Show the Olathe Daily News that there is support for a soccer stadium

Discussion in 'Sporting Kansas City' started by Merlin172, Jul 25, 2005.

  1. Merlin172

    Merlin172 Member

    Mar 16, 2000
    Kansas City, Kansas
    Commissioner Dave Lindstrom sent out this e-mail in response to an editorial in Friday's Olathe Daily News that is against the soccer complex. He's asking for our/your help in showing that there is in fact large support of the soccer complex project.

    I've attached the editorial, please read it and respond to the Olathe Daily News. We need to show them that this isn't just a pet project for the commissioners, that it has real support, and can be extremely successful.
     
  2. Jarnevic

    Jarnevic BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 21, 2005
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good to see that they just took an article that ran in 1997 and just replaced the words "Nascar Speedway" with "Soccer Complex." The lack of vision in this city scares me.

    I really wouldn't be too worried about what the Editorial Board at the ODN says. It is telling the people of JOCO (where a HUGE amount of kids play soccer) that soccer fields are stupid and we don't need a kick-ass complex. I don't think they are going to buy it.

    If you can tell a soccer mom that she can take her kids to a soccer tournament during the day and watch a Wizards game after and never leave the friendly confines of Johnson County, I think you will find that she is completly on board with that.
     
  3. Village_Idiot

    Village_Idiot New Member

    Feb 26, 2004
    Prairie Village, KS
    Well we knew this was coming, just didn't know when. I'm just amazed the press waited 2 full days before blasting the feasibility study. This will be an uphill battle, there's no doubt about it.

    Remember, pessimism masquerading as realism should not be regarded as insight.

    Keep the faith, y'all.
     
  4. Jarnevic

    Jarnevic BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 21, 2005
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    PS_Whoever is in charge of the ODN Editorial Board (Kevin Wright?) needs to go on a Saturday morning to ANY McDonalds in JOCO and just sit for one hour and count how many parents with grass-stained children in soccer unis come in there after game. It's staggering.

    To write that there is no money or interest in putting a SSS in JOCO is like saying that there is no money or interest for a hockey complex in Canada. It's Ridiculous.
     
  5. McGinty

    McGinty Member

    SKC/STL
    Aug 29, 2001
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Funny, as I'm working on a thesis about the Kansas Speedway, I thought the same thing.
     
  6. FreeNachos

    FreeNachos Member

    Apr 10, 2001
    North Hollywood, CA
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    aaaannnd, done!

    Kevin,

    The proposed soccer complex is incomparable to Olathe’s small arena idea.

    Here’s why: The small arena, outside of a big city that’s already building it’s own is not the same as this plan, an outdoor complex for a pro-team averaging 15,000 fans (except this year) and 15 youth soccer fields. You might as well compare Lee’s Summit to Paris.

    Let’s simplify. How many successful small arenas for indoor soccer teams have been built in the last…I don’t know…1,000 years? None.

    Now, how many outdoor soccer stadiums for MLS teams have been built in the last seven? Three: Columbus, OH, Los Angeles and now Dallas, TX. Two more are under construction outside of Chicago and Denver.

    Big deal? Yes. These are places you’ll see every weekend on ABC and ESPN. MLS scores scroll across the bottom of CNN and Headline News. They’ll print stories in the Los Angeles and New York Times. It’s not small time and it’s not someone’s “baby”. This is for everyone.

    You’ll have real professional sports in a friendly neighborhood setting, shopping and youth recreation. You might as well build a fun and money magnet. It’s a project the whole metro area will be proud (or jealous) of.

    Scott C. Jones
     
  7. kopiteinkc

    kopiteinkc Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 1, 2000
    Shawnee
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Mostly cribbed info from the HASF website, with a personal touch thrown in:

    Dear Sir:

    I found your recent editorial (7/22) on a proposed soccer complex in Johnson County rather interesting (Soccer complex is a tough sell).

    Your editorial questioned the validity of a soccer complex in Johnson County and yet in 2002, a task force formed by former Kansas Governor Graves concluded that a soccer stadium and complex in Johnson County would generate $45 million in annual economic activity and $3.5 million in local and state tax revenues. Over a 30-year period it is estimated that annual economic activity would generate $921 million and $69.4 million in local and state tax revenues. That is not a "pet project" those are real economic development numbers and something that should be considered very carefully. The opportunity awaits for commissioners with vision like Lindstrom and Toplikar and I am glad they are behind this effort.

