It’s an idea too long in coming to Wichita’s cable Channel 7, particularly as it appears in local hotel rooms: “a half-hour to 45-minute tour of Wichita and all it has to offer,” as the proposal to the Wichita City Council put it. The council acted Tuesday to use $75,000 in hotel-motel bed-tax funds for the shows, a collaboration of the city, the Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau and the firm First Generation Video. The TV tour, which will change monthly, will run at regular times on Channel 7, and continuously in some hotels. The shows should not only help make a good first impression on visitors to Wichita, but also better promote the city’s quality of life to denizens who still say there’s nothing to do in Wichita.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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67 Comments
What? You could do it with a 1 minute film, and hi-lite “Old Town” and Lawerence-Dumont.
Welcome to Wichita, where our centerpiece is a place to get drunk and stuff your already fat face.
Great attitudes there you two. If you are Wichita residents, please move elsewhere and complain about everything there.
Okay, pollyanna. Good luck in your quest to make Wichita a destination. Be sure to include all the fast food restaurants in your itinerary. LOL.
Wichita might also think about including a small video online. I do a lot of research on cities, and the mini-movies showing the attractions of the cities are a big help in knowing what the city has to offer and how it “looks.”
RD,
I agree, online is the place to run these… I’ll even host it. (I own and run a datacenter)
But Tony…you haven’t bribed the right people yet!
BTW, what happens when ATT U-Vers comes to town…and nobody’s watching the dying Cox-roach anymore?
Cox will probably turn around and cut prices but i doubt they will be able to do too much… AT&T has a lot more money than Cox does…
I cant wait… Ive already played with the technology and can use it but the infrastructure is in place for the home user. People are going to have to have a minimum of 10 Megs to the house to run IPTV. That’s why AT&T is installing fiber to the home. This way they can go all the way up to 100 megabit or even higher to GigE to peoples homes if they want.
It will be great to see Cox suffer…
You mean cox will be getting . . . I just can’t say it!
I stopped watching cable in the early 80’s as a teenager. Never paid for the service since.
Now about Wichita’s tour on TV, we’re not there as a community with “topical” interesting things, but more “intimate” details of this city are probably what’s going to happen.
Stories about people, how cliquish many are and their projects. Finding the right lighted place in Botanica, zoo, reflection on the river that sort of thing.
But the grand view of Wichita, its not a tall city, suburbs with golf courses will show the upscale or truly weirder toney homes with funky looking furniture and bad paint on the walls. Expensive doesn’t mean its good taste. What about Eastborough, how that city isn’t Wichita explained?
Some farm land views, but no smells from the feed lots or processing plants, too bad. Smell TV that’s technology someday coming.
It better be network, I won’t pay for smells on cable, food network would really take off.
Typical Wichita: the city tries to do something to promote ourselves and show off what we have to offer (which IS legitimate, btw), and all our citizens can do is complain. This is the classic “I suck and don’t want you to have any delusions to the contrary” attitude of the people around here. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH WICHITA OTHER THAN THE ATTITUDES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
You guys need to be ashamed of yourselves. Either get with the program or get the hell out of town. Thank you.
Shocker…we are okay as city, but our tourism situation has problems. What’s distinct here. Maybe its a Kansas afflication, red state, country music top rated, but most aren’t thinking that way.
Wichita is trying hard but sections of town less developed, growing older and economically depressed ecompass many parts of the city. Our biggest stadiums are old. The Coliseum, LD, Cessna Stadium, not useful anymore.
We just don’t have enough yet. One Epic Center tower explains everything. River has problems.We have bits and pieces of good things with potential on the horizon, I’m optimistic.
I can’t pump up this city too much yet but hopefully some day will. When we act like a super city in this state. Our politicans get projects accomplished, becuase we desire those events in Wichita. Politicans today in Topeka get little done to keep this city competitive. Remember our elected officials from this area, tried to lock Wichita out from getting a casino. The County won’t even let us vote on it.
WSU isn’t all it could be as college.
WHO is going to come here and WHY?
Feel free to explain that anytime you can come up with something, Shocker. Either that, or save your lame justifications for the city and county blowing tax dollars by throwing it down a dry hole.
