NFL Draft

[beautyfromashes]

They are building two massive stair ramps from the top of the lawn in front of the Liberty Memorial down to Main. I was kind of surprised by this as you would think the two stairs from Pershing and closed roads up Main and Wyandotte would be sufficient. Maybe, I'm think too small on the number of people.

[moderne]

The trash clean up has produced great results. Can it be kept clean in the interim until the event starts? That stretch of 35/29 has not only been cleaned up, but also the tagging has been painted over. Too bad we only clean house when company is coming!

[kboish]

We should have company over more often

[moderne]

Not the best time for the big rooftop sign to burn out "VESTERN AU O."

[moderne]

And tonight the Western Auto signage is fixed.

[GRID]

Does anybody wonder at all if the NFL Draft just might be going a bit overboard? I just hope KC gets these 400,000 people they keep talking about.

It's odd how this event has turned from something that was hosted in a hotel ballroom to this massive event. Do that many people really travel to a city for this event or are they depending on the locals for 95% of the crowd?

[Cratedigger]

Does anybody wonder at all if the NFL Draft just might be going a bit overboard? I just hope KC gets these 400,000 people they keep talking about.

It's odd how this event has turned from something that was hosted in a hotel ballroom to this massive event. Do that many people really travel to a city for this event or are they depending on the locals for 95% of the crowd?

People travel for it.

I had friends travel to Vegas and Nashville.

I also have college friends from Texas and California that are coming up to KC for the event.

We'll see if hundreds of thousands travel, but it does happen

[langosta]

Does anybody wonder at all if the NFL Draft just might be going a bit overboard? I just hope KC gets these 400,000 people they keep talking about.

It's odd how this event has turned from something that was hosted in a hotel ballroom to this massive event. Do that many people really travel to a city for this event or are they depending on the locals for 95% of the crowd?

Iirc, it’s total across all days.

[GRID]

Yeah, pretty crazy. I hope locals show up too.

Checking the major hotel websites, (Marriott/Hilton), there are still rooms available in the downtown/plaza area, but they are expensive. Suburbs seem pretty booked, but still rooms left and not to crazy expensive. I would think the entire metro would be sold out if this is brining in like 100k or so.

Flights still available from DC area for typical last minute prices. It does look like a lot of people are coming to town. I just wonder how many and how big of a draw this event really is. I wish I were there to experience it. It looks like it should be fun.

[kboish]

Ive heard conflicting info.

I saw the NFL reported today that 300,000 people registered for tickets. Unclear if thats a 3-4 day total or daily. Tickets are free so I doubt everyone goes.

I also heard the vendors say they were told to expect 20k people per day- which sounds more in line with reality, but also kind of low.

[GRID]

Ive heard conflicting info.

I saw the NFL reported today that 300,000 people registered for tickets. Unclear if thats a 3-4 day total or daily. Tickets are free so I doubt everyone goes.

I also heard the vendors say they were told to expect 20k people per day- which sounds more in line with reality, but also kind of low.

I mean 20k or even 50k will look like nothing spread across the Liberty Memorial and Union Station Grounds. The renderings that keep getting shared and all the people promoting this are making it seem much bigger. I just hope turnout is what they are expecting that's all.

[kboish]

I agree. 20k won’t look like much.

I just reread my source- they said 100,000 people have registered for passes. Which would be 300-400k over the entire period. That sounds like a good number.



https://twitter.com/fos/status/16486824 ... uP-mZI37zQ

[moderne]

The Liberty Memorial tower will have poppies projected on it.

[langosta]

Yeah, pretty crazy. I hope locals show up too.

Checking the major hotel websites, (Marriott/Hilton), there are still rooms available in the downtown/plaza area, but they are expensive. Suburbs seem pretty booked, but still rooms left and not to crazy expensive. I would think the entire metro would be sold out if this is brining in like 100k or so.

Flights still available from DC area for typical last minute prices. It does look like a lot of people are coming to town. I just wonder how many and how big of a draw this event really is. I wish I were there to experience it. It looks like it should be fun.

No extra flight sections were scheduled for this event.

That being said, almost every KC expat I know is coming back for this event.

[grovester]

The Liberty Memorial tower will have poppies projected on it.

The one they did in 2018 was pretty fantastic!

[TheLastGentleman]

[kboish]

[JohnKCMO]

How do the businesses inside Union Station feel about having to be closed during the event?

[Major KC Fan]

As I understand from the Union Station media release those businesses will be compensated and will be involved in providing services to the Draft participants.

[langosta]

If we let’s say hosted one of these every year, our downtown/core would finally get a regular deep clean.

A major selling point for me that we should be growing our convention and event business exponentially.