NFL Draft

[AllThingsKC]

Well done, KC!

[JohnKCMO]

If you can find an available scooter, that's the fastest way to Union Station.

[DaveKCMO]

If you can find an available scooter, that's the fastest way to Union Station.

How close were you able to get to the station on a scooter?

[langosta]

If you can find an available scooter, that's the fastest way to Union Station.

How close were you able to get to the station on a scooter?

The main entrance is by the federal reserve. Was able to drop it off sorta close to that.

[Highlander]

Well done, KC!

I watched ESPN show past venues earlier in the day and KC's venue was by far the best in terms of the way it looked on TV. I doubt if I'd watch a draft if it wasn't in KC but that was rather fun to watch. KC looked great.

[beautyfromashes]

They were really overconservative with the crowd control last night. They closed off the North Lawn around 6 o'clock due to capacity but wouldn't let anyone else in even though they were letting people out. It was far less packed then it should have been. There was also lots of empty space that they kept on both sides of the stage that could have held people. Eventually, people started jumping the fencing to fill the space. They seem to be focusing the event on VIPs (as you'd expect) by making sparce spaces instead of a raucous crowd feel. Still a fun night but was expecting more typical US sporting events.

[rxlexi]

I swapped back and forth between ESPN and NFL Network broadcasts last night (and the Bootleg Football livestream on YouTube for the detailed pick/scouting info) and thought the city looked amazing.

The coordinated lighting between Union Station facade, Bloch Fountain and Liberty Memorial frontage was spectacular - can we do this part more often?

Thought the use of the great hall for the green room and then the very theatrical exit out of Union Station and directly up the stairs to the stage was very well done; creative.

The crowd looked energetic and the shots from each broadcast team highlighted the architecture, surroundings, and crowds well. Bummer about the potential for rain tonight...

[beautyfromashes]

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/nfl-draft- ... meco-ryans

Winner: Kansas City
"From a massive home crowd, to plenty of opportunities to celebrate their recent Super Bowl victory, to a stellar first-round pick to cap off the night, Kansas City owned the first round from start to finish.

Fans got to see their shiny new Lombardi Trophy, carried out on stage by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, reminding all the fans of every other team in attendance who took him the ultimate prize this time around.

The atmosphere was buzzing all night long, and the Chiefs closed out the first round by filling one of their biggest needs with a stud pass rusher, Kansas State's Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

This event is just getting started, but the opening night was a huge win for the Kansas City, and for Chiefs fans everywhere."

[langosta]

This event either had a low turnout or the event was planned so well as to not have the traffic impacts I and Others expected.

Entry from the south lawn ended up being a tremendous idea.

Fully believe we can and should try to hold more large scale events and festivals downtown. Bring Super Bowl, downtown stadiums, etc.

[beautyfromashes]

This event either had a low turnout or the event was planned so well as to not have the traffic impacts I and Others expected.

Entry from the south lawn ended up being a tremendous idea.

Fully believe we can and should try to hold more large scale events and festivals downtown. Bring Super Bowl, downtown stadiums, etc.

I actually hate how they designed it. They shut off Main Street to even pedestrian traffic. So, if you want to get to the event, you had to walk over to Grand. Then, you have to walk even further up to Federal Reserve just to get in. Then, walk back to the event at US. I understand cutting road arteries to traffic, but pedestrian traffic should have had free range.

[TheUrbanRoo]

As someone who went to the draft and showed up late, there were thousands upon thousands more people who wanted to come in and watch that were denied, and many had already left and walked back into the city after being denied. They could’ve had a lot more people out there filling in the gaps.

[DaveKCMO]

The coordinated lighting between Union Station facade, Bloch Fountain and Liberty Memorial frontage was spectacular - can we do this part more often?

Thought the use of the great hall for the green room and then the very theatrical exit out of Union Station and directly up the stairs to the stage was very well done; creative.

I guarantee you George will co-opt some of these ideas for future events.

