Sprint Center's necessity?

[ComandanteCero]

He also said AEG had not anticipated that the profit-sharing agreement with the city would kick in for several years, if at all.

?That was a throwaway provision,? Leiweke said. ?Our lawyers said give in on it because we never thought we?d get to that figure.?

nice.

Leiweke said the strong, concert-fueled profits at the arena during the fiscal year that ended July 31 means AEG can be more selective about pursuing an NHL or NBA franchise for the facility.

hehe

[mean]

Having a pro team will make the city more money in terms of generating more tax revenue for the city. Not having a pro team during the honeymoon years will make AEG more money.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but how does that work? It obviously isn't because another arena is going to pop up in KC to take the events away. Is it because we're assuming that within a few years one or more other arenas in the supposed 8 million person region served by Sprint Center will compete for the same events?

[KCPowercat]

I have always found that weird too...but it seems as arenas age, less shows stop in?  I am sure this isn't the case in nyc but seems to be in midwest markets....

[KCMax]

Leiweke said the strong, concert-fueled profits at the arena during the fiscal year that ended July 31 means AEG can be more selective about pursuing an NHL or NBA franchise for the facility.

Um, what? So if any old NBA or NHL team wants to move here, we might say "nope, sorry, you're not good enough for Kansas City"???

[mean]

I have always found that weird too...but it seems as arenas age, less shows stop in?  I am sure this isn't the case in nyc but seems to be in midwest markets....

Sure, I mean, Madison Square Garden is over 40 years old. But that's New York.

I can understand why events might have started to shy away from an aging Kemper--inadequate backstage facilities, located in the middle of a dead warehouse district, structural limitations, the roof did collapse once...on and on. But I would imagine Sprint Center should be viable well into the future as the prime regional location for touring events. I just can't see Omaha, Des Moines, Wichita, etc. putting together a competitive deal capable of luring them away. So they'd have to just skip the region entirely, and it seems unfathomable to me that events would essentially say, "Your money isn't good enough for us," to 8 million potential customers. But I could definitely be missing something.

Um, what? So if any old NBA or NHL team wants to move here, we might say "nope, sorry, you're not good enough for Kansas City"???

I think he's saying that AEG wouldn't have to bend over quite so far backwards to get a team here. But I don't that that's true.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Um, what? So if any old NBA or NHL team wants to move here, we might say "nope, sorry, you're not good enough for Kansas City"???

Perhaps he means we now shouldn't be using resources chasing after long shot scenarios where there is a 95% chance the team doesn't come - i.e PPenguins and instead save our efforts for scenarios when a team is actually likely to give us a fair shot?

Is it because we're assuming that within a few years one or more other arenas in the supposed 8 million person region served by Sprint Center will compete for the same events?

Seems inevitable - How long before the SLU starts agitating for a replacement or upgrade?  There is always something newer on the horizon.  

[trailerkid]

I have always found that weird too...but it seems as arenas age, less shows stop in?  I am sure this isn't the case in nyc but seems to be in midwest markets....

A brand new building is more attractive for an event than an older one. It's the same way with malls, hotels, restaurants, houses, etc. There are obvious exceptions, but the Sprint Center isn't really an exceptional building.

Kansas City is not big enough of a market for it to be a "must-play" market. Overdeveloping suburbia and everyone having cars will assure us of fiercely competing with Tulsa and Omaha for generations.

[chrizow]

A brand new building is more attractive for an event than an older one...
Kansas City is not big enough of a market for it to be a "must-play" market. Overdeveloping suburbia and everyone having cars will assure us of fiercely competing with Tulsa and Omaha for generations.

exactly.  the same thing happened with the qwest center in omaha.  they built a shiny new arena, and suddenly big tours began bypassing KC to play up there in that building.  the QC was cited as an example of why we needed the SC to begin with.  

in 15 years overland park will probably build a $600M state of the art arena to pull in the Blink 182 and Destiny's Child reunion tours.  

in sum:  let's use our city resources to build neighborhoods and give people a reason to live in the city, not just drive in from paola for a kenny chesney concert and to eat at Ted's.

[KCPowercat]

li don't toally agree..like mean said, yes they skipped kc when kemper was the only option but now that sprint is here, its going to be a hard play for a concert to go to one of the satelitte cities over kc.

[shinatoo]

in 15 years overland park will probably build a $600M state of the art arena to pull in the Blink 182 and Destiny's Child reunion tours.  

r u sa in Blink 182 iz bReAkInG Up!?!?!?!?!

[trailerkid]

li don't toally agree..like mean said, yes they skipped kc when kemper was the only option but now that sprint is here, its going to be a hard play for a concert to go to one of the satelitte cities over kc.

why? tulsa had higher gates than sprint center. there are far less places to spend entertainment money in tulsa, omaha, and des moines.

sprint center should be looked at primarily as a sports arena 5 years out. get a team and get downtown hopping.

[staubio]

in sum:  let's use our city resources to build neighborhoods and give people a reason to live in the city, not just drive in from paola for a kenny chesney concert and to eat at Ted's.

You could argue that the Sprint Center, as a profitable facility, was an investment to expand resources to build neighborhoods.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Having a pro team will make the city more money in terms of generating more tax revenue for the city.

Not true.  Because of higher average ticket prices concerts can generate a higher sales tax.  Plus concessions and t-shirt/promotional items are usually higher with concerts which in turn generate higher sales taxes.  Off-site sales for restaurants and bars should just about be a trade-off.  Staffing costs, such as teamsters, stagehands, security, etc. are higher for concerts than for sporting events so in KC's case that results in higher e-taxes and more employment.  Plus, as stated in the article, the city received $1.8M without a team and if there was a team the amount would be less or even non-existant.

