Streetcar to the riverfront

[FangKC]

I say tear it down and build a real hotel/casino combo with a streetcar extension.

I agree--with an exception. Re-purpose the old "boat" building as the new Steamboat Arabia Museum. The building is constructed to look like a steamboat. Build the new casino/hotel across the street.

[earthling]

^Not a bad idea, especially if it has streetcar access.

[kboish]

I agree--with an exception. Re-purpose the old "boat" building as the new Steamboat Arabia Museum. The building is constructed to look like a steamboat. Build the new casino/hotel across the street.

I like the Steamboat Arabia relocation idea

[earthling]

^As long as it's not a swap for locating casino in RM...

[taxi]

Don't forget, it's gotta be a boat in a moat!
Too bad Wampum Big Horse Casino never opened.

[scooterj]

I say tear it down and build a real hotel/casino combo with a streetcar extension.

Yes! The current building/boat has become such an eyesore both inside and out that I don't see how anything can fix it. They need to start over. This should have been the premiere casino in Kansas City, not the dumpiest.

[shinatoo]

I say tear it down and build a real hotel/casino combo with a streetcar extension.

Yes! The current building/boat has become such an eyesore both inside and out that I don't see how anything can fix it. They need to start over. This should have been the premiere casino in Kansas City, not the dumpiest.

Trumpiest?

[normalthings]

The Argosy in Riverside could serve as a template for whatever ends up happening on KC’s Riverfront. The Argosy and Capri are similar in regards to site: parcel bounded by large highway and Missouri River.

The Argosy offers a 250 rom luxury hotel/spa, meeting space, F&B, and of course gaming(1,800 games/tables). The new Isle of Capri should at least be up to par with those offers. A direct streetcar line would allow Capri to draw crowds ( from downtown hotels ) needed to support more diversified and higher end amenities, F&B, and entertainment. IMHO A great way to differentiate themselves and draw visitors staying downtown would be to offer evening shows (similar to Las Vegas).


The architecture isn’t exactly urban friendly... but are any casinos?

[Riverite]

If the streetcar was built to the isle of capri, would it be possible to build massive park and ride garages, and maybe save a space nearby for another one. That way it could keep more parking out of downtown, and give visitors a definitive place to park in order to use the streetcar.

[DaveKCMO]

If the streetcar was built to the isle of capri, would it be possible to build massive park and ride garages, and maybe save a space nearby for another one. That way it could keep more parking out of downtown, and give visitors a definitive place to park in order to use the streetcar.

If the casino didn't, PortKC would on the other side of the Bond bridge.

[earthling]

If the streetcar was built to the isle of capri, would it be possible to build massive park and ride garages, and maybe save a space nearby for another one. That way it could keep more parking out of downtown, and give visitors a definitive place to park in order to use the streetcar.

Good to hear others think the same. I've brought it up several times. It also might attract more national developers to surface lots inside downtown if they know these public mega P&R garages exist, that they don't have to deal with any or as much parking.

[normalthings]

30% Design Package has been completed and submitted to Port KC. The Bike/Walk Bridge makes up “a significant amount” of the project cost.

[alejandro46]

At first I was totally against this expansion, as I believed it would be better long-term for connectivity to NKC if the long term goal is North Oak > KCI light rail. However, cost of crossing HoA bridge is a difficult hurdle.

However, the streetcar expansion to the Riverfront gets more and more compelling when you add unique, anchor type projects and contemplate the issues they are having as well as positives free and fast downtown connectivity would bring in the immediacy vs. 20 years to try and figure out how to pay to cross the river. Here is how I would white board the issues:

Steamboat Arabia Museum relocation
-Taking up prime real estate in RM
- City basically giving them near-free rent
- Museum preventing open-air concerts and festivals in RM
-Museum doesn't have "enough parking"
-Museum out of space
-We don't really want them to go to Jeff City (and I don't think they do either, but who wants to turn down free money).
-Cons: new building = expensive...

