KCRag Forum

UMKCgal wrote: Since I hear Science City is sooo kiddy I'm probably not going to step inside there unless something cool and not so kiddy comes in.

I personally have a blast at Science City when I go, and I'm 24. It isn't something you can do very often, but it is fun. My favorite feature is the newsroom with the blue screen and the teleprompter, where I tend to do a great deal of ad-libbing -- and then you watch your "performance" on external monitors. Good times! I've always thought it would be a fun place for a playful, jovial date excursion or something like that.

staubio wrote:I personally have a blast at Science City when I go, and I'm 24. It isn't something you can do very often, but it is fun. My favorite feature is the newsroom with the blue screen and the teleprompter, where I tend to do a great deal of ad-libbing -- and then you watch your "performance" on external monitors. Good times! I've always thought it would be a fun place for a playful, jovial date excursion or something like that.

Aye, I'll make that suggestion to my friend. He can take his next date to the Wonderscope Children's Museum, or Kalidescope, or the Children's Museum of Kansas City for far cheaper than Science City. I heard "Elimidate" is comin' to town. Excellent choice, Staubio!

QueSi2Opie wrote: Aye, I'll make that suggestion to my friend. He can take his next date to the Wonderscope Children's Museum, or Kalidescope, or the Children's Museum of Kansas City for far cheaper than Science City. I heard "Elimidate" is comin' to town. Excellent choice, Staubio!

I'm sorry to hear that you've lost your sense of imagination. Granted, I will never tout Science City as a hard-hitting science mueseum, but I also won't accept the claim that it is entirely useless. It is a novelty that is fun from time to time and it most certainly offers more than what those explicitely child-centric places would for someone that wants to go out and do something unique and different, regardless of age. Everything is what you make it, and you can make Science City into a positive experience.

If that gets me "elimidated" in round one, so be it.

staubio wrote:I'm sorry to hear that you've lost your sense of imagination. Granted, I will never tout Science City as a hard-hitting science mueseum, but I also won't accept the claim that it is entirely useless. It is a novelty that is fun from time to time and it most certainly offers more than what those explicitely child-centric places would for someone that wants to go out and do something unique and different, regardless of age. Everything is what you make it, and you can make Science City into a positive experience.

If that gets me "elimidated" in round one, so be it.

I'll continue to visit Union Station for the theaters and traveling smithsonian exhibits, but I'll wait til I have kids to see Science City again. I went once, and was more disappointed than anything else. I felt a childish attraction located inside a wonderful historical building was an insult to our city. They should've built Science City inside of Blue Ridge Mall where a good children's attraction would help bring it back to life.

Union Station needs to regroup and come up with a better plan to attract more visitors. Shutter Science City and let's get some wheels on this thing. It needs more visitors...it needs to be an attraction of the same caliber of the Plaza or the Nelson. How we do that, I don't know, but this building will never succeed until some drastic changes take place.

[quote]Station's crisis requires fast action

The Kansas City area rallied eight years ago to restore Union Station to its former splendor. The community must unite again to ensure that the grand building remains open for many years to come.

Union Station faces a financial crisis. Without additional funding, public events there would be “reduced dramaticallyâ€

Today's article provided some very interesting insight into the problems at Union Station...

1. They wanted Science City to overshadow Union Station-- even wanting to replace the names. In fact, I remember when it first opened, most of the merchandise said Science City. You could barely find any memoribilia in the gift shops with Union Station logos and such on it. NOBODY LIKES SCIENCE CITY...GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULLS! Don't insult us by telling us it is a science museum when it is a more expensive version of Chuck E. Cheese.

2. Leadership kept anyone out with new ideas for the station. They enacted their plans and weren't open to any new suggestions or proposals.

If it were up to me....no new taxes for Union Station until all executive staff is removed. You cannot run a building in the insular fashion in which they are. Union Station needs expanded attractions as well as other ways to capitalize on visitors. Plugging more money into the station won't help...