    The task force also found that Kansas ranks second in the United States in the number of youth participants in soccer per capita, and 20th nationwide in soccer participation overall. The Greater Kansas City area ranks 4th in the United States in youth-soccer participation per capita.

    There is a critical shortage of soccer fields in the Kansas City metro area for tournaments, practices, and league games. All of the consultants who made presentations to the task force were clear on one point: the need for more soccer fields is clear and 100% utilization is virtually guaranteed.

    Wyandotte County has learned of the benefits that can be brought to an area by construction of a world-class sports facility. The task force concluded that a world-class soccer complex would bring similar benefits to whatever municipality constructed it.

    I strongly encourage the residents and politicians of Johnson County to get behind this effort, the positives are very clear and I for one would be very much in favor of it.

    You call it a "dog"? I call it a pedigree with a long heritage and lineage that we would be lucky to have in our community.

    Mark Adams
    Shawnee, Kansas
     
  8. rainbowwigwizard

    rainbowwigwizard New Member

    Nov 1, 2004
    The e-mail address for the Olathe News is incorrect in Dave Lindstrom's message. Please send e-mails to:
    kwright@theolathenews.com
     
  9. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    The key thing is to discount the "40,000" seat thing. That red herring is what is being used to hammer the proposal. The proposal is a 21 or 22k seat stadium. Stick to the message. Don't let them frame the argument.
     
  10. Roush

    Roush Member

    Dec 19, 2001
    Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My offering.

     
  11. Buzz Killington

    Buzz Killington Member+

    Oct 6, 2002
    Lee's Summit
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I had made a list at work of stuff to talk about in my email. You just hit every single point I wanted to talk about in mine. Every single point. :)
     
  12. Roush

    Roush Member

    Dec 19, 2001
    Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I trust you'll say them again...

    And for anyone who should desire, feel free to use my letter as a jumping off point. (Just don't plagiarize me :D)

    The more letters they get criticizing not only their position but their fallacious basis of backing it up, the better chance we have of if not changing their minds, at least forcing them to dine on a little crow.
     
  13. Buzz Killington

    Buzz Killington Member+

    Oct 6, 2002
    Lee's Summit
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Of course I will. :)
     
  14. staubio

    staubio New Member

    Nov 9, 2004
    Kansas City, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Olathe has their very own little newspaper? Ahh, how cute!

    This city as a whole doesn't lack vision, but it looks like certain parts of it do.

    I might just have to write those crazy cats at the Olathe fake news.
     
  15. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    If we want respect, we need to treat others with respect.
     
  16. TrooperBari

    TrooperBari Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 3, 2001
    Jakarta
    You'd be surprised the amount of pull "little newspapers" have within smaller communities.

    Play nice and so will they.
     
  17. Buzz Killington

    Buzz Killington Member+

    Oct 6, 2002
    Lee's Summit
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just sent mine. :)
     
  18. szazzy

    szazzy Member

    Apr 18, 2004
    Kansas City, MO
    I sent a nice, and only slightly condescending letter. Hey, I'm a soccer fan. I just don't feel right unless I'm kind of whiny.:D
     
  19. JacksonJazz#9

    JacksonJazz#9 Member

    Dec 12, 2000
    Grand Ledge, Mich
    Club:
    Plymouth Argyle FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i just dont see how this could miss.... if the economic impact study shows all those millions of dollars that will be taken in annually from tournaments, WCQs, friendlies, international exhibitions, it should be a no brainer... hell i live all the way over here in michigan, and if you had a WQC there, i would road trip over to see that. and if Columbus can get a qualifier, why cant your SSS? add to that the MLS cup you will get, ASG (maybe not such a selling point)... but what if Arsenal were to come to your stadium, ala real madrid to HDC... you KNOW you would be getting tons-0-Arsenal fans into your town.. staying at hotels, drinking your beer, eating at your restaurants...

    ALSO... if you were to have a youth tournament rivaling the Dallas Cup... MAN thats some cash (as youth soccer is such a racket) and exposure to you city. tie that into every participant gets a free ticket to a wizards game that night, or all the championship games are played at the stadium... what a draw that would be for the complex....

