OFFICIAL: The Legends at Village West

[chrizow]

i can't forgive RED for two reasons:

(1) Summitwoods, which is just AWFUL
(2) their open hostility to downtown - e.g. in the Star saying that the P+L will fail b/c "why build something in a decaying no man's land?" all the while touting their new development on greenfields in rural wyco.

[KCJason]

Read in the Star this morning that Hash House A Go Go opens for dinner tonight.

[warwickland]

my company has contracts north of kc and of late i always stop by cabelas in kck for cut rate winter clothing/gear. it's addictive, if hypocritical.

[trailerkid]

RED is also probably the best developer in the city about getting new retail to town...Sounds like bitching just to bitch.

What the hell new retail has come to town? Gap Outlet and Cavendar's?

[justin8216]

i can't forgive RED for two reasons:

(1) Summitwoods, which is just AWFUL
(2) their open hostility to downtown - e.g. in the Star saying that the P+L will fail b/c "why build something in a decaying no man's land?" all the while touting their new development on greenfields in rural wyco.

If they have open hostility to downtown, why would they bankroll new entertainment venues down there? RED executives have said repeatedly that they are confident that both will suceed and it is in their mutual interest.

[DaveKCMO]

If they have open hostility to downtown, why would they bankroll new entertainment venues down there? RED executives have said repeatedly that they are confident that both will suceed and it is in their mutual interest.

because someone else led the way (cordish, AMC, the city) and now they're following the smell of money. would have been nice to have a local operation like RED leading the charge for downtown redevelopment before it was trendy.

[the_shadow]

ustin,

thanks for the info...I had seen the article about rod after I did some i was googling OTB...don't believe everything you read in the kc star especially about wyandottte county and the ks side. If you do then you must think Queen carol was responsible for villlage west and she was in favor of it because she pro-development. If you askl any city hall employees they could probably tell you she was anything but pro-development.

My whole point about Rod was that he didn't do ALL the work...I was part of the group that found D&B for RED and we going to work together but people at red stole the deal from us..Rod was not a part to this so I hold no ill will towards him.he is a hard worker who did a majority of the work to get D&B.

as fas as Legends goes I am disappointed because I knew what the potential tenants could have been. We were working with RED at the time (before we found out how dishonest they were) the center would have been much cooler to go to than what is now...like a Hard Rock Cafe,Virgin Records,and Coyote Ugly. There was even meetings with the people from the Lucid. KCK was also so close to get muvico (spelling?) to run the theater.There were a couple of other stores but i don't want to say the names because they might pop up again in Wyco.

As a resident...I not as upset at the normal retail because it is needed here. I'm not too excited about having all the shoe stores. I am hoping these types of places were just starter tenants so when there lease is up we could get better ones.

[justin8216]

Legends management is in favor of having a nearby casino saying that it will benefit the existing businesses by bringing in new consumers to the market, that now go to the Missouri side of Kansas City because of the gaming entertainment option.

Legends management has also said they are excited about Schlitterbahn who is commonly referred to as the No. 1 water park in the world. They will draw in a lot of traffic to the area from all over the Midwest.

[DaveKCMO]

that's good news. a casino at VW would be a perfect fit. i assume you are voting yes for both questions?

[justin8216]

Here are some fast facts about the Legends:

The Legends is 99 percent leased.

The Legends has/is bringing in a lot of ‘first of’ or ‘one of a kind’ to the market, with nearly half of the tenants new to Kansas City.

The average customer drives 81 miles to The Legends, giving it status as a regional tourist attraction.

[justin8216]

because someone else led the way (cordish, AMC, the city) and now they're following the smell of money. would have been nice to have a local operation like RED leading the charge for downtown redevelopment before it was trendy.

That is not the area they specialize in. I think RED did the right thing letting Cordish "lead the charge" for downtown because that is what they specialize in.

They are "following the smell of money"? What do you have against capitalism?

[justin8216]

that's good news. a casino at VW would be a perfect fit. i assume you are voting yes for both questions?

I already voted an advanced ballot because I am working as an election judge.

[justin8216]

......as fas as Legends goes I am disappointed because I knew what the potential tenants could have been. We were working with RED at the time (before we found out how dishonest they were) the center would have been much cooler to go to than what is now...like a Hard Rock Cafe,Virgin Records,and Coyote Ugly. There was even meetings with the people from the Lucid. KCK was also so close to get muvico (spelling?) to run the theater.There were a couple of other stores but i don't want to say the names because they might pop up again in Wyco.

