Official arena opposition: Coalition Against Arena Taxes

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:25 am

this baby is passing....but still if you can try and volunteer. If anything, just get a yard sign in your yard.

ignatius · Post by **ignatius** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:45 am

dangerboy wrote:
ignatius wrote:If this were a metro vote, I wouldn't be concerned about it passing. But if there is any part of the metro that has no interest in sports or pro-development, it would be residents of KCMO. Probably not enough to stop it but there are a lot of reasons why this might not pass.
WHAT??? Time and time again KCMO voters have taken on the responsibilty of paying for regional sports and other facilities and developments without any help from the rest of the metro.

True, but I'm running into some KCMO residents that don't plan on voting for it. Hopefully these are the types who don't actually make it to vote.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:52 am

Yeah, I have a friend who lives downtown but for some reason seems to have bought into the anti-arena side's hype. Fortunately he's not the type who will remember to go out hof his way to vote so I have no intention of reminding him.

Post by **chrizow** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:00 am

hahaha. how could anyone who lives downtown be against the arena? it will just make their property worth more, and make their neighborhood (downtown) a more lively place to be.

the so-called "urban pioneers" living in expensive luxury lofts surrounded by virtually nothing (but potential) should be welcoming these developments with open arms!

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:19 pm

Arena foes have collected "more than 300" signatures on their petition.

http://kshb.com/kshb/home/article/0,192 ... 41,00.html

Somehow I find that comforting.

I wonder how many people would have signed pro-arena petitions?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:23 pm

wow, I bet we could have got 300 people to sign a pro-arena petition just on this site.

Post by **dangerboy** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:31 pm

Jason Whitlock has an excellent smack down on Councilmember Saundra McFadden Weaver for playing the race card in the arena debate.

As you know, if you've spent any time in Kansas City and have followed Rev. McFadden-Weaver's career, she's unqualified for political office and is doing her district more harm than good. She thinks she's a savvy negotiator. She thinks if she creates a big enough stink by throwing around substance-less, racial Molotov Cocktails, she'll get something in return.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 236138.htm

Weaver is alone on this one. The arena is endorsed by The Call, the Black Chamber, Freedom Inc., La Raza, the Hispanic Chamber, and many more groups in the black and minority communities.

JerseyGuy · Post by **JerseyGuy** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:29 pm

KCPowercat wrote:isn't political spending a matter of public record...or is that more just state/federal numbers that are reported?

Deadline for Arena Disclosure Campaign Monday

Kansas City, MO - The Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City Sports Commission are two of the largest contributors to a campaign aimed to building an arena downtown. The Citizens for a Downtown Arena disclosed Monday it had raised $553,665 so far. Hallmark, JE Dunn Construction, Hunt Construction, KC Southern, Black and Veatch and Civic Council of Greater KC. The opposition, Coalition Against Arena taxes has until 5 p.m. Monday to file its disclosures. The group is made of up car rental businesses opposed to an increase in car rental fees. It has an afternoon news conference scheduled.

Heather McMichael, Fox 4 News
hmcmichael@wdaftv4.com

kcteen · Post by **kcteen** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:41 pm

im kind of pissed off other big KC companies haven't donated anything. Of course, some donations (liek Sprint's) may be from a perosn (gary forsee) but i'm ticked not to see some of the major players DT donating.

Also, I was hoping Cordsih would give a nice fat check, they would really benefit from the arena too i'd think.

kcteen · Post by **kcteen** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:02 pm

80% pro-arena campaign local money (kc, mo only i believe)

99.99% anti-arena non local.

pro-arena campaign has slightly more money.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:21 pm

Anti contributors: (over $25) $437,600 total

Enterprise (funneled through OPKS branch) - $437,000 (no interest loan)
Farms Insurance PAC - $500
Christine Peterson from Enterprise Leasing - $100

$553,000+ for the pro side

WoodDraw · Post by **WoodDraw** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:43 pm

So take away Enterpise and their is no opposition. It's good to see that no local companies are really supporting CAAT though.

kcteen · Post by **kcteen** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:48 pm

did i hear in the newscast that the anti campaign had already spent most of its money or did i hear wrong? i cannot repaly the webcast because im on a mac now at home...but i thought i heard that.

also, when is the next financial disclosure date for the campaign? couldn't enterprise give a lot more money today/tomorrow and we wouldnt know about it for a while. hope there is another disclosure before the election aug 3rd.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:49 pm

not sure there has to be one.

