KCRag Forum

http://www.kcchamber.com/big5.aspx

Graves continues, ?When you think about it, my company has goals, The Chamber has goals, any organization has goals and objectives. So we?ve asked 17 regional leaders to each bring together groups who would have a diverse but inclusive viewpoint. Each will answer the question: What are the next five big things Kansas City should try to accomplish??

My list:

1. Light rail spine - RCP
2. Regional tax sharing agreement to fund regional attractions and transit
3. Updated comprehensive plan
4. Overhaul of regulations over businesses to eliminate unnecessary or burdensome rules
5. Tax reform to favor density and penalize surface parking lots/vacant/abandoned properties

1. RCP fixed guideway with streamlined bus/BRT service.
2. Create/attract new jobs/businesses/manufacturing.
3. Binding complete streets initiative.
4. Re-up "City Beautiful" legacy with focus on BLVDS.
5. Residential infill in the core and curb leapfrogging in the Northland.

1. New city charter: strong mayor and small business red tape elimination.
2. Regional tax agreement to fund regional attractions and transit, with regional representation and disbursement.
3. Regional rapid transit, preferably fixed-guideway, funded by the previous, to be seamlessly integrated into comprehensive intra-city spines.
4. Tax reform to favor density, infill / redevelopment, and renovation, rather than penalizing redevelopment and renovation with a punitive property tax.
5. Marijuana decriminalization ala Denver.

We should combine some of these and submit to Mayor James's office as the Official KCRAG PLAN FOR KC'S FUTURE. 

i am serious. 

I second KCMax's submittal, with a replacement for number 3.

  3. Double the amount of housing, all types, in downtown KC. 

Note:  The city of Denver recieved $2.2 million dollars in sales taxes from medicinal marijuana outlets in 2010.

Collison: Five ideas for burnishing KC area?s stature

1. Bi-state tax for culture
2. Jazz festival
3. RCP Corridor with streetcar
4. Strong mayor form of govt
5. Symbolic renaming of State Line Road "Peace Way", or having buildings on both sides of the state fly both state flags

KCMax wrote: Collison: Five ideas for burnishing KC area?s stature

1. Bi-state tax for culture
2. Jazz festival
3. RCP Corridor with streetcar light rail.
4. Strong mayor form of govt
5. Symbolic renaming of State Line Road "Peace Way", or having buildings on both sides of the state fly both state flags

there. fixed.

1. Great, Collison plagiarizing the rag forum...
2. Peace Way is the only idea he floated that he didn't steal from here, so it should be no surprise that it's the only idea that is absolutely, unforgivably stupid.
3. Please, KC Star, just die already.

Streetcar, light rail, I don't care. Just get something done.

1.  Light Rail spine with frequent commuter rail options to Lawrence, St. Joe, South OP, and Idependence
2.  Riverwalk along West Bottoms and Rivermarket development with giant London-eye style ferris wheel, rides, knickknack shops, restaurants, etc.
3.  Regional culture/entertainment tax, committee, and better business development/recruiting collaboration
4.  Along with a convention hotel or two and new reasonably priced (sweet spot between income restricted and luxury) apartments, create a shopping bazaar where people can rent stalls and sell homemade or small business products (like an in-person Etsy) through sponsorships with the Kaufman foundation (I'd like it in one of the giant Crossroads parking lots, but really anywhere from the River to Crown).
5.  Rededication to being known as the city of fountains, with a pledge to build one big fountain in the River-Crown-Plaza corridor every year for ten years

bobbyhawks wrote: 1.  Light Rail spine with frequent commuter rail options to Lawrence, St. Joe, South OP, and Idependence
2.  Riverwalk along West Bottoms and Rivermarket development with giant London-eye style ferris wheel, rides, knickknack shops, restaurants, etc.
3.  Regional culture/entertainment tax, committee, and better business development/recruiting collaboration
4.  Along with a convention hotel or two and new reasonably priced (sweet spot between income restricted and luxury) apartments, create a shopping bazaar where people can rent stalls and sell homemade or small business products (like an in-person Etsy) through sponsorships with the Kaufman foundation (I'd like it in one of the giant Crossroads parking lots, but really anywhere from the River to Crown).
5.  Rededication to being known as the city of fountains, with a pledge to build one big fountain in the River-Crown-Plaza corridor every year for ten years

I'm enticed by #5.