As a resident...I not as upset at the normal retail because it is needed here. I'm not too excited about having all the shoe stores. I am hoping these types of places were just starter tenants so when there lease is up we could get better ones.

I guess you have more insider info, but I think every development has it's could-have-beens.

But in spite of that I think they got a great start, and just like Oak Park or the Plaza I'm sure like you said they can replace not so great tenants with better ones over time. Oak Park didn't open with Puma, Nordstrom, Chris Madden, Fossil, ect.

I think the UG pushed the developer for some not so unique tenants like TJ Maxx and Linens and things and shoe stores ect, because kck residents are very underserved in retail and the county wanted to show residents, who endured eminent domain and other controversy over Village West's development, that is wasn't just for tourists but for locals too.

As other retail gets developed out there to serve locals, I'm guessing RED will push out some of those types of tenants in favor of more touristy / attraction types.

Also with Shcliterbahn's substantial retail component some of those names, like you said, may pop up in Wyandotte County after all.

[justin8216]

I read up on Muvico, they sound nice, but I am satisfied that what we got is as good or better than what anybody else in KC has.

[justin8216]

5 new restaurants opening 

  • Hash House Agogo, a breakfast restaurant also serving lunch and dinner, combining homecooked portions with the “agogo,” what McGovern called “the excitment and energy put in the food.”
  “I’ve never been to a restaurant with portions that size,” McGovern said. “The pancakes and waffles are 14 to 16 inches. Their catch phrase is ‘twisted farm food.’”

Hash House Agogo is scheduled to open this Friday.

  • Caliente Cuba, a Cuban-themed restaurant offering salsa dancing in the evenings. “This is more upscale Cuban dining,” McGovern said, “with a tropical feel. The owners purchased palm trees and other tropical plants. It will also have a rooftop bar.”

  This restaurant is scheduled to open in early July.

  • Margarita Mama’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant, also with a rooftop bar and live entertainment. Individual themed rooms will include Jimmy Buffet, techno/top 40 and rock/country.
“It’ll be the same food in every room, it just depends what music you want to listen to,” said Amy Kraft, marketing director.

  Margarita Mama’s should open the first week in September.

  • Cantina Corona, the first restaurant in the United States by the Corona beer family. A Mexican restaurant, it is expected to open in October or November.

  • Roadhouse Grill, a new concept by Stephen Schussler, the creator of T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe restaurants. The Legends location will be the first.
  “The theme is a motorcycle roadhouse with barbecue,” McGovern said. “It will be kind of like Route 66, with roadhouse and motorcyle memorabilia as decoration and a big open barbecue pit in the middle of the floor.”

The restaurant is scheduled to open by the end of the year.

Recently opened at The Legends is Sanford & Sons comedy club.

[DaveKCMO]

They are "following the smell of money"? What do you have against capitalism?

contrary to what many believe, i really don't have anything against capitalism. i just like to make sure motives are clearly stated and not glossed over by corporate PR machines (having worked for a Fortune 100 company, there is a lot of spin going into every single statement). if RED was truly interested in the potential of downtown KCMO, they would have stepped up to the plate with their big pockets years ago. if they come late to the party to make some cash, that's fine with me as long as they don't claim to be urban pioneers or motivated by obligation to the community. i'm convinced that RED didn't "let" cordish do anything... the city selected cordish because they believed their development experience was more suitable for creating a true urban environment. having been to two other cordish developments, i would say that i'm lukewarm, yet optimistic, about their track record... but would have been dead set against RED attempting the same.

[justin8216]

A Canitina Corona is supposed to open at the Mall of America's phase two sometime this year along with a Bass Pro. What next?

[moderne]

Drive 81 miles to go to a big box strip mall?  I can count on one hand the times I have driven the 20 miles from DT out there.  Guess I am not the typical Midwest American consumer. 

[kcdcchef]

Drive 81 miles to go to a big box strip mall?  I can count on one hand the times I have driven the 20 miles from DT out there.  Guess I am not the typical Midwest American consumer. 

you are not. they do not get excited about a unique and amazing development coming down the pipes downtown. but when bass pro builds out east, or some new taco joint opens in the fields of kansas, they get all excited.

[KCMax]

Drive 81 miles to go to a big box strip mall?  I can count on one hand the times I have driven the 20 miles from DT out there.  Guess I am not the typical Midwest American consumer. 

Um, hello, Dave Coulier will be there!