. Just get a bartender.
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KC Kropf
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KC Kropf »

I can for sure see the Drum Room as THE happy hour spot for H&R Block employees! 
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by kcdcchef »

the drum room will do fine long term as far as clientele and success go if they remember one thing..............operate it as a real bar/night spot, not a hotel bar. there are good examples in kc of places that do this.....skies and the duck club at the hyatt, they operate as restaurants, not so much that you think you are in a hotel restaurant.

if they do the whole hotel bar pricing, and hotel bar atmosphere, they are screwed.
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KC Kropf
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KC Kropf »

PUB CRAWL!!!!    12 Baltimore, The Chestnut, The Drum Room!  Who's in??? 

:cheers:
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KCMax »

I am! If you make sure they're open before hand!
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by lock+load »

Listening to the KCUR piece from yesterday, everyone is very excited about the renovation.  Hopefully someone can keep this four minutes in their office and play it back everytime some one proposes to demolish a great historic building, a la TWA, Law, etc.

We could be having so many more great grand re-opening events.
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KC Kropf
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KC Kropf »

KCMax wrote: I am! If you make sure they're open before hand!
Good Call... Is The Chestnut even open yet?  (sorry, too lazy to check another thread)  Last I heard was "early" January. 
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by FangKC »

The success of the Drum Room is completely contingent on it becoming a live performance venue of note. The programming for the club will determine it's fate.  It's the live music that will draw people in, coming back, and keep the club open.  They might consider having one of the local radio stations do live broadcasts from the club as well--maybe a jazz station featuring live performances.  This will be good advertising to establish the club as a downtown mainstay.

However, I don't think it's wise to only program live jazz music.  There should be a variety of performances and styles.  Another tactic to build the club would be to have well-known resident singers who perform there regularly on certain nights. Sort of along the lines of having Bobby Short at the Cafe Carlyle in the Carlyle Hotel in New York.
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KC Kropf »

EWWWW..... I got it.... Karoke (sp?) 

Just playin! 
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LenexatoKCMO
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

FangKC wrote: The success of the Drum Room is completely contingent on it becoming a live performance venue of note. The programming for the club will determine it's fate. 
Its a hotel bar - it doesn't have to be "successful".  The President investors and the Hilton Group didn't undertake this project with the intention of making their profit by cornering the downtown club scene.  The #1 reason that bar is there is because guest at nice hotels expect there to be a bar as an amenity at the hotel.  Now sure this one may wind up actually drawing in more non-guest customers than the average hotel bar due to its historic charm and the fact that it has a street facing entrance.  However, I don't think Jury is going into it with the idea of competing for profit with the bars, clubs and live music venues of the P&L. 
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by kcdcchef »

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Its a hotel bar - it doesn't have to be "successful".  The President investors and the Hilton Group didn't undertake this project with the intention of making their profit by cornering the downtown club scene.  The #1 reason that bar is there is because guest at nice hotels expect there to be a bar as an amenity at the hotel.  Now sure this one may wind up actually drawing in more non-guest customers than the average hotel bar due to its historic charm and the fact that it has a street facing entrance.  However, I don't think Jury is going into it with the idea of competing for profit with the bars, clubs and live music venues of the P&L. 
if a hotel company owned it lenexa, it would be treated as all hoteliers treat their bars and restaurants.........................as amenities, just like you said. however, since a local man with local vision is indeed the owner, he will stand on the shoulders of the crown center hotels, the hotel savoy, the rapheal, and go into it understanding kansas city can, and will , support a good night spot, if not several more. a good live jazz club would be great, with this cities heritage. yes, we have a few jazz clubs already, but so what. this one has a name none of them do, save a couple in the 18th and vine area............the drum room. that name is gold.

there will be times over the next 18 months it has good days and bad, but just like everything else downtown, it gets it's chance at a rennaisance just like everything else downthere, when the kclive project actually goes live.
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by scooterj »

FangKC wrote: However, I don't think it's wise to only program live jazz music.  There should be a variety of performances and styles.  Another tactic to build the club would be to have well-known resident singers who perform there regularly on certain nights. Sort of along the lines of having Bobby Short at the Cafe Carlyle in the Carlyle Hotel in New York.