[Highlander]

This event either had a low turnout or the event was planned so well as to not have the traffic impacts I and Others expected.

Entry from the south lawn ended up being a tremendous idea.

Fully believe we can and should try to hold more large scale events and festivals downtown. Bring Super Bowl, downtown stadiums, etc.

I actually hate how they designed it. They shut off Main Street to even pedestrian traffic. So, if you want to get to the event, you had to walk over to Grand. Then, you have to walk even further up to Federal Reserve just to get in. Then, walk back to the event at US. I understand cutting road arteries to traffic, but pedestrian traffic should have had free range.

Agreed. The security demands by the NFL are over the top. The fenced off areas could accommodate many more than 60 thousand. I would have hated to have flown to KC for the event from another NFL city and then get turned back when trying to enter the draft viewing areas. But why fence the area off at all? The areas with NFL property could be concentrated and secured without fencing off half of Penn Valley Park and the Union Station. Just make it open access. The world series and super bowl parades did not have limited access and they went off without any issues. KC looked great, no doubt about that, but I didn't like the way the NFL executed the event.

[TheSmokinPun]

Be mad at the NFL, the city did their part & did it well.

My girlfriend wanted to see the concert on Thursday night so we arrived later on, like 7:30, & got right in. No line, nothing, walked right through security. It wasn't flawless but at no point did I think they messed up or anything. I agree that they should have been clearer about the entrance being on top of the hill but eh, it was the NFL's security brained call.

[Highlander]

Be mad at the NFL, the city did their part & did it well.

My girlfriend wanted to see the concert on Thursday night so we arrived later on, like 7:30, & got right in. No line, nothing, walked right through security. It wasn't flawless but at no point did I think they messed up or anything. I agree that they should have been clearer about the entrance being on top of the hill but eh, it was the NFL's security brained call.

KC did an incredible job and people from other NFL cities apparently went away impressed. I just question the NFL's need for such stringent security.

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kc ... Xlpb4a1MiU

I saw the comment about the streetcar in the article. Must have been really packed.

[grovester]

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kc ... -nfl-draft

I was surprised to read this.

For those of you who got out and about during the draft, what were your impressions?

[Highlander]

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kc ... -nfl-draft

I was surprised to read this.

For those of you who got out and about during the draft, what were your impressions?

Probably because locals not attending the draft avoided downtown during the draft and those that did go to the draft ate within the secured area where many KC restaurants were offering food from booths. Those visitors from out of town probably ate within the secured area or gravitated towards BBQ and a select set of food genres.

I think KC Wineworks may have learned the wrong lesson if they want to close down during the world cup. Different scenario altogether. Different venue and vastly different crowd.

[FangKC]

I doubt out-of-town visitors are going to venture into Columbus Park for coffee. Same with West Bottoms for shopping. The people that come are there for the football event. They are probably only spending money on hotels and food around their hotel, or that had a special shuttle going to it. The normal KC shoppers probably stayed home to avoid the NFL Draft crowds, thus declines in some retail receipts.

I would be interested to hear what sales were like in restaurants along the special bus shuttles to restaurants down SW Boulevard and 18th Street to 12th and Prospect. Also, did Plaza restaurants benefit?

[FangKC]

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_a ... dium=email

[shinatoo]

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kc ... -nfl-draft

I was surprised to read this.

For those of you who got out and about during the draft, what were your impressions?

Probably because locals not attending the draft avoided downtown during the draft and those that did go to the draft ate within the secured area where many KC restaurants were offering food from booths. Those visitors from out of town probably ate within the secured area or gravitated towards BBQ and a select set of food genres.

I think KC Wineworks may have learned the wrong lesson if they want to close down during the world cup. Different scenario altogether. Different venue and vastly different crowd.

Exactly, we avoided downtown all weekend because of the crowds. We were at Neice's at 67th and Troost and they said they saw a big uptick in business over the weekend. Lots of out of town groups.