Kansas City May Lose Chiefs, Royals to Budget Deficit

[GRID]

Moving. 

I would.

Seriously, why would you live in KC if there were no pro sports, museums, theaters, etc.

Pro sports is one of the things that keeps me in KC along with the arts scene, concerts,etc

Entertainment is a huge deal to me, especially in a city in the middle of the boring midwest.

I would move to Denver or even St Louis if the sports teams left.  Maybe I'm the only one that would do that, I don't know.  But I would leave and go to a city that once again offers the full package of entertainment and culture options that I desire.

[KCPowercat]

That argument could go for 95% of the city's budget I would bet. Those who don't use mass transit...parks...arts.

Those teams bring quality of life and economic benefits to this city. Now what is a proper spend amount for that benefit is easily up for debate.

[DaveKCMO]

Moving.

moving from OP? lee's summit? raytown?

sorry, but in this budget year KCMO should prioritize the basics and fix what's broken. supporting the sports teams with $2m/yr does nothing to improve KCMO. maybe this should be another item to subsidize regionally (KS and MO).

i'm really tired of this threatening to leave scenario. we were coerced into fixing up that albatross out east and now when times are hard, they can't suffer with the rest of us. bullshit, i say.

[DaveKCMO]

I would.

Seriously, why would you live in KC if there were no pro sports, museums, theaters, etc.

Pro sports is one of the things that keeps me in KC along with the arts scene, concerts,etc

Entertainment is a huge deal to me, especially in a city in the middle of the boring midwest.

I would move to Denver or even St Louis if the sports teams left.   Maybe I'm the only one that would do that, I don't know.  But I would leave and go to a city that once again offers the full package of entertainment and culture options that I desire.

but you'd be leaving blue springs, so that makes it a blue springs or jackson county problem.

[LenexatoKCMO]

moving from OP? lee's summit? raytown?

Uhh - three blocks from you Dave. 

[dangerboy]

but you'd be leaving blue springs, so that makes it a blue springs or jackson county problem.

OH SNAP!  Seriously though... If people are Blue Springs or Overland Park are serious about keeping the teams they ought to be lobbying the Blue Springs and Overland Park city councils to start subsidizing the sports complex.

As a Kansas City resident I don't want to have my own services cut in order to preserve something that few others in the region are willing to help fund.

[DaveKCMO]

Uhh - three blocks from you Dave. 

yeah, i know that silly. i was speaking generally. anyway, this is much ado about nothing since the teams have also sunk money into the stadiums they should not be motivated to leave right now (but they are certainly motivated to continue coercing money from the city).

it's no worse than people moving from KCMO because the schools suck, which is a far bigger problem.

[DaveKCMO]

OH SNAP!  Seriously though... If people are Blue Springs or Overland Park are serious about keeping the teams they ought to be lobbying the Blue Springs and Overland Park city councils to start subsidizing the sports complex.

As a Kansas City resident I don't want to have my own services cut in order to preserve something that few others in the region are willing to help fund.

bingo!

[LenexatoKCMO]

this is much ado about nothing since the teams have also sunk money into the stadiums they should not be motivated to leave right now (but they are certainly motivated to continue coercing money from the city).

Uhh - not much money, particularly the Royals.  If either team decided the grass was greener in 5-10 years, the amount invested would be relative chicken scratch out of overall moving expenses. 

[dangerboy]

I'm starting to think that actually losing one or both teams is the only way we will ever get real regional financing of the sports complex.  The current system provides no incentive for other counties to start subsidizing the stadiums as long as Jackson and KC are willing to do it.  Losing a team might be the only thing that actually moves the suburbs to act.

[NDTeve]

Exactly Danger Boy. Call their bluff.

[ComandanteCero]

Considering the list of priorities and problems KCMO has, subsidizing the stadiums shouldn't even be a consideration.  if it's going to be subsidized it should be subsidized regionally.  They should drop the subsidy and let that be the first step towards figuring out a regional solution that comes up with a newly negotiated funding agreement that doesn't screw the taxpayers.

Ideally, they should just up the prices on tickets, I still don't understand how people can justify the massive public subsidies given to professional sports teams.  If cities would simply let the market do its job, the professional sports industry would self correct (of course, you would need everyone to agree to stop subsidizing... which is damned near impossible).  I don't think the city sinks 2 million dollars annually in all of the theaters and museums in the city combined (excluding the zoo, which i think used to get 4 million).

[kcdcchef]

but you'd be leaving blue springs, so that makes it a blue springs or jackson county problem.

it is. they ponied up 500m within the county. now the city needs to continue to kick in the money to keep the stadiums up that they promised.

shit, cut the funding for the marketing of the airport. does anyone really beleive we need to market a shit ass airport like that anyways? why in the hell does one advertise an airport? if people are gonna travel, then they will. they dont need an ad to convince them to travel.

[MidtownCat]

And Funk pulls the "professional sports teams don't have a positive economic impact on the city" card in today's presser.  And he has a stack of articles to prove it.  Lol.

God, what a fucking moron.

[mean]

He and all those economists are stupid.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I don't know if the figures have ever been published but the city should be making a nice sum from taxes at the stadiums.  You have the sales taxes from ticket sales, novelties, concessions.  Earnings taxes from the players and team staffs plus stadium personnel.

Yes, it is a shame that the city has had to contribute to the cause but there is a right way and there is a wrong way to stop assisting the county.  And the Funk has chosen the wrong way to do it.

[kcdcchef]

He and all those economists are stupid.

you mean all the ones paid off to tip a survey/study one way or the other? those economists? dont pull that economist shit on me, there are ones for every side of the debate.

you dont have those sports teams, you lose thousands of hotel room nights annually. that shit adds up. as does the restaurant biz and catering biz. and the taxes that go with. and all the pro sports teams merchandise sold all over the metro. and the jobs associated with the teams.

please, save the bullshit.

[mean]

you mean all the ones paid off to tip a survey/study one way or the other? those economists?

That makes sense. The economists arguing against the multi-billion dollar industry are the ones being paid off. Might check your logic there, bro.

[KansasCityCraka]

KC Council majority opposes mayor’s plan to abolish city aid for stadiums

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics ... 76553.html

[LenexatoKCMO]

I don't know if the figures have ever been published but the city should be making a nice sum from taxes at the stadiums.  You have the sales taxes from ticket sales, novelties, concessions. 

KMBC said $6 million a year in sales tax last night.