Maybe they could add a weekly hip-hop night and draw some of the bullets away from 5th & Walnut.    :lol:
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

kcdcchef wrote: if a hotel company owned it lenexa, it would be treated as all hoteliers treat their bars and restaurants.........................as amenities, just like you said. however, since a local man with local vision is indeed the owner, he will stand on the shoulders of the crown center hotels, the hotel savoy, the rapheal, and go into it understanding kansas city can, and will , support a good night spot, if not several more. a good live jazz club would be great, with this cities heritage. yes, we have a few jazz clubs already, but so what. this one has a name none of them do, save a couple in the 18th and vine area............the drum room. that name is gold.

there will be times over the next 18 months it has good days and bad, but just like everything else downtown, it gets it's chance at a rennaisance just like everything else downthere, when the kclive project actually goes live.
Sure -  as I mentioned - this space certainly has potential to be more than the average hotel bar.  My only point is that it doesn't have to.  Ultimately its operating expense and/or any potential loss can be written off as a necessary amenity of the hotel.  They can still charge the guests $7 for a drink and close at midnight and guess what it will still serve its purpose, anything else is gravy. 
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by kcdcchef »

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Sure -  as I mentioned - this space certainly has potential to be more than the average hotel bar.  My only point is that it doesn't have to.  Ultimately its operating expense and/or any potential loss can be written off as a necessary amenity of the hotel.  They can still charge the guests $7 for a drink and close at midnight and guess what it will still serve its purpose, anything else is gravy. 

oh i agree. and like i said, there are a lot of examples in kc of how to do hotel f&b right, so it draws the citzens of your city, and not just the guests of the hotel.
MU FINISHED THE YEAR RANKED HIGHER IN HOOPS AND FOOTBALL THAN THE KAY U JAYDORKS. UP YOURS KAY U JAYDORK FANS!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by FangKC »

Many hotels make half their income off the operation of restaurants, banquets, and bars.  The best ones bring in a lot of local business.

One could argue that the Savoy Hotel would have been demolished decades ago had it not been for the Savoy Grill being in the building.

The El Casbah nightclub, in its time, was more famous than its location--the Bellerive Hotel on Armour Boulevard. It was swanky nightclub that attracted visiting celebrities. It was also the favorite hangout of infamous KC mobster, Johnny Lazia, who ran the criminal syndicates here during the Pendergast Era.

The Edwards' Grill, at W. 12th & Broadway, was located in the basement of the Edwards' Hotel next to the Folly Theatre. The Grill became more well-known and popular than the hotel. It was where the popular songs "Melancholy Baby" and "Twelfth Street Rag" are said to have originated.

The nightclub, as a destination itself, can make a big difference in the potential profits for the hotel. It can be an attraction for people, from the surrounding region, coming to town for the weekend, or on honeymoons. They may choose to stay at the President just because of the entertainment offered at the Drum Room--instead of other hotels. It could also be on the itinerary of local couples celebrating their anniversaries by staying at the hotel so they can be entertained in the Drum Room.

People frequenting the Drum Room might also get lucky, or become amorous, and opt to get a room.    :wink:

If it's a successful club, it may also draw guests from other downtown hotels to spend money there.  If the entertainment is good, visitors will remember the good time they had, and want to come back to Kansas City.

Many guests stayed at the Carlyle Hotel in NYC because they came into town to see Bobby Short performing at the Cafe Carlyle.  The Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel was also a big draw for visitors and New Yorkers alike. The restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Street in NYC is very popular, and almost as well-known for people-watching because it's frequented by many of the city's most famous and notable people.

The other factor is that a successful Drum Room as a nightclub, and not just an ordinary hotel lounge, can set the President Hotel apart, and make it the preferred place to stay in Kansas City.
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by DaveKCMO »

went to the drum room for drinks last night. not impressed, but i have to cut them some slack since it's obviously still a work in progress. nevertheless, it was surprisingly busy (and, thus, short-staffed). i agree with the comments that the live music will make or break the place as a destination (as opposed to the bar in the Radisson... ugh). since we couldn't get appetizers promptly, we migrated to 12 Baltimore... very similar venue, but the feeling was more relaxed (dimmer lighting? more windows?). i must admit it's a little hard to access hotel baltimore right now, even though baltimore is somewhat complete. my friend that works at city hall drove there after work and i walked from 19th and baltimore and beat her there (and i was forced to cheat by walking through the barricades on truman and baltimore).
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

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Image

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Carpet through out the hotel
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by Tosspot »

Good idea getting shots from inside, no one gave you a hassle about it did they?
Image

photoblog. 

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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by KansasCityCraka »

Tosspot wrote: Good idea getting shots from inside, no one gave you a hassle about it did they?
Nope, I even talked to the people working behind the desk and they said there was no problem about taking photo's.

They also said room rates are $175-$275 per night, and the suites run $800 - $1750 a night.

When I was there the Drum Room was packed, to the point where I couldn't even get in to take pictures!
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Re: OFFICIAL - Hotel President construction

Post by voltopt »

my girlfriend and i walked in yesterday and took an elevator up to the 12th floor -
we walked right into the congress ballroom and took some photos...
it was strange, because it was very light out, and there was NOONE around.
very The Shining esqe... we even walked out into that walkway thing between the two wings, its a big storage area for the ballroom
also, we opened the mirrored doors that surround the space and they are windows!  with great views of the power and light site, i might add.

on the 11th floor a room door was open, so we went in to check that out too. 
the view across baltimore is great - its just limestone and glass! (the power and light building)

i don't have the pictures, as they are real film, but i'll try to scan them after she gets into the darkroom.
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