Will Sprint Arena (as seen in render.) be a KC icon?

ComandanteCero · Post by **ComandanteCero** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:08 pm

Repeating what i said in another thread...
it depends on what level of "icon". Like Powercat says, i think the PAC building can reach something close to Sydney Opera House identification (i.e you see building you think KC) at least at a national level. Let's just say that if you have a postcard rack with all the major landmarks of KC i think the Plaza, the scout, the convention center(with dt in background), liberty memorial and the built PAC will be much more recognizably KC than the arena (on a national level). I just don't see it getting as much camera time as these. Which is fine, i don't know of many arenas (if any) that have that kind of effect. So it's fine, it's on the level of the KCStar printing press building: cool and functional. It's a good addition to the urban fabric downtown. But icon..... (other than people who watch b-ball and hockey) i dont see it.

Tosspot · Post by **Tosspot** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:11 pm

As wonderful as it is to have a new arena, they'll probably just tear it down in another thirty or forty years when the future planners/designers want the next big thing for Kansas City.

I don't know of any arena that has endeared itself so much to a populace that it made it onto postcards, unfortunately.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:12 pm

not an icon whatsoever.

it's a clean, glass, modern arena by HOK, but it's not an architectural landmark. it is a city landmark. a sports venue. but not an emblem. it is a good building, but not one that will necessarily "WOW" the world.

the PAC is much more likely to be a landmark. although even then it probably wont be. really, are there any new buildings or museums built recently that have truly become instant global icons?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:36 pm

very few have.....I think the PAC has a chance to be a national icon.

While I did say the arena could be, thinking more about it, I agree that it won't....but like somebody said, it will be gone in 40 years probably anyways.

Can you build an iconic arena for $250 when normal ones cost that?

Sonfire · Post by **Sonfire** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:40 pm

I don't know if the arena will be a national icon, but somebody might need to update their avatar icon. *cough*hack*wheeze*

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:21 pm

KCPowercat wrote:Can you build an iconic arena for $250 when normal ones cost that?

Exactly. "Wow" usually doesn't come cheap. Unless these guys are equally creative in terms of cost-efficiencies as they are in design, it's going to be tough to swing something spectacular on our budget.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:06 pm

it won't be an icon, but the skyline of Kansas City will be so dramatically changed by 2007, with the arena being a major part of that change. The newly designed and constructed buildings could very well make KC's skyline as recognizable as some other major US cities, like Chicago, NY, or SF.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:11 pm

It will be an icon for KC, maybe not the entire nation, but for KC and the franchise we acquire (the league)

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:34 pm

OK...the arena isn't even in formal design stages yet...calm down everyone.

If the arena is built to be something truly world class, inside and out...something that has never been seen before on Earth...word of how cool it is and where it is will spread. A few mentions on ESPN or in USA Today can go a long way for perception.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:36 pm

also, don't anyone worry, City Hall and everyone involved with the arena haven't screwed up yet have they?

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 12:20 pm

maybe I'm being overly simplistic, but I feel like for the arena to have a chance to reach into 'icon' status it will need to somehow reach into and interact with the skyline. Perhaps some razor sharp chrome deco towers knifing over the roof and into the KC sky? Something that pulls attention towards the arena from a pure design standpoint. If nothing else, we're at least getting a beautiful new world-class facility. Conseco Fieldhouse in Indy is widely regarded as one of the best arenas in the country, from both a design and facility standpoint, yet it is in no way an icon for the city. I hope HOK et al. really pull out the stops visually and creatively to make this thing LOOK amazing and awesome.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:25 pm

I would say the definitive answer to this question is no. We got an arena-- not an iconic piece of architecture to represent the region a la the Nelson or what may happen with the PAC. We just got a newer version of what Houston, St. Louis, and Dallas already have-- a modern arena.

Maybe we should've listened to Barnes about bringing in Gehry? The site lines probably would've sucked, but at least we'd be entertained by the design.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:33 pm

I actually think we have more of an iconic arena that I ever expected. I was just out with a friend of mine tonight that was raving about how unique the S.C. looked.