I think combining a jazz festival with the American Royal BBQ is a great idea. If we had it in Penn Valley Park, we'd probably get a lot of visitors going to Union Station exhibits and the WWI Museum, as well as visiting the Federal Reserve, Negro Leagues.and American Jazz museums.

Or maybe we could close Grand from 7th to Truman, and have it there in the heart of downtown, and have stages as well as using the nightclub venues in the P&L District.

These are all great ideas and are on the KCRAG usual list of things needed for KC.  I'd like to see bi-state cooperation result in a metro wide cultural tax where there is a small break in admission prices for counties participating (i.e., Wyandotte County residents would pay full price). 

I'd also like to see KC develop an economic development plan with vision and some teeth....a la Indianapolis in the 90's with their emphasis on amateur sports.  What could KC emphasize?

Public Transportation in any way, shape or form.  More of it but get light rail at least from RM to the Plaza.  Get the burbs involved.  Get Kansas involved. 

A makeover of the KC area parks and adjacent areas.  What a challenge that would be but our utilization of some of the finest urban parks in US metro areas is both dismal and sad.  You should see how Houstonites turn out in droves to utilize their ugly, sorry ass parks.  KC parks are far more interesting but you could shoot a bullet and hit nobody at most times of the day.  And it's not just about the parks, it's the surrounding areas that need to improve. 

Kemper is set up best for the BBQ though. It has the facilities for people who stay in RVs, and locker rooms for showers, as well as the electrical infastructure.

I think the major things KC can emphasize are that it's set up to be a major and convenient distribution center; it has very cheap housing for employees, low taxes compared to most states and cities; and now with the Google network going in, it's got a good technological advantage.  This make it good for start-up businesses that need to keep costs low.

There are also a lot of engineers and telecommunications people here, and our worker population is well-educated, and highly productive compared to other places.  Plus our commute times are insanely short compared to LA and NYC.

Highlander wrote: I'd also like to see KC develop an economic development plan with vision and some teeth....a la Indianapolis in the 90's with their emphasis on amateur sports.  What could KC emphasize?

  Art

The first half of yesterday's Up To Date episode had Chamber of Commerce Chair Greg Graves and Chamber CEO Jim Heeter discussing the five big things for KC:

Link to show:

http://archive.kcur.org/mp3/?id=8304&pi ... %20Tornado

Link to archive page for Up To Date:

http://www.kcur.org/uptodate.html

I liked one of the general themes they were discussing and that was marketing KC as an Arts and Science hub instead of just one or the other.  

Highlander wrote: I'd also like to see KC develop an economic development plan with vision and some teeth....a la Indianapolis in the 90's with their emphasis on amateur sports.  What could KC emphasize?

KC should focus on what it already knows best, tangents of those and capitalize on opportunities that are unique to KC.

- Animal Health industry is tops in world, 1/3 of global industry is in this reagion, growth is continuing to be good here - build more labs.
- Freight industry (2nd in rail, 3rd in trucking) - need to go for more warehousing/logistics opportunities, capitalize on most underground storage in world
- Auto industry - suppliers are moving here - attract more suppliers and GM/Ford will continue to invest
- Google Fiber - many cities will get high speed internet, google's should be cheap.  sell the hell out of that message when attracting companies

KC's weakest point might be the lack of a major University in the heart of metro.  Need to focus on turning UMKC into one.  KU/K-State help the metro though.

When looking at industries that create the most Gross Metro Product per employee, it is the Finance/Insurance industry. Finance industry in KC is slightly higher than average and while GMP is good per cap here, focusing on Finance/Insurance would raise GMP faster than other industries.

Pork Chop wrote: I liked one of the general themes they were discussing that was marketing KC as an Arts and Science hub instead of just one or they other. 

there's a pretty cool rebranding campaign in the works. presumably they've seen it and are repeating the talking points.

DaveKCMO wrote: there's a pretty cool rebranding campaign in the works. presumably they've seen it and are repeating the talking points.

So, the rebranding campaign is based on the Arts and Science theme? That's good to know and thanks for sharing. Do you know when it will become public?

Maybe not the place for it but Lewis Diguid (sp?) had an interesting column this morning.  Usually, I find Diguid a bit of a bore but this was a nice cheerleading piece for Kansas City....

http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/cu ... ted-about/