[quote]“Should they not be re-evaluating their mission?â€

This looks fun:

http://www.unionstation.org/permanent_detail.cfm?ID=96

Kentucky Derby at Union Station
May. 22, 2004
Sprint Festival Plaza

After the run for the roses, come to the dance at the Station. In the midst of this spring's Triple Crown festivities, the Young Friends of Union Station are throwing a Kentucky Derby dance, combining the charm of Churchill Downs with the grandeur of Union Station.

The evening (7 p.m. to midnight) includes LIVE music, dancing, refreshments, a giant-screen rebroadcast of this year's Kentucky Derby and more. Click herefor all the details.

Tickets are $30, and the Young Friends of Union Station will donate all proceeds to Union Station.

Last week's Pitch had a pretty good column detailing the failings of Union Station. The leadership is just old-fashioned and controlled by KC's lame elite. And US sucked all the fun out of any ideas that could've developed.

Apparently Blvd. had also approached US time and time again about putting a brewery in the power plant to the west of the station, but the leadership refused to pursue it. With Turner White's resignation...we need more heads to role and get some people under 65 who aren't worth over $10,000,000.

Here's the article:
http://www.pitch.com/issues/2004-05-20/janovy.html

This is a feel good article from the Star today.

[quote]No scarcity of station devotees

By JERRY HEASTER

Columnist


Kansas Citians seem of two minds about Union Station: There still is a massive soft spot in the area's heart for the venerable landmark, but also widespread disappointment at the performance of those responsible for its rejuvenation.

That, at least, is the impression gained from the letters and calls in response to last week's column about Union Station's failure to become a viable enterprise despite an investment of about a quarter of a billion bucks and creation of its Science City centerpiece.

In the meantime, Union Station's chief exec has stepped aside, and the search is on for someone to become the station's savior. Whoever that person becomes had best bring a wealth of both practical and inspiring solutions to the table. It seems incredible that a community treasure held so dear by so many is floundering for lack of supporter enthusiasm in what it has become.

Nevertheless, the station's most valuable asset is still the good will it enjoys among a broad swath of area supporters of all ages. In the absence of an immediate operational solution or further taxpayer support, those responsible for Union Station's future should tap into that good will by organizing a fund-raising drive — passing the hat, if you will. The column suggested seeking donations of $50 or so in hopes that 100,000 friends of the station could join to raise enough to keep it operating respectably until a long-term solution is achieved.

This is an idea that seemed to have considerable appeal:

“I want to help. Tell me where to send my check,â€

...and, in other news, check out the free concert at Union Station on Sunday.

Memorial Day Concert At-A-Glance

Date: Sunday, May 30, 2004
Location: Union Station
Time: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets: FREE to the public
Parking: Free parking available at Union Station West Yards parking lot
Conductor: Timothy Hankewich
Program: 90-minute patriotic concert, followed by a spectacular fireworks display
Rain Date: Monday, May 31, 2004

http://www.visitkc.com/celebratekc/

I will admit I didn't think Science city was the answer for Union Station but I voted for Bi-state to save the structure more than anything and figured something like this would happen eventually and another use would have to be found to keep the building open. Personally, I think Hallmark needs to step up to the plate and bail this one out. Union Station has increased traffic and revenue at Crown Center's shops, restaurants and hotels.

Union Station needs people... 3000-5000 of them are are coming with the IRS project being built across the street. With THIS in mind, we can't afford to make another mistake. I like Science City but I don't think it alone will work. We need a planetarium, a history and/or art museum or an aquarium all together to create a critical mass. Hopefully a major hotelier will see that kind of effort and create a "Hilton At Union Station"... Wouldn't that be awesome? or what about a Casino/Hotel on the West side of Union Station? That would indeed bring the cowtowners in.

Brooksider wrote:Union Station has increased traffic and revenue at Crown Center's shops, restaurants and hotels.

