Livestrong Sporting Park

[kuwolde]

And I bet 95% of them are people that currently reside within a few miles of Community America Ballpark...which means that you totally missed my point.  I'm not talking about Wyco/Joco suburbanite ex-TBones fans that have nothing better to do than go see their friendly neighborhood temporarily-relocated MLS Team that goes by the name of the Kansas City Wizards.  I'm talking about a new stadium, drawing a wider fanbase (Aka..Non-Kansan), and if that wider fanbase would result in any noteworthy gain in NEW foot traffic and revenue to the retail portions of Village West.  Simply put, would the majority of non-local (Non-Wyco) Wizard game attendee's plan to stop by places at Legends like Nebraska Furniture Mart, or Cabelas, while attending a Wizards game?


I'm betting Not, but let's hold off on the "Additional Retail Foot Traffic Gained on Wizards Game Day" figures and estimates untill they decide to build a stadium, where ever that may be.

If you could quantify the numbers I'm sure it wouldn't be the majority of non-local visitors but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't still be a substantial amount.  Those stores and the Legends shops already get a ton of non-local visitors that come in to shop and eat, so why wouldn't the Wizards be one more draw that would bring them into the area?

[kuwolde]

Placing your stadium at an average of over 30 minutes away from the meat of the metro's population doesn't seem like a good way to build a fanbase...but I guess they needed a stadium RIGHT NOW so I wish them the best.  With their games mostly only weekends that should be less of an issue.

This location is not that much farther away than the one on Bannister would be.  Village West does make it farther for the East Jack area which has a good soccer base, but you still are very close for much of the Northland and Johnson county.

[ThaMexican]

So as a fan, would you have still been supporting them when they folded or relocated out of town after 5-10 years of waiting for Bannister?

As I said to me it is almost like they are already gone. Go Chivas USA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LenexatoKCMO]

I'm not sure if you are a fan of MLS or not, but this decision extends beyond KC development stuff,

If the Wizards are to be successful, they need to somehow integrate themselves into the KC sports culture like the new soccer franchises in MLS are doing.  If that doesn't happen, your question is irrelevant because KC simply won't be successful.

To me, Legends screams minor league.  How can you promote a team as a major league franchise when they play along side Cabelas, Nebraska Furniture Mart, the T-Bones, and Nascar? 

I understand OnGoal's problem here.  But look long term.  They need a stadium to survive more than a couple years, but Legends is a death trap for MLS.  It's a shitty situation to be in, and I don't envy them.  But there has to be a better solution then Legends.

Correct me if I am wrong but haven't a good many of the dedicated MLS stadiums built in the US been located in suburban, retail-oriented developments not at all unlike VW?  And how exactly is that environment any different from a gameday experience  going to a suburban retail development in the SE suburbs of KCMO?

[chrizow]

to me the only real difference is that the Bannister area is much more centrally located in the metro.  this is a silly plan that just became even more silly imo.

[KCPowercat]

KCK's leadership rush job on this adds even more questions....within 24 hours of the proposal they are all behind it signing MOU's? 

This whole thing smells to me....but I will just be branded a ks/legends hater so ignore it I guess.

[KCMax]

KCK's leadership rush job on this adds even more questions....within 24 hours of the proposal they are all behind it signing MOU's? 

This whole thing smells to me....but I will just be branded a ks/legends hater so ignore it I guess.

You don't think they have been working on this for a long time behind the scenes?

[KCPowercat]

That's not how today's story read but yes I am sure the leaders have known for awhile....citizens of kck...no say?

[aknowledgeableperson]

....citizens of kck...no say?

Much like what happened for the Super TIF for the Briarcliff Village hotel.

[mean]

This whole thing smells to me....but I will just be branded a ks/legends hater so ignore it I guess.

Conspiracies concerning VW: always true.

Conspiracies concerning PNL: always false.

[KCPowercat]

Mean....if that is directed at me please point me to where I have claimed anything funny with VW ever?

No citizen input and a new 4000 job cerner promise out of nowhere isn't quite the same to me as 'liquor control enforcing the law is all to drive business to the p&l'...just me.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Since when did "citizin input" ever count for a hill of beans in much of any development incentive package anywhere?

[KCPowercat]

You are right...screw 'em, they pay the highest taxes in the state, cerner NEEDS this.

Are you saying citizen groups haven't impacted tax breaks on developments in the past?  The school disteict bought in on the bannister mall project I remember.

[KCMax]

I'm sure the other lawyers on the board could answer this better than I, but I don't believe a "Letter of Understanding" is all that binding. I think it just serves as a framework for hammering out an agreement. For all I know, the Wizards probably had a "Letter of Agreement" with KCMO. Its quite possible WyCo could have public input to affect what will be the final agreement with the Wizards and Cerner.

[aknowledgeableperson]

a new 4000 job cerner promise out of nowhere

KCMO officials new about the 4,000 jobs so I wouldn't say it came out of nowhere.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizard ... 94-p2.html

City Manager Wayne Cauthen and Finance Director Jeff Yates acknowledged they had recently become aware that there might be a risk of losing the stadium. But they said they had not known that Cerner was considering moving its expansion, complete with 4,000 prospective jobs, to Kansas as well

and:

Jolly said she was shocked that the Cerner jobs and office complex were part of the Wyandotte County deal. She and others said they had been assured several weeks ago by Cerner that the company was still committed to expanding in south Kansas City. Cerner, a medical software company headquartered in North Kansas City, already has about 1,750 employees in the old Marion Labs property in the Sixth District.

?We were led to believe that even if we don?t get the soccer stadium, not to worry, they were still on board with the office, which they said would bring along the retail,? Jolly said

[LenexatoKCMO]

You are right...screw 'em, they pay the highest taxes in the state, cerner NEEDS this.

Are you saying citizen groups haven't impacted tax breaks on developments in the past?  The school disteict bought in on the bannister mall project I remember.

The school district isn't exactly a "citizen", its a tax jurisdiction. 

[KCPowercat]

The promise of those jobs following a soccer stadium was my point....like the article says, prior it was assumed cerner would continue as planned on one of their established campuses...not use the peomise of new employees as a sports facility pawn.

The jobs is what gets me....and I can't believe more kcmo residents aren't a bit upset by it as well.....but it seems that's not the case. 

[KCPowercat]

Lenexa...come on, do you really want to split that hair?  Citizen input to me equals those not privvy to this closed door plan.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Lenexa...come on, do you really want to split that hair?  Citizen input to me equals those not privvy to this closed door plan.

The school districts are included because they have a stake in the form of school district tax levies and increasingly laws are requiring them to sign off on the packages before it can be approved - not because the politicians or planners give a fig about what the school district thinks of the project as a "citizen".  

[KCPowercat]

Not the only example.  Nevermind, you are right, citizens never alter these plans.