    BEST OF LUCK... i hope the powers that be can see that this will be good for the city and can pony up the money to get it started!!!

    "Build it, and we ALL shall come"
     
  20. SamPierron

    SamPierron BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 30, 1998
    Kansas City
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Jagov -- Olathe used to be a city in its own right before becoming subsumed by suburbia. The anti-suburb smack is more than a little tired, especially coming from someone who isn't actually from Kansas City, and doesn't know the first thing about the history of Johnson County. Lay off.
     
  21. PERFDBDAN

    PERFDBDAN New Member

    May 6, 2004
    I hope this helps.
     
  22. clintn

    clintn New Member

    Jan 15, 2000
    Springfield, Mo.
    Another log for the fire...

    Dear Mr. Wright,

    I have already told the wife that we will be purchasing Wizards season tickets for the first time in six years if the new stadium actually gets built. We would do so not only to support the team, but also to ensure we have quality seats in the face the supply-and-demand principles a smaller, more inviting venue would create.

    Before the kids were born, I drove to K.C. from Springfield, Mo., for virtually every Wizards home game. While the number of games I've attended the last couple of years has dropped due to my growing family, my interest in the Wizards has remained. In fact, we still make the six-hour round trip at least four times a season, often staying in K.C. overnight at area hotels now that we have the kids. As the kids grow older, I envision us making the trip more and more frequently (assuming the team doesn't leave town).

    Soccer is our game, and it always will be. We would love to come to your community to watch and play our game, and to spend our money in the process. I am confident I am not alone.

    Sincerely,

    Clint Nurnberg
    2844 S. Xyz
    Springfield, MO 6580x
    (417) 883-yzyz
     
  23. kopiteinkc

    kopiteinkc Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 1, 2000
    Shawnee
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Hmmm. My historian head kicks in once in a while. I can't help it, it's my job.

    Olathe was incorporated in 1857. Before Kansas was even a state (1861 in case you have forgotten). The first history of Olathe was written in 1874, the same year they got their first public library. They have had the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb there since 1866, maybe you should visit.
     
  24. KCWIZFLAG

    KCWIZFLAG Member

    Oct 31, 2002
    Gladstone, MO
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wrote mine:

    I am responding to your offering in the Olathe Daily news regarding your opposition to the Johnson County Soccer Complex. While I do understand the need for examining the pros and cons to this project, I do not understand your tone in doing so. Soccer has been and will probably always be a staple of suburban life.

    While I don't live in Johnson County, I would travel there to go to Wizards and other games at the proposed stadium. Youth leagues and college teams alike would be able to have state of the art facilities to conduct regional tournaments as well as everyday practice and games. When they do have these tournaments, they will need hotels to stay at, restaurants to eat at, and retail outlets to shop at on days when they are not playing or in between games. Needless to say, the economic impact of this project would only further other developments in and around the complex itself. All you have to do is look at the economic boost Wyandotte County received once the Kansas Speedway you so graciously mentioned was opened.

    I have been a season ticket holder for the Kansas City Wizards since 1997 and have seen significant increases in attendance over the years. I believe many more people would go to games if this was in their backyard. Sure it moves farther away from those of us in the Northland, but it beats not having a team at all. All I ask is that people are given the facts and are allowed to make up their own minds whether they think this is a good project or not. Skewing the facts simply because of bitterness about the Olathe Arena, doesn't give creditability to your editorial staff and serves to mislead your readers.

    In closing, I would just like to say that I hope you take this complex seriously. In the end you will see that should this complex go forward, it will generate enough revenue for you to have your new courthouse and jail.


    Aaron Campbell
    Kansas City Wizards Season Ticket Holder
    Excelsior Springs, MO
     
  25. StuBentley

    StuBentley New Member

    Sep 12, 2000
    Olathe, KS
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not that we really need more ammo with such a slanted editorial to work with, but the Olathe Daily News has an article about a softball tournament and all of the tourism revenue it will bring in: http://www.olathedailynews.com/News_photo/News3.shtml. It shouldn't be a stretch for them to see how soccer tournaments could do the same.
     

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