It did say most was spent already on tv ads...that doesn't mean the ads are done though I don't think.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:58 pm

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... hkjpll|a|Y

Archrivals in cahoots? It's a hoot

MIKE HENDRICKS

At first, snooty St. Louis scoffed.

â€œA new arena in Kansas City? How about a new anything in KC? Hah!â€

ignatius · Post by **ignatius** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:59 am

Enterprise driving anti-arena fight

Reports reveal contributors; company says city rejected deal

By LYNN HORSLEY The Kansas City Star

Campaign disclosure reports and dueling press conferences Monday revealed the extent to which Kansas City's downtown arena proposal is becoming a fight between City Hall and Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

The campaign reports revealed that arena supporters have raised more than $500,000 from about 150 contributors. Meanwhile, the Coalition Against Arena Taxes has raised about $437,000, nearly all from loans from Enterprise Leasing of Kansas.

Also Monday, the attorney for St. Louis-based Enterprise accused Mayor Kay Barnes and city staff of rejecting a compromise that would have exempted local residents from the proposed arena rental car tax. City officials responded that Enterprise's accusation was unfounded.

The city is seeking voter approval next Tuesday of hotel and rental car fee increases to help build a $225 million to $250 million arena at 14th Street and Grand Boulevard.

Kansas City has reached a preliminary, nonbinding agreement with Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group to invest $50 million in the new arena and manage it. Sprint Corp. has tentatively agreed to spend up to $2.5 million annually for 25 years for naming rights, depending on whether the arena attracts a major-league basketball or hockey tenant.

Although both sides have raised considerable sums, arena campaign consultant Steve Glorioso said the amounts were not too unusual. He said supporters of a recent general obligation bond proposal contributed more than $400,000 â€” and that was for an issue with little opposition.

The biggest contributors to the arena measure were those directly involved in the deal, civic groups and companies in development-related industries:

â€¢ Greater Kansas City Sports Commission: $55,000

â€¢ Anschutz Entertainment Group: $50,000

â€¢ Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce: $50,000

â€¢ Sprint: $50,000

â€¢ H&R Block: $25,000

â€¢ Hallmark Global Services Inc.: $20,000

â€¢ DST Systems: $20,000

â€¢ Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin law firm: $15,000

â€¢ Crawford Architects: $10,000

â€¢ Heavy Constructors: $10,000

â€¢ Kansas City Southern: $10,000

â€¢ The Builders' Association: $10,000

As of July 22, the arena campaign reported receipts of $553,665, expenses of $506,914 and $26,750 cash on hand. The Coalition Against Arena Taxes reported $437,600 in contributions and $435,343 in expenses.

Rental car companies are fighting the arena funding proposal because voters are being asked to approve a fee of up to $4 per day on rental cars in addition to up to $1.50 a day on hotel rooms.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car officials say they tried to avoid a costly and acrimonious election battle by offering a compromise to exempt city residents from the rental car fee. City officials countered that Enterprise rejected a different compromise offer.

Ray Wagner, legal and legislative vice president for Enterprise, said he met with Barnes and had numerous conversations with city staff asking that the fee only be imposed at the airport, not on local rental car customers. Enterprise sought to have the fee be zero on local residents and only $2 per day at the airport.

Unlike some car rental companies, Enterprise's biggest market niche is local customers.

â€œWe worked extremely hard to come to an agreement that would have protected the city residents who are our customers,â€

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:36 am

A couple of other tidbits from the repsort I saw on channel 4 last night about the above:

* When asked if she will take CAAT up on their debate offer, MKB said (I forget the exact quote) that she doesn't owe anything to anyonee who spends that much money spreading lies.

* Entercom has apparently pulled all or at least some anti-arena radio ads due to the ads being so deceptive.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:13 am

Enterprise is really getting a lot of negative press bout this. Good deal! Remind people who need to rent cars in the core, that both Thrifty and Budget have offices downtown.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 9:10 am

Sure, all the other car rental agencies have gone on record as being against the tax. That's their right, and that's perfectly fair. But Enterprise has really crossed a line, not only by their lies, but by being the ONLY rental car company to pay to block KC's progress.

By that virtue, all the other agencies are still a-okay in my book. They may be against the tax but they are doing so with a sense of ethics.

cdschofield · Post by **cdschofield** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 11:00 am

tat2kc wrote:Enterprise is really getting a lot of negative press bout this. Good deal! Remind people who need to rent cars in the core, that both Thrifty and Budget have offices downtown.

There's also an Avis location near Linwood & Main although they have a vote no for the arena banner up but I can accept that.