Insiders: Northland Political Flex Threatens Kansas City Economy

A worsening fight over Kansas City Northland development continues to escalate behind the scenes. 

On the surface it's a battle over incentives, traffic and airport rules . . . As always, the reality is that it's REALLY about money & power. 

We want to provide another update on the topic in order to clarify a typically boring and pedantic report provided by The Kansas City Star this week. 

Yesterday, we explained this move was purely political but that's not the whole story. 

Trusted insiders shared more deets recently . . .

INSIDERS FEAR THAT THE NORTHLAND BIZ CRACKDOWN ON MAYOR Q'S WATCH WILL CHASE AWAY FUTURE INVESTMENT IN KANSAS CITY!!!

Again . . . 

The cover story is a snooze fest about zoning, KCI traffic and a bunch of other fun stuff that city hallers made up before getting midweek drinks. 

But here's the more important conversation amongst insiders . . .

- The STALLED project belongs to parking lot power player Richard Chaves Jr. who is also bankrolling "Northland Strong" and hoping to craft a more friendly council in upcoming elections. 

- Right or wrong but certainly off the record, insiders blame the hold up on Mayor Q's team . . . 

- There's an angle about police funding and civic priorities . . . But, again it goes deeper . . .

The real dilemma posed by insiders . . . 

ALLEGEDLY BLOCKING MILLIONS WORTH OF INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL DISPUTES THREATENS TO SCARE AWAY INVESTMENT IN KANSAS CITY!!!

Here's the word shared with our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community . . . 

"Think about it . . . Who is going to want to do business in Kansas City if they have to kiss the ring of city hall bosses in order to move forward???"

"This is a dangerous way for Kansas City to conduct business because it sends the message that politics comes before creating jobs, building a better city and working with people who want to invest locally."

Now . . .

Here's something to remember about this hot mess . . .

On the surface, Mayor Q's office hasn't yet offered any meaningful comment on this crisis in the making. Supporters of the project are mostly working off record but their complaints are growing louder.

So far the hold up for incentives and zoning has been ascribed to conveniently timed memos and other council concern . . . Publicly, Mayor Q and his team are clean and above reproach. 

But consider this . . . 

The ALLEGATIONS of city hall playing politics with development dollars are SERIOUS and they're not something to take lightly. For now this is all behind the scenes chatter but the discussion can get TENSE very fast. 

We believe/hope & pray that Mayor Q's heart is pure and his staffers would never be so silly as to mix political pleasure with 12th & Oak biz. 

This post serves merely a note to warn Kansas City voters that Northland leaders with connections to BIG MONEY are making waves about this deal and their worsening frustration threatens consequences for the city hall status quo in the next election and beyond.

Developing . . .