I guess you have to give the Dea Sea Scrolls exhibit a little credit: The moderately successful attraction netted nearly $3 million and drew in more than 175 thousand people to Union Station.
Of course, I predicted it would be slightly successful from the outset.
I guess the decent turnout for the well hyped attraction did fine and sorta makes up for nearly a decade of KC's biggest White Elephant costing Kansas City millions of dollars. Now all they have to do is figure out another world renowned attraction for next year in order to repeat the performance. That AND pay off the $1.7 million the place still owes due to a backlog of bills.
Even better, the amazing renaissance of the old train stop was only in the black by $137,000 . . . Which probably doesn't even equal the receipts on a place like Oak Park Mall on a busy weekend.
Still, it's all about baby steps. Next up: How will Union Station officials keep up this kind of momentum? A Norman Rockwell exhibit that already makes me want to fall asleep is slated for June 22 to September 23.
Now, tell me they want to invite 80's legend Rockwell back to to play a show at Union Station and THAT would be something to get excited about . . .
How is Union Station costing Kansas City millions of dollars? I thought they received no funding from the city or state.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to explain it for Tony but I do remember that the revitalization of Union Station was part of a bi-state tax in 1999 that even people of Johnson County helped to restore. So Union Station does get funding at the state level.
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