KCRag Forum

KC_JAYHAWK wrote:Where did the FFA go after leaving Kentucky?

Yes the FFA, I believe, left Kentucky - or will leave. And yes an arena was attached to the location. But the rest of the facility was not up to par for what they wanted. Kentucky was a short term location until facilities were completed in Indy. Or so I was told by people at the KCCC.
Most of the FFA wanted to stay in KC, however, the big decision makers wanted a location that was closer to FFA headquarters which is what they got.

The Star tells us today that the bonding authority had been granted $135 million in city revenue bonds for the project. The project is still set to face a budget shortfall, but there is enough money for the ballroom ($50.1 million) out of the $197.6 million project.

But that's not it...
After the ballroom goes up, they will go back to the drawing board with even more expansions and upgrades including a proposed pedestrian bridge from the convention floor to Barney Allis Plaza. A lot more changes and/or upgrades could also be on the way...
--Convention Floor expanded by 200,000 sq. feet
--Streets around Bartle changed to 2-way complete with new passenger loading areas
--Interior renovations that "spill out on the street" for pedestrians near the main entrances.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 416783.htm

The price of progress, or keeping up with the Jones, or maintaining your investment. Anyway, so far nothing out of general tax revenues. All from expected proceeds of the Hotel-Motel Tax.

I have not looked at this post in quite some time and saw a few of you responded to my post. Whether or not the OP center is larger or not, the fact is that it is competition and this is bad for KC as a whole. Conventions need to come downtown and to KC. Cities are always adding on to convention space, and it seems like this is a trend that will continue. I just hope that this architecture is better than what the convention center is now. I hope it includes street level activity, which should be a requisite for almost all activity. The current blank walls of the current convention center are boring and seperate the city sidewalks from the convention. This area could really be a boom with conventioners, especially if the President is revamped and maybe another hotel or two are built, maybe one could be put south of the loop, which could bring more activity there.

Bean to manage Bartle Hall project


City Architect Tom Bean will be assigned to oversee the design and construction of the Bartle Hall improvement project full time effective July 1.

City Manager Wayne Cauthen said Bean’s knowledge and experience will help ensure the successful completion of the project.

“Tom Bean’s experience and history with the Bartle Hall project make him the ideal person to oversee the improvement project,â€

The current long time assistant manager, Bill Langley, of the Convention Center is retiring at the end of June. With him will go a history of the convention and sports business in Kansas City. His departure also leaves the Center extremely short on experience in the Kansas City marketplace. His presence helped the City through Bartle expansions in the past, especially with the lessees of the facility.

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... st=b_ln_hl

Renovation of Bartle begins

Kansas City officials on Friday began a $135 million renovation, expansion and technology upgrade of Bartle Hall.

Work will begin by renovating meeting rooms and introducing new videoconferencing and Internet technology. Lighting and lighting control will be improved, as will room acoustics. Meeting rooms in the 2200 series will be rearranged and resized to 30 feet by 50 feet. Two boardrooms will be added, each with an anteroom and serving credenza.

The renovation is to be completed in December.

The project's second phase will begin in the summer of 2005. A ballroom containing 40,000 square feet of multipurpose space will be built immediately north of a proposed performing arts center. The ballroom, expected to open in early 2007, will be able to accommodate 5,700 people.

Bartle Hall's existing 23,900-square-foot ballroom will continue to be used for smaller events.

Financing for the project was approved by Kansas City voters in November 2002.

Good lord, the number of cranes that will be up from the south loop to the Federal Reserve Bank is amazing!!!

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 230369.htm

[quote]The first phase of the project, including new lighting and other mechanics, high-tech communications equipment and an aesthetic face-lift throughout, is expected to be completed by December.

Construction will begin next year on a 40,000-square-foot ballroom addition that, like the last Bartle expansion in 1994, will be suspended above Interstate 670. It is expected to open in 2007.

“This convention center project is part of a much larger picture of what we are creating for our downtown,â€

Good to hear that it will be expanded over I-670. Would love to see the freeway completely capped off so that the Loop could tie into Xroads. Then again, when capped off there will be no more Loop.

Any renderings showing it over the freeway?

Well, I guess they want to build a massive garage where they were originally going to build another hall expansion (east of the ball room over 670). So now they want to expand the main bartle over the interchange west of bartle.

Anyway here is the ballroom:

it wouldn't be a bad idea to use that extra space for a garage until they need to expand bartle. It makes sense to level that block, and prep it for some type of building now, and use it for a garage until the Convention Center space is needed.

any more word on the city building a 5-6 story garage to the east of this development instead of underground as first proposed? I know I read that somewhere.

The city is looking for art proposals for the expansion:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 603953.htm

What they describe towards the end sounds very cool. A glowing addition to the skyline.

Check out these construction pix and animation about the first expansion:

http://www.accessmediaink.net/newsite/P ... bartle.htm

this is kind of random but do you all see the little block which is half surface parking lot half mini-bluff with two buildings to the east of bartle? That is the coolest little spot. They should really try to make that into a garden, small park or public square along with the block to the south of it. Actually, wasn't there some plan to make a park promenade or some thing infront of the Power and light building (heading south i think?). I wouldn't want to knock those buildings down, but then again i wouldn't want the rest of that green area to be developed......

how close is this to what we'll really see? Construction starts in the spring?

I really like how it completely covers the interstate in that area....makes it go away which is good for bridging the gap.

I think this rendering is pretty much the final design, but I'll find out.