OFFICIAL - Arena construction

[KCPowercat]

What's funny is the city was legendary in making 2 stadiums, they are still copied today....the problem is they didn't put them in the right location.

BTW, I think you'll be surprised when the Sports commission comes out with their study. As reported by 980, they have proof that having no tenant actually makes a new arena more profitable....probably by openess to bigger conventions, etc.

We need a new arena if a NBA/NHL team would never come here.

[KCPowercat]

Just an update.....Mayor says she should have the report in by next week and will "release" it after Thanksgiving.

[PowderBlue]

I don't care if we have an NHL or NBA team lined up or not. At least we will be able to get the Big XII and some NCAA regionals. Kemper is a terrible place to see a game, even after you find it and make it through the parking lot.

[KCPowercat]

Channel 9 reports yesterday: (11.26.02)

-approx. 18,000 seats (more on this below)
-$175M
-14th & McGee possible location
-Wider concources
-More suites
-Better concessions
-No financing details...just said many sources will be investigated
-Late next week Mayor will speak on report
-Not dependent on NHL/NBA team


Now, on this thing having 18,000 seats. They keep talking about how we're missing out on shows like McCartney because of Kemper....well Kemper has 19,000+ seats, why would we be looking at a smaller arena? I know it will be a thousand times better because of age and location but shouldn't we at least hit 19,000 seats?

On further investigation, looking around at current NBA/NHL arenas, the average seating (not concert seating) is 19,696. High end being Charlotte at 24k, Chicago at 22k, & Philly at 21.5k....smallest go to Houston at 16k, Seattle at 17k, & Orlando at 17k...4 more arenas are under 19,000 seats. Of those 3 smallers, a believe 2 out of 3 are already building new areans (Houston & Orlando??)

we need to get to 19,000 seats for basketball/hockey seating to make this project a real success....don't cut any freaking corners.....don't forget, we'll be competing against a $400M arena in Dallas for some things....not that it's the only factor, but if we cut corners again, it won't look good.

[QueSi2Opie]

Unless it's changed, Kemper Arena seats approx. 18,000 people. They add 1,500 more seats on the main floor for concerts which makes it 19,500. They could do the exact same with the new arena...however, if the new arena floor is larger, they could add up to 3,000 for concerts.

[KCPowercat]

looks like you are right...I was just going with Channel 9's numbers....

according to http://www.kcconvention.com/3_facility/ ... percap.htm

Kemper Basketball 18,646
Kemper Hockey 18,046
Kemper concert 19,546

I think a new arena should seat 19,000 minimum for hockey. That with more suites will make it an above average arena in the US, especially with our hometown architectural firms working on it.

[KCgridlock]

980 is reporting that a press conference telling in detail how a new arena is to be built. The arena could start construction in spring of 2004 and will cost 175 million.

175 million seems low to me, but I don't know the details, they said it would have enough suites to lure an NBA or NHL team though. I have a feeling it will share parking facilities etc with the PAC and expanded bartle which will cut costs.

I just hope they do it right, 14th and Grand should be the location.

[KCPowercat]

when is the press conference?

If you look around, $175M for an arena is about at average...it's no American airlines arena but I have a feeling with our architects, it will still be first class.

If it's at 14th & Grand, would those parking structures around PAC be close enough? Would the new one at 11th & Oak also help that? I would really see a need for a parking structure just for the arena unless a Class B office tower needed it to become class A space.

[KCgridlock]

Oh, they will need to build lots of parking, but they now have other options to fund those. They should have enough money now to get the garages built around the arena, new ballroom, PAC and any new office buildings with other money sources like the bartle tax and the bonds issue. All they need is enough to get it started, the garages will bring in money etc to help pay for themselves. The city has built two huge garages (near city hall and kemper) latlely without a lot of upfront cash. All this development will eat up all that surface parking , but it need to be replaced. The new arena would be close to Town Pavilion Parking etc.
There is plenty of parking downtown and they will add new garages, but kc people will always complain if they don't have a free space within 100 feet of where they are going. KCMO should also get rid of most of it's street meters and just time them. That works great in Denver.

