One of the first thing we noted after Kansas City was embarrassed by Cleveland, Dallas and the GOP was the reactionary instinct to blame this town's lack of a taxpayer subsidized convention hotel.
Today, Dave Helling dutifully answers that call . . .
Dave Helling: Kansas City will again explore the conventional wisdom about a new hotel
This isn't exactly a new trend since Mayor Sly has been talking about it non-stop for about a year . . .
But here's the premise:
"Within a few months — certainly by the end of the year — the argument over public support for a downtown convention hotel will surface again.
Supporters of tax breaks and subsidies for such a facility will say its construction will help Kansas City land big events like the GOP gathering."
Again, Dead Tree Media is catching on to a process that has been going on for years . . . But more debate on the project will be welcomed even if it's a done deal for Mayor Sly's second term.
Developing . . .
Are those real?
ReplyDeleteToy train, new airport, new hotel. Is there anything this city's elite (and believe me, I don't include Helling among anyone's elite) don't want to blow our tax dollars on?
ReplyDeletemuther jumper 6:10 PM you have to be blind not to see those have more plastic than a house sided with vinyl.
ReplyDeleteGet an eye test dude.
Ross Perot said....wake me up when you get serious KC
ReplyDeleteWelcome to S'LIElandia
ReplyDeleteHelling even listed "rail transit" as one of the possible reasons the GOPers didn't come to town.
ReplyDeleteYes, there's just no one more pro public transit than the Republicans. That's why they flew in on a chartered jet.
But the developers with no money sure get the message. In fact, if you want some money from city hall, just go up to the 22nd floor and shout "streetcar".
Be sure to take a big paper bag.
Clark Hunt once said that Kansas City, without professional sports teams, is Wichita. What would be so bad about being a big Wichita? Kansas City is not a major city and it will never be but that is not bad. I rather have a city that is run well than a crumbling major city.
ReplyDelete7:36 awesome point. We are suffering from an identity crisis. That would probably be the most productive ballot initiative this city could host. A vision/identity initiative. Are we trying to be a "big Wichita" or a small Chicago? That would give some guidance on how to move on things like the convention hotel. Because if we want to be a small Chicago, then this week with skills has shown we need to have more hotel space (not necessarily heavily tax subsidized). But I don't disagree that we may be better suited as a "big Wichita" and I'm not sure thats a bad thing either.
ReplyDeleteYeah Wichita! They only have 5 near 20 thousand seater venues, Old Towne, Discovery Place, Century II Convention Center and hotels out the ying yang. Doesn't that just suck?
ReplyDeleteAnother "squishy" article from Helling, lots of words, but most of it is in the style of "on the one hand this---but on the other hand that" or "six of this" versus "half-dozen of that."
ReplyDeleteI'll save you the read, and give you the most important line:
"(Note to sports talk show hosts: If a downtown ballpark is such a good idea, let the private sector build it.)"
BRILLIANT!!!!
Now, Mr. Helling, if you would simply extend this train of well-reasoned thought to the other issues mentioned (streetcar, stadiums, Sprint Center, convention hotels, etc.) you'd be writing potentially award-winning articles.
Same old downtown story.
ReplyDeleteWe need a new hotel.
Then we need a new convention center...
On and on.
Does anybody remember the old "Vista" Hotel project in the 1980's. Everybody wanted to do it, everybody wanted to borrow money to build it, but nobody wanted to invest their own money. It eventually got built, but it went bankrupt twice because nobody invested in it. They just borrowed money and got government grants to get it built.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of a convention hotel reminds me of the Vista project. I will guarantee that there will be little or no equity in the project. It will be borrowed money and grants, and it will eventually fail, go bankrupt, and somebody else will pick it up for a song and make it work.
Don't forget Sly will claim we lost it because of the old, outdated airport.
ReplyDeleteHey would you rather do Worlds of Fun or Six Flags....sheesh!
ReplyDeleteI was without work for 6 months when my former Co-worker finally recommended me to start freelancing from home... It was only after I earned $5000 in my first month when I actually believed I could do this for a living! Now I am happier than ever... I work from home and I am my own boss now like I always wanted... I see a lot of unhappy people around me, working the same old boring job that's sucking the life out of them day by day... Everytime I see someone like that I say START FREELANCING MAN! This is where I started >
ReplyDeletewww．Blue50．com
Did you say FREEBASING?
ReplyDeleteWichita is a shithole. I don't want to be a shithole on the same level as Wichita. Period.
ReplyDeleteWichita....man the lunacy does not stop in here.
ReplyDeleteI jest don't know...KC is all negro and graft and crime and dysfucktional city services and yet I would not want to move to Wichita...
Just watch KC become Detroit on the plains and see the city implode.
It may not implode, but Sly has pumped lots of hot air into the balloon without a whole lot actually happening. What's that hissing sound?
ReplyDeleteEvery city over 250 thousand is spending millions on hotels and convention centers chasing an ever shrinking convention market. When the supply vastly exceeds demand guess what happens. Of course all the journalism and political science majors flunked Econ 51 so they probably don't understand.
ReplyDeleteNice crotch. I'm a crotch guy.
ReplyDeleteSo the strippers start looking akank if the convention business dries up?
ReplyDeleteHotels do not deserve tax breaks when General Managers choose not to do business with local minority businesses. Council should not give any handouts when the hotel industry does not support the city.
ReplyDelete