100 Special Events a Year in P&L?

KCTigerFan · Post by **KCTigerFan** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:07 am

Could this be a sign of things to come here?

Free events to boost Fourth Street Live
Cordish plans to offer concerts, other activities
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By SHELDON S. SHAFER
sshafer@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

The Cordish Co. plans to stage 80 to 100 free public events a year at its Fourth Street Live project in an effort to ensure that the downtown entertainment hub isn't only a Friday- and Saturday-night phenomenon.

Building on similar programs that have proved highly successful at its projects in other cities, Baltimore-based Cordish will spend several million dollars a year to produce and promote the public activities that will include local and regional musicians, nationally known entertainers, themed parties and Sunday Family Days.

"The events will vary greatly," said Cordish spokeswoman Kimber Goodwin. "There will be things for kids, teens and seniors. We will make this project attractive to everyone and make it a place that everyone can be comfortable in." She said Cordish has obtained an arena liquor license that will allow patrons to carry drinks.

Fourth Street is being reopened to vehicles through Fourth Street Live, but barricades embedded in the street can be raised to block traffic at both ends of the project so events can be held under the sloping roof in an area that is heated.

The events on the central plaza will be visible from the project's large second-level balcony. Restaurants and bars - Hard Rock Cafe, McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon, Red Star Tavern, T.G.I. Friday's - will surround the atrium and feature outdoor seating. The site, formerly the Louisville Galleria, will easily hold 6,000 people for the public events, Goodwin said. Multiple stages will be set up to accommodate some events.

Goodwin said Cordish has similar programs for public events at its Power Plant District in Baltimore, Bayou Place in Houston and High Falls Live in Rochester, N.Y. The Power Plant complex on Baltimore's Inner Harbor drew 7.2 million people last year, according to the Baltimore Business Journal...

...Cordish has its own marketing, production and sponsor-recruitment staff. Goodwin said the intent is to line up national or local co-sponsors to share costs of the public events. Some national brands that have sponsored events in other Cordish projects want to underwrite events in Louisville, she said. Fourth Street Live will offer sponsors a new opportunity to reach consumers, Goodwin said.

She also said that some national acts that play Baltimore, for example, will probably be double-booked to appear in Louisville. Bands that appeared in Baltimore last year included Cheap Trick, Spin Doctors, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Gin Blossoms, Violent Femmes, Cracker and Everclear.

Goodwin said Cordish tentatively plans at Fourth Street Live:

Wednesday-night live music and entertainment. Possibilities include "battles of the bands" and "American Idol"-style competitions.

Thursday-night "Party on the Plaza." Regional and national groups would give special concerts, with support from local bands. The series would probably be held June through August.

Friday Live! Themed Friday night activities would cater to the after-work crowd. Possibilities include a beach party with steel drum bands, or a jazz night.

Sunday Family Day. Cordish is striving for a "street fair environment" throughout the project.
Activities could include puppet shows, face painting, magic, petting zoos and pet shows, Child ID Day, bike-safety clinics, strolling entertainers, story hours, arts-and-crafts fairs and games.

, , Cordish also hopes to provide corporate and convention parties and receptions, Goodwin said. The free public events will be supplemented by live entertainment offered by some of the tenants, the first of which are expected to open by late May.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:10 am

that's what i like to see.

i am glad Cordish doesn't just build these places and move on. it's cool that they invest in promoting the district and bringing free fun events to the district. i hope they do that in KC.

and welcome to the forum, KCTigerFan. it's good to have more people here repping the right school.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:12 am

yeah welcome.

I think we can expect this....4th street live is a much smaller version of what we are getting and Cordish is doing all that there, we can expect at least this, if not a lot more.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:20 am

I think there will be a whole lot more events than 100 but yes it'd be awsome.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:26 am

100 special events is a lot, really, especially considering that these are more "weekday" affairs to get people into the district on those "off" days.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:28 am

I'd love to see weekly concerts after work to get people to stay down there...and lunchtime things.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:32 am

yeah, lunchtime things!

my brother lived in downtown los angeles on "Bunker Hill" next to the MoMA and this cool outdoor pavilion thing. they'd have string quartets or piano players or dancers out there pretty frequently, just entertaining the lunch crowd and providing ambiance to a pretty square downtown.

i'd love to see the P+L be a real fun 24/7 district where people will want to go just to BE THERE and take it in. every time i come to KC, i go to the plaza and westport just to be there and see what's happening, not necessarily to shop or anything.

i think KC should really position itself as a fun arts town. the Xroads, FF, PAC, Ballet, etc. are all RIGHT there by the P+L. as such, it would be cool if members of the Symphony or Ballet could perform in the P+L District just to promote their own orgs as well as entertain people.

if P+L is just a mall/bar district, shame on Cordish. make it a neighborhood amenity and regional destination and tourist trap AND place to experience fun street life. multi-purpose good times.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:44 am

looking at the the tenant mix, I think we can expect all of the above Chriz...not just a mall type thing because the retail element is actually not that high.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:48 am

i know! it makes me excited! Cordish appears to know how to make fun districts. i just hope they can make believers out of typical Kansas Citians who have no idea that downtown is making a comeback. even with the arena, i bet lots of KC people think it'll just be another gleaming new facility in a dead hood, albeit a more visible dead hood.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:50 am

on ssp.com I've tried before to get their feelings on the district...maybe it's time to ask again now that it seems to be going for a little while.

what's exciting talking to them is I know ours will be 3 times the size.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 12:02 pm

i second that. i'll go over there and ask. it's not like i am doing anything productive or anything.

Post by **KCMax** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 12:43 pm

You guys are missing the best part.

Cheap Trick is coming to town!!! Sweet!

I want you to want me...

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:08 pm

I get more excited about this every time more details come out.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:20 pm

A person at Cordish told me that they want to have something in the major pavilion stage area nearly every night of the year.