[bobbyhawks]

why? tulsa had higher gates than sprint center. there are far less places to spend entertainment money in tulsa, omaha, and des moines.

sprint center should be looked at primarily as a sports arena 5 years out. get a team and get downtown hopping.

I agree.  Concerts are nice, but suburbanites don't come downtown randomly just to check out what concert is there on any given night.  NHL or NBA would encourage people to randomly head downtown to buy tickets at the gate as they do for Royals games.  I think it is important to get people more used to just heading downtown, instead of creating the illusion that it is some elaborate, complicated journey.  More importantly, a sports team would encourage some of the 100k people in the area to stick around after work for the game.  Kaufman Stadium doesn't have that.  I have yet to randomly walk up the ticket office at the Sprint Center and, spur of the moment, decide I want to see the Jonas Brothers.

Also, with a completely different type of crowd and different demographics for every concert, it is difficult to find a pulse for profitability if you are a business.  I love that the concerts are making money but would love to see a sports team provide some stability.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Um, what? So if any old NBA or NHL team wants to move here, we might say "nope, sorry, you're not good enough for Kansas City"???

Instead of offering a team everything, including the kitchen sink and first-born sons, to persuade a team to come here we may get by with offering less.

At the same time could get the right team with the right owner instead of a bad team with an owner like Charlie Finley.

[aknowledgeableperson]

but now that sprint is here, its going to be a hard play for a concert to go to one of the satelitte cities over kc.

I am not sure of the date but Sir Paul has played or will play in either Tulsa of OK City and is not playing in KC.  If AEG has a lock on a tour then KC has the date.  But if another promoter has the tour then that promoter's building will get the date.  If the tour is open then maybe a neighboring city may offer an act $600K whereas KC offers $500K.

There are many reason why an act will or will not play in a city,  Just because KC has the SC it does not have an advantage in every instance over other facilities in the region.

[trailerkid]

Not true.  Because of higher average ticket prices concerts can generate a higher sales tax.  Plus concessions and t-shirt/promotional items are usually higher with concerts which in turn generate higher sales taxes.  Off-site sales for restaurants and bars should just about be a trade-off.  Staffing costs, such as teamsters, stagehands, security, etc. are higher for concerts than for sporting events so in KC's case that results in higher e-taxes and more employment.  Plus, as stated in the article, the city received $1.8M without a team and if there was a team the amount would be less or even non-existant.

there are so many variables involved in this that you have no idea what is true or untrue. i love how someone that worked with a complete dump of an event space is suddenly the authority.

the popularity of an event (sports or not) is dependent on a lot of factors besides simple economics. if the events planned are unpopular or do not produce spin-off economic activity around the arena (e.g. cheetah girls) it will be less advantageous than a NHL playoff. on the other token, the kansas city islanders could prove to be so unpopular in the market that the circus could produce more economic activity. the events are not static and the market is constantly changing. the only fact known is that sports teams are known producers of economic activity at bars, restaurants, and grocery stores. that is why i insist sports are a better overal deal for the city.

[KCPowercat]

I am not sure of the date but Sir Paul has played or will play in either Tulsa of OK City and is not playing in KC.  If AEG has a lock on a tour then KC has the date.  But if another promoter has the tour then that promoter's building will get the date.  If the tour is open then maybe a neighboring city may offer an act $600K whereas KC offers $500K.

There are many reason why an act will or will not play in a city,  Just because KC has the SC it does not have an advantage in every instance over other facilities in the region.

that concert barely played anywhere...of course you can find isolated events

http://www.tourtracker.com/artist/paul- ... ey/1004166

[aknowledgeableperson]

there are so many variables involved in this that you have no idea what is true or untrue. i love how someone that worked with a complete dump of an event space is suddenly the authority.

the popularity of an event (sports or not) is dependent on a lot of factors besides simple economics. if the events planned are unpopular or do not produce spin-off economic activity around the arena (e.g. cheetah girls) it will be less advantageous than a NHL playoff. on the other token, the kansas city islanders could prove to be so unpopular in the market that the circus could produce more economic activity. the events are not static and the market is constantly changing. the only fact known is that sports teams are known producers of economic activity at bars, restaurants, and grocery stores. that is why i insist sports are a better overal deal for the city.

At one time the place that you call a dump was not a dump.  It was one of the finer facilities in the nation.  And yes, there are many variables involved but you seem to believe that most or all of the variables favor the sports team over other events.  At the same time you don't take in account the economic activity of the events in the facility itself.  Remember, your first statement was a sports team make more money for the city.  

You state that it is a known fact "that sports teams..." however you discount the economic activity of the other events at these off-site businesses.  Do you have a source for your "known fact"?  What experience can you draw on to otherwise come up with your statement of fact?  Or are you just assuming?

Well, how is KC Live doing without a sports team?  How about other businesses in the area?  And in this instance the city received $1.8M in profits from arena operations without a sports team.  $1.8M received in profits by the city should take the place of just about $18M in sales at restaurants and bars.  And the addtional taxes generated by the events in the facilities seems to me a way better deal for the city than having a sports team.

[aknowledgeableperson]

of course you can find isolated events

http://www.tourtracker.com/artist/paul- ... ey/1004166

isolated events are more common than you realize.