[KCgridlock]

980 said next Thursday

[KCPowercat]

thinking about it more, it would be nice to have a couple 10 story garage right in SoLo....right where they planned behind other buildings (around 14th & Walnut/main) would be good...couple thousand spots.....make sure they are free sometimes and they can also be used for office buildings.

Very exciting time...hope we do this right.

[KCPowercat]

thinking even more about it, planners would be smart to not put ANY garages too close...make people walk a couple blocks....that will ensure some foot traffic along the linear park and help development along IMO.

Dallas did this same sort of thing in the new "Victory" area, didn't put parking close so they made people get out of their cars and walk a couple blocks.

I hope they do that.

[KCPowercat]

May be financed completely with a $200M bond issue.

18,000 seats approx. completely big enough....enough to get us NCAA regionals and anything else we need....including NHL and/or NBA

[KCPowercat]

Well today is the day.....would you vote for it? Sounds like a $200M bond issue funded by a sales tax increase.

Locations:
-14th & Grand (#1)
-9th & ????? (north side of downtown)
-North of Washington Square across from Union Station.

14th & Grand is obviously the first choice...proximity to Bartle is key. No need for a NBA/NHL team, it's been found that the arena can make itself more profitable w/o one.....privately ran to help be more competitive in bringing in huge events/concerts/etc.

I, myself, am very excited and can't wait....I wish HoK, HNTB would throw us a rendering bone but you KNOW they are fighting like dogs about who is going to design a state of the art arena in their own backyard. I say, whoever designs it throws their name on it "HoK arena" sounds pretty sweet to me.

[Good2Great]

Ellerbe Beckett could also be considered for the project. They've receive TONS of props recently. Also, Crawford Architects could do a bang up job on the project. They're a very impressive up and comer with sports experience! It would be great to see a small local firm like that get the project!

[KCPowercat]

I'm up for anybody getting the project. We have such a wealth of local architects and I haven't seen a lot of what Crawford has done, I know they are doing the Law Building....not sure the city would give them such a large project.

You KNOW archeticts will be putting their best stuff forward for this project...big and small....I hope we can see all the designs.

[KCPowercat]

In a study done by the American Business Journals, KC is the 4th most overextended market when it comes to pro sports (according to their research). They threw in NFL,MLB,MLS as KC's pro sports. They did say if the Royals didn't make it and had to leave or contract, an NBA/NHL team would find this market very attractive.

I really don't want to lose baseball...summer wouldn't be the same w/o it. I'll watch minor league hockey and get my basketball in the college ranks, thanks.

Story is good in showing how an arena is STILL NEEDED even though we probably won't pick up an NBA/NHL team any time soon.

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... tory7.html

[KC0KEK]

It's worth remembering that although a new arena got us the Scouts and Kings, the arena had little to do with why we lost them. The Scouts left because the owner couldn't afford to field a winning team, so attendance was poor. The Kings left because the NBA was still basically a minor-league sport, so attendance was poor. If MJ had come into the league a year or two earlier, maybe we'd still have a team.

The bottom line is that this market is too small to support more than two pro teams.

[KCgridlock]

As an NHL fan, I would love to see KC get the NHL, but I think I would rather have an AHL team. Tickets for NHL "start" at 45 bucks and anything on the lower level is around 100 bucks a ticket. I would go to one game a year and probably wouldn't take my kids, and it would threaten the Royals as KC's coporate community is really needed there the most. MLB is by far the best sport for a city even if you don't like baseball, the royals still draw close to a million people from out of town.

KC should go after and get

AHL hockey, the AAA of hockey, it's in large markets and it good quality hockey at a fraction of the price of NHL

AFL, Top league of Arena football would do awesome here in a new arena

MLS, try and keep the Commets from going to the burbs and they will also ride an attendence boost as downtown comes back.

These three leagues will keep the arena hopping and alow KCMO to make money off the arena instead of giving it to an NBA or NHL owner.

[KC0KEK]

I agree, Kcgridlock. The NHL is overpriced, and the AHL isn't a league for has-beens and never-beens. The AHL is great hockey.