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:46 am

agreed, Powercat. I feel like Sprint Center is among the most unique arenas in the country, at least from the exterior and concourse. It really is a beautiful facility, a big jeweled glass donut.

voltopt · Post by **voltopt** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:09 am

The Sprint Center is pretty substandard on the interior - and the concept of a glass bowl was pretty poorly conceived, even if it was well executed. Overall it is attractive, but the way the site works, especially the idiotic fountain area in the southwest corner, is dissappointing. My problem with the interior is with the undurable materials used to finish the concourses and the low cost, low performance toilets that do not feature a sensor flush valve. The inside of the place will be a wreck in ten years - whatever happened to masonry, tile, concrete, etc, and other hard surface materials to finish high use, high impact areas like concourses.
With the limited budget the arena had, I would assume a Gehry designed arena would have featured a more expensive exterior skin and a few cost overruns, which would have resulted in an even worse interior finish, although it may have been more interesting than the flat pastel colors and plastic concession stands that we got.

Gehry, while iconic, is not a very good architect. He excells at "figure in space" architecture, which I think of as extremely masturbatory and of no social or civic value.
Its great for cocktalk party conversation, however.

The Sprint Center, as it is, is quite unique, in that it integrates well into a thriving district and is so close to tall buildings and dense areas of people. I just dislike the interior.

NDTeve · Post by **NDTeve** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:28 am

voltopt wrote: The Sprint Center is pretty substandard on the interior - and the concept of a glass bowl was pretty poorly conceived, even if it was well executed. Overall it is attractive, but the way the site works, especially the idiotic fountain area in the southwest corner, is dissappointing. My problem with the interior is with the undurable materials used to finish the concourses and the low cost, low performance toilets that do not feature a sensor flush valve. The inside of the place will be a wreck in ten years - whatever happened to masonry, tile, concrete, etc, and other hard surface materials to finish high use, high impact areas like concourses.
With the limited budget the arena had, I would assume a Gehry designed arena would have featured a more expensive exterior skin and a few cost overruns, which would have resulted in an even worse interior finish, although it may have been more interesting than the flat pastel colors and plastic concession stands that we got.

Gehry, while iconic, is not a very good architect. He excells at "figure in space" architecture, which I think of as extremely masturbatory and of no social or civic value.
Its great for cocktalk party conversation, however.

The Sprint Center, as it is, is quite unique, in that it integrates well into a thriving district and is so close to tall buildings and dense areas of people. I just dislike the interior toilets.

FYP

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:30 am

If all we have to complain about is we have to pull the urinal handle, I think we got a superb arena for the price....yeah i do agree, more stone would have been nice, but for the price we got this arena for, I don't think you can expect that.....plus what would the NBA/NHL team whine for upgrades if we had put that in right away?

voltopt · Post by **voltopt** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:38 am

KCPowercat wrote: If all we have to complain about is we have to pull the urinal handle, I think we got a superb arena for the price....yeah i do agree, more stone would have been nice, but for the price we got this arena for, I don't think you can expect that.....plus what would the NBA/NHL team whine for upgrades if we had put that in right away?

Haha - thats true - we'll need something that we can improve for our soon to be announced team...

Beermo · Post by **Beermo** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:14 pm

totally unique.

Lenexan · Post by **Lenexan** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:35 am

I personally think the Sprint Center is extremely overrated. It has some pizzaz on the outside and the concourses are decent, but outside of the QuikTrip (the best thing the place has going for it), the concessions are extremely overpriced and the food is average to poor. Once you get to the seating bowl it is actually worse than Kemper. While the cushion seats are good, Kemper was more comfortable for the important things, particularly leg room. I'm only 5'8 and was completely uncomfortable.

I was there for all 11 games of the Big 12 Tournament and the CBE last fall. for the CBE I had lower deck tickets and for the Big 12 upper deck. The lower deck experience was a "B"...hard to see over people and average leg room, though. The upper deck experience was a "D" with terrible leg room and a thin seat. The "climb" is so steep that one slip and you've got a very serious situation. The people around us at the Big 12 were mostly there for the first or second time and all agreed that the Sprint Center was nothing special and that the seating bowl is an absolute joke. The sightlines are decent but in terms of comfort, it's an absolute disaster in the upper deck.

Most people I talk to also say it is average mostly due to the comfort issue. In fact, my group was sitting next to a guy who worked for the designers and they alerted the powers-that-be about leg room issues, but were told to jam seats in to get to the ideal number they wanted. Fact is, it is extremely unlikely we'll ever get an NBA or NHL team and I think as word leaks out about the extreme fan discomfort, that teams will be unlikely to move here.

It was really a classic KC screw up, and it is sad. The good news is the renovations at the K are looking to be absolutely fabulous.

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