This is true. I go to Union Station for lunch about every other week, and if there's massive herds of schoolkids clogging up the food court we'll (as do many others I've seen) take the Link over to Crown Center and eat there instead.

LyRiCaL GanGsTa wrote:Union Station needs people... 3000-5000 of them are are coming with the IRS project being built across the street. With THIS in mind, we can't afford to make another mistake. I like Science City but I don't think it alone will work. We need a planetarium, a history and/or art museum or an aquarium all together to create a critical mass. Hopefully a major hotelier will see that kind of effort and create a "Hilton At Union Station"... Wouldn't that be awesome? or what about a Casino/Hotel on the West side of Union Station? That would indeed bring the cowtowners in.

This idea of a hotel at Union Station is very interesting. Where would you put it though?

I'd like to see Union Station used as a commuter rail, LRT and BRT transit hub. Whatever other attractions put there I hope the use as a transit hub is always kept in mind.

After a recent visit to the Kansas City Museum on Gladstone, I can't believe that this same group was trusted with the Union Station Museum. Was the present KC Museum considered a huge success before they were entrusted with the larger Union Station project?

The KC Museum is a disgrace. The JOCO museum has more KC history.

I found no KC history, no old photos of KC, no books, nothing. In fact I thought they ruined a perfectly good mansion that could have been restored for tours.

Why does KC hide its history? Omaha has an excellent history museum inside its old Union Station that gave me a picture of how Omaha developed.

Where are the old KC photos, old streetcars, old buses and trains? Where do you learn about the stockyards, the train yards, Ward Parkway, the park system, the fountains, the massive land annexations, the westward story, Lewis and Clarke, Westport, Kansas Town, the rivers, the Civil War, Pendergast, Armour, Kemper, Kaufman, Loose, the 1970 renewal, the Royals and Chiefs? Etc. Etc. Etc..

Great cities provide great citizens with a wealth of knowledge.

zlohban wrote:After a recent visit to the Kansas City Museum on Gladstone, I can't believe that this same group was trusted with the Union Station Museum.

I have been saying that since day one, since before bistate passed etc. I still was excited about the project, but I knew in the back of my head that this was a big mistake. That along with the science museum having to make a profit was bad enough, but having to make enough of a profit to pay the bills of massive Union Station too?

I am amazed it is still open at all and I am amazed that a little guy like me saw this coming before the election and the hundreds of high paid pros did not or chose to ignore it.

Yet, I still don't think they get it.

The new Union Station task force is now trying to buy railroad artifacts from a Milwaukee collector for $650,000 for a proposed railroad museum. Board members think the station needs at least three or four destination attractions to bring in 1.4 million paying customers a year.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 822614.htm

Sciency City needs the axe for any true progress to be made. The name, much worse than Power & Light District, needs to be erased from history and people need to forget it ever happened. It is draining Union Station and giving it a bad reputation throughout the metro. Maybe we need www.implodesciencecity.com for these people to get the message. It ain't working...stick as many dinosaur bones as you want in there: the public has spoken by their attendence, or lack thereof.

The Railroad museum may be a good idea, but I am doubtful buying some guy in Milwaukee's collection will prove to be that big of a draw. I think regrouping needs to be done before any more money is spent. The task force is a step in the right direction.

gut science city, put in a metro history museum and train museum to the bottom. Still bring in the special features like the human body or whatever is in there right now.

Keep the shows going as they are actually getting successful.

Build some dino dig thing with KU and with that some other science type things for kids. Not as large as Science City and not as expensive.

Get some real management in there and close most/all the attractions on Monday just like every other museum.

There you go.....put me on the "taskforce"

Are things looking UP or DOWN at U.S. /???

Posted on Fri, Jun. 04, 2004





In suburbia, Bistate II faces ‘uphill battle'

By FINN BULLERS

The Kansas City Star


“I have yet to talk to anybody who is in favor of this bistate plan. Modify this so it is palatable to the general public.â€