07 – perhaps you choose to ignore the fact that some of the comments (Tony comes to mind) were constructive and about how to make it better. Perhaps some of us with a bit more experience can see both the good and the bad rather than just a youngster’s perspective.
That said, I think Tony is on to something. Set it up online with further links to specific attractions, restaurants, etc. Print coupons, make reservations, etc.
You guys need to be ashamed of yourselves. Either get with the program or get the hell out of town. Thank you.
Posted by: Shocker’07 | July 13, 2006 at 03:19 PM
Does that also go for the Wichita Eagle which keeps printing that Kansas is the laughing stock of the country??
Will the promo mention that Wichita is a city with 300,000 people within a 15 minute drive of a ballpark that gets less than 3,000 people to attend most games?
‘07 youngster – I suspect I have a lot more at stake in this town than you do. Get realistic or get out of town – we don’t need idiots like you.
This isn’t a promotional campaign to attract new visitors to our community. It is to showcase what we have for those who are already here.
I think it’s a great idea. They have this in other cities when you stay at a hotels. We are just doing the same.
So you have some people staying over in Wichita for a week for business or attending a convention. Since we don’t really have a Visitors Information Center. The Channel 7, is a great way to do it.
Believe it or not. I watch channel 7 every once in awhile. Besides the job openings on a power point slide (which is what is always shown), recently they’ve been showing some of the new projects in Wichita. The Keeper of the Plains project, the downtown Marriot, and the elevated Railroad through downtown. It’s good information to watch. :)
I know what you guys are saying. Wichita falls a bit short as destination. So do a lot of other places and Kansas is dead last as a tourist destination. We have big challenges. But some cities aren’t really meant to be tourist destinations, only a select few really are and that is all they have.
Branson is a small town, but a huge destination for tourist. Go figure!
All we need to do is showcase our amenities. We have some great things to do. If you have a day or two to kill, might as well check one or two things out.
Wichita shouldn’t promote itself as a tourist destination, it should promote itself as a business destination. If it isn’t family, or using our airport to get to a hunting ground in Western Kansas, most people visiting Wichita are here on business.
We should lean towards that as our amenities. Old Town is a perfect example. Travelers love places like that. Check out a quick museum and drink. That is why I think WaterWalk will be a great destination for business travelers.
That is why lots of our other attractions like Cowtown and Exploration place don’t do to well. Because only local people go there. Yeah! I mean, there might be some people in rural Kansas that come into town to check it out, but it’s meant for locals and school children during the school year.
Let’s take the Wranglers for example. Nobody follows minor league baseball. You don’t have avid fans, and so you don’t get Wrangler fans following the Wranglers to all the games, home or away. College is different, because people do that. Especially Football.
If we had WSU Football, that would bring outsiders in to Wichita, because college football fans follow their teams around. You’re not going to find that in minor league teams.
I guess I’m trying to squeeze my point in this one entry.
But that is why I believe the Peerless Tower would be a great addition to Wichita. It isn’t so much to bring outsiders into Wichita or make Wichita a tourist destination, but as a reconizable iconic building to serve as the Area Visitors Information Center. It would attract the visitors, conventioneers, and business travelers already here. Then lead them to other attractions around the area. It’s will be a great promotional tool for the city to use to attract conventions and businesses. I’m hoping it will change our image and attitude. ;)
I forgot to complete a point in my last entry. About Exploration Place and Cowtown not doing to well because it’s for the locals.
Why they don’t do to well, beside a number of other factors, but the main one is that they “think” and “forecast” expectations that it will attract a lot of visitors from outside Wichita, but they always fall very short of that expectation.
“Set it up online with further links to specific attractions, restaurants, etc. Print coupons, make reservations, etc.”
That’s what Charlotte, NC, did. I couldn’t find the video earlier. It may be they took it down. But it did offer some great views and covered many different things, from the old section’s marketplace and the newer malls to art museums and arboretums to the sports angle. I was impressed.
Charlotte used to be comparable to Wichita in size, but the Queen’s City has grown a lot in the past few years. Wichita could do the same.
Joe,
The problem with Branson is that it’s too commercial/touristy. The locals aren’t all that crazy about it, unless they’re making money off of it.
