i don't know about those other mayors, but i know that ours actually WANTS this project. he just wants it done without this one specific tax incentive that would mean he would have to throw out his platform that he ran on for office.
I agree. I think the main reason for challenging this is for appearance purposes so people will know that he didnt lie about the TIFs in his campaign.
Funkhouser’s stand disappoints backers of Three Trails project talks about Funkhouser opposing super tif. State letter, from Lt. Gov, indicating that super tif needed to be triggered so that state money could come. How Wizards need this to happen soon so they can start construction. Also about going to Olathe for STAR Bonds if this don't work.
I like the fact that they have another city waiting in the wings on the Kansas side. This ought to make Funk think twice about shutting/slowing this down for what alot of people might consider political reasons. If he loses this deal just so that he doesn't appear to be a campaign liar, he will look like an even bigger idiot if Kansas gets another big project that Missouri passed on or waited too long to get it done. Hopefully the council will put some pressure on the mayor to sit down and get this hammered out a little quicker, since this deal would obviously happen before light rail would. Light rail is fine....I would definitely use it, but Three Trails is happening right now. He needs to focus on what it will take to get it done and put light rail on the back burner for a month or two.
I agree that he'll look dumb for letting this get by, but it's not just the MO-KS thing, it's the KC thing as a whole. This part of KC NEEDS something there. And if this doesn't go through it'll be another 5 years (and I'm being optimistic with that amount of time) at least I think before something else comes along.
Agreed...another reason why he would look completely foolish if he let this take too long to get settled. I think it will get done...I just hope it doesn't take so long that it delays the stadium opening any further.
Are you forgetting.....if this fails, they will still have "the black community's gold mine" sitting right there. Pull the plywood down, fresh coat of paint, some weed killer.....and the gold mine is back up and setting a course for prosperity in that community. It must be true, they said so.
It does not appear that he cares one way or other, per the Star article. He has already made up his mind to vote against it unless super TIF and state finance is pulled, which he KNOWS is not going to happen. When politicians start talking about nuances you know their mind is already made up. I actually had a pretty good opinion of the guy, even if I did not vote for him, but the bizarre formulations of his Light rail plan and now this have completely turned me off. Definitely not a 'lets get things done' kinda guy.
Why? Because you wouldn't want to drive that far or what? or is it because "it's Kansas" ? I want it in MO too, but if it has to be in KS, that's fine by me.. better than another city.
a few reasons, the drive is just one of them I bet. The other is the fact that this site is fairly central. Olathe is out on the very edge of the metro area. I would bet money that you'd lose season ticket holders from the east and north side of town with a move out to Olathe, my guess is more then you would gain from season ticket holders down in that area. I'll drive it either way, but when you put the stadium out on the fringe of the metro, like Olathe is, you alienate a lot more people then you do with a location like Bannister. At least that's my guess as to why he said that. On another topic but kind of along with my post, anyone have any stats on where the population center of this metro area is?
Unbelievable... Dusty, i agree... i have turned a 180 on how i feel about funky-houser... very disappointed...
Oh i know those reasons and I agree. just wanted to hear his. I don't know that it would massively suck. I am sure we have people who willd drive it no matter where it's at (you, me, etc). We have people that won't drive to arrowhead now who live on the outskirts... so yeah, i know that some wouldn't go to olathe if it's another 40 minutes west and south. Think about it though, KC is growing in that direction, or so it seems... so, in the long run, maybe it's a good idea to go out there. Especially if those are the people with the entertainment dollar. I don't want it in olathe either, I am selfish, I don't want to drive that far but if it's there, so be it... it's just 16 or so trips a year. I'd love to see those stats
I think you can kinda see this in the original feasibility study: http://www.sportkc.org/news/documents/SoccerFinalReport9-29-05.pdf Look at page 218 or so...
http://www.metrodataline.org/pdf/census2000/2000AllRacesbyCensusBlock.pdf Here's one based on the last census. It even has it by race FWIW. The Olathe site is actually by the Great Mall and really out there, unless they have located another site. It would be ironic if we go from mall site to mall site.
Interesting graphic. I wonder why the legend shows all races that are not hispanic as "_______, non-hispanic". Like, duh, but thanks for the clarification.
kuhnscoot was right on. most important is the decentralized location. that's where the "massive" in "massively suck" comes from. the "suck" in "massively suck" comes from it contributing to johnson county. after the way their citizens have refused to contribute anything to greater kc, i'd be very against anything that might contribute to them.
I guess if you keep repeating something enough it becomes true, right? I've lived here for a little more than 14 years and I still don't get the balkanization of the KC metro area. [Rodney King] Why can't we all just get along? [/Rodney King]
Depends on where you go in Olathe. If you're near the Bass Pro or near the K-10/435 interchange, it's a whole lot like being at Bannister, except the immediate demos would be different. The Great Mall is 7? miles farther than that...something of a trek. The population center is somewhere Brooksideish.
I dont know if anyone has posted a response they got from the mayor but here is what I got today in my e-mail box: Thank you for your comments about the Three-Trails Redevelopment proposal. I can assure you the Mayor is anxious to see this project move forward. He realizes that the neighborhood and city would benefit from its construction. But he believes the project can proceed without as much public money as proposed. Here is the text of a statement he released on Wednesday concerning the proposal. “I’m excited about the prospect of rehabilitating the neglected Bannister Mall and surrounding properties. I know there is broad neighborhood and community support to redevelop the area to include a soccer complex, along with retail, office and residential development. I want to see the Three Trails Redevelopment happen. But I don’t intend to support the current plan without more thorough discussion and, at least, the removal of the super TIF requirement, which redirects 100 percent of any new property, sales and earnings taxes back to the project. The city incentives being requested are enormous - more than $250 million - and they rely on super TIF. The city’s new Economic Incentive and Development Policy alows for super TIF, but I believe it should only be used in the most unusual circumstances. I don’t believe this proposal meets that benchmark. Nor am I convinced that super TIF is required to allow the development to go forward. The plan also would give the city ownership of a soccer stadium that would require long term expense and attention. The construction of the city-owned Sprint Center required a new tax and a public vote, yet we are considering this plan with neither. I want to be sure we have thought through that decision and its fiscal impact on the city.” Thank you again for your comments. I will pass them on to the mayor. Kendrick Blackwood Assistant Director of Communications Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor's Office Mayor Mark Funkhouser 816-513-3513 c. 816-335-5891