New Casino
-Prime location
-Good connectivity to road users. Poor connectivity to downtown.
-Poor facility
-Brand new owners who have a vested interest in improving facility/profit.

Park and Ride
-Lots of suburbanites can't afford to live downtown/like living up north. Enjoy coming downtown for fun/work
-Surveys say city already subsidizes too many parking garages in DT.
-By building park and ride facility, eliminate/majorly reduce parking requirements downtown. Reduce parking spaces/surface parking in RM.

[shinatoo]

Now find a place to put the baseball stadium down there and you've got a real winner.

[Highlander]

At first I was totally against this expansion, as I believed it would be better long-term for connectivity to NKC if the long term goal is North Oak > KCI light rail. However, cost of crossing HoA bridge is a difficult hurdle.

However, the streetcar expansion to the Riverfront gets more and more compelling when you add unique, anchor type projects and contemplate the issues they are having as well as positives free and fast downtown connectivity would bring in the immediacy vs. 20 years to try and figure out how to pay to cross the river. Here is how I would white board the issues:

Steamboat Arabia Museum relocation
-Taking up prime real estate in RM
- City basically giving them near-free rent
- Museum preventing open-air concerts and festivals in RM
-Museum doesn't have "enough parking"
-Museum out of space
-We don't really want them to go to Jeff City (and I don't think they do either, but who wants to turn down free money).
-Cons: new building = expensive...

New Casino
-Prime location
-Good connectivity to road users. Poor connectivity to downtown.
-Poor facility
-Brand new owners who have a vested interest in improving facility/profit.

Park and Ride
-Lots of suburbanites can't afford to live downtown/like living up north. Enjoy coming downtown for fun/work
-Surveys say city already subsidizes too many parking garages in DT.
-By building park and ride facility, eliminate/majorly reduce parking requirements downtown. Reduce parking spaces/surface parking in RM.

I think it's in the city's best interest to keep the Steamboat Arabia museum where it is. There are obviously issues facing the museum (particularly expansion) but none of them are worth its removal. The museum offers an interesting something to do to for residents and tourists alike in the urban core/downtown area that doesn't involve eating or drinking. There simply are not enough of these. Its urban location is mutually beneficial; it brings some people into the River Market area and it benefits from the traffic that is already there. I don't see how the museum could ever be moved and still be in KC's urban core - the museum doesn't have a large endowment and land has become too expensive for what is essentially a for-profit museum.

A move to Jefferson City would be in the worst interest of everyone involved - the only visitors it would ever get would be via school children pilgrimages to the state's capitol.

Expanding the streetcar line to a new casino services the nascent growth of residential in the riverfront area and the casino would have the space to offer parking which could be used by those wanting to assess the streetcar line which alleviates some of the RM parking issues. There's an entire large parking lot across the road from the casino that I've never seen a car parked in.

[missingkc]

Should PortKC make room available cheaply for the Arabia in the riverfront area?

[WoodDraw]

They would want heavy subsidies.

[normalthings]

Should PortKC make room available cheaply for the Arabia in the riverfront area?

Probably not. They’ve proven with Bar-K that they can add activity centers that pay rent. Arabia wouldn’t draw that many people, takes up valuable space, and would want free land/building.

[WoodDraw]

I'd be for it if they'd donate the museum to the city. All I've heard, they continue to want to run for-profit.

[FangKC]

If the only way they can make a profit is to get free or very cheap rent, then it's not really a for-profit enterprise after all. Most museums don't make money. Many survive on endowments, charitable donations, and volunteers.

There is only so much profit in showing dug-up riverboat artifacts as a stand-alone museum. These types of exhibits are usually part of a bigger museum's collections. At some point, the same will probably be said about the Garment District Museum, Negro League's Baseball Museum, and the American Jazz Museum. All the collections will eventually need to be combined into a larger museum facility. I predict they will all end up at Union Station, because it's the only logical place that has the room (and there is remaining space still unused). The Kansas City Museum doesn't have enough room for all those exhibits.

The other avenue for display is in a casino, or resort, as part of an bigger entertainment complex.