We used to go to Silver Dollar City at least once a year. My aunt and uncle had a home on the lake. We hadn’t gone for a while when I went to a conference there and drove into Branson proper. Nearly made me ill. I couldn’t find anything there that had been in the past. It was all covered up with music places. And it looks like even SDC has gone for more rides, from what I’ve heard and seen on ads. I enjoyed it for what it was back in the 80’s.
“We should lean towards that as our amenities. Old Town is a perfect example. Travelers love places like that. Check out a quick museum and drink. That is why I think WaterWalk will be a great destination for business travelers.”
Good point, Joe. I know there are others here who travel for business, and having done some of that in the past few years, I know you’re right. I usually end up in the larger cities (Chicago, D.C., New Orleans, Dallas, Denver, and NYC), but it’s the same all over when traveling. You look for something to do when there aren’t meetings to attend. You want to eat. You want to drink. You want to relax and enjoy. You want to get out of the hotel!
I try to make it to an annual national writers’ conference each year, but haven’t been able to the past 2 years. 2000 of us usually attend, so it isn’t a small thing, and certainly couldn’t come to Wichita.
At first, I didn’t bother going out to see the sights. After what I pay in conference fees, it seemed foolish not to stay at the hotel and attend everything I could. I missed out on a lot in Chicago (I’d been there as a kid), but I did manage to make it to the Washington Mall the next year in D.C. That was an experience I won’t forget.
I didn’t go far by myself in New Orleans, but if I’d had a crystal ball and knew what was coming (this was in 2001), I would have done a lot more sightseeing with others.
This is how I know about the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall in Denver and wish Wichita would do something similar to build up the downtown area.
Dallas has the West End Historic District where we shopped and then walked on to the Dealey Plaza and rode on the DART.
Oh, and just ask me about NYC! I’m ready to go back. *grin*
I joked earlier about “build it and they will come,” referring to the new airport, but I really believe Wichita could build on the attraction that are already here (and that DOES include Exploration Place and Cowtown) and add even more, like the WaterWalk.
Hey guys, was busy today, neglected you guys… hope you can forgive me…
;-)
Anyway to follow up on what was said earlier. Something i actually proposed to the Visitors Bureau was this exact idea but slightly different.
My plan was to develop an entire “visit Wichita” website that every hotel and every restaurant that had Internet access would redirect users to as a “welcome screen”. This website would probably be a cross between the business yellow and white pages with both free and paid for advertising.
The idea behind this would be that I as the run of the mill business man or family traveling through town comes to town, gets online to check their email and sees this welcome to Wichita website. I see that there is a baseball game tonight, maybe i go to it. maybe im hungry and rather than just ordering a pizza i see that Hero’s has 2 for 1’s tonight.
Its a large marketing tool. I think that sticking some videos into it would be incredibly cool. Have a quick virtual tour running through the zoo on the train, or a quick walk through botanica or Exploration place or even old town.
The idea would be that people who ARE here for something else, convention, meeting, etc… visit another attraction. These visitors may never even know about these places… I mean, how many times have you gone to a city and taken the time to look at all of those little flyer’s in the stands by the door?
If its convenient and just a click away, people are much more likely to view them…
Its an easy project that would take a very very minimal investment by The city or the visitors bureau. A majority of the money to complete construction of the site would be raised by selling larger advertising spots on the site. just like the phone book, you have the free listings which is name and address and you have the paid for listings which may even include your own page in which you can post your menu…
Wow this post came out long… Just got going on the subject…
Oh and Shocker07, take a leap… This is a very intelligent idea and im sorry if you cant come up with something constructive or intelligent to say. you must have failed political science.
An incredibly brilliant idea Tony!
Something tells me I have a tweak or two for it…..but they are just at the back of my mind.
Internet is the way of the future and a far better way to sell Wichita than TV.
Oh, and something else, Larry Hatterburg (sp) needs to be the one to narrarate it. Possibly along with some of the best and brightest of the high school and collage students… Bring in Barry Sanders and some of the other Wichita Celebs.
Oh, I still say that the show should play on channel 7 and it also should play on KAKE’s channel 22 and what ever the channel KWCH is trying to put together… I think that this citys population should also see what this city is all about…
Tony,
Your idea has merit. We found our house here through a virtual tour. I hope that you can sign up some area merchants and maybe turn a nice profit for yourself in the process.
BTW, I hear that Ben is your dad. You have my condolences! :)
Viva La Raