About 80 people have shown up at the public hearing for Sedgwick County’s recommended budget for next year, which includes a suggestion to close the entire Kansas Coliseum complex, including the pavilions.
About 35 people have signed up to speak. People in the commission’s chambers are holding brightly colored signs that say “We oppose closing the pavilions.”
The county has set up an overflow room for the crowd.
Several groups that use the pavilions have expressed their concern about losing events at the Coliseum.
10 Comments
Not much support for all of those that were complaining. Guess the County will do what they have to do.
Maybe they could schedule these things for times when people who have actual JOBS could attend.
Despite the economy alot of us still have JOBS that we have to work at. I would have loved to have been able to attend, however, real obligations (employment) kept me from being able to get there at that time of day. The county still needs to take a more logical and well rounded view of the situation. The Pavilion brings alot to our community that we would otherwise be traveling elsewhere to attend. Lots of revenue for our local businesses and hotels will be lost if they close the facility. What a shame and throw away of our tax dollars. Government policies at their usual.
It seems pretty simple to me…
Keep the pavilions open, and break the contract with the MANAGEMENT COMPANY that can’t make them show a profit. Hire someone that can actually do the job. That is simple business.
Parks and Wellsheimer are trying to fire the wrong manager.
“About 80 people show for pavilions hearing”
They set up a meeting on a Tuesday with very little notice to the public. What do you expect, people?
I did my part..I was there!
We don’t want horse crap in Intrust arena
The Coliseum and Pavilions makes more money for local businesses than people realize. To close the place down for a lack of a half-million dollars shows a real lack of foresight by the powers that be. Make it work, politicians – that’s what you get paid to do by registered voters who also voted to keep the Coliseum OPEN when the White Elephant Arena proposal was voted in by the rich east-siders.
It shows how greedy Sedgwick County is. They want to be able to tell events planners where they have to be held. The Intrust arena is not the hold-all event place. It is too big for a lot of events and will be too costly for others. The Colesium should be kept open for events as well as the pavilions. It is funny that Tulsa has a big new arena, and yet they kept the other event centers open and book events there too. They have Mabee Center, Expo Square and Pavilion, Fairgrounds and the downtown Convention center and the new arena. How about Wichita doing the same and use all. They all bring in revenue and Sedgwick county can use all the revenue. Hartman arena is also a great place for events. Hooray for Mr. Hartman for building it.
I was excited to see so many people show up for the meeting especially since it was held during the day when people are expected to be at work. I sent an e-mail to everyone of the commissioners asking them why they don’t hold the meetings in the evenings so that people can attend and voice their opinions. Apparentely it didn’t do any good. I hope the commissioners listened today. If SMG does not want to manage the pavilions then lets find someone who does. If Buchanan is out of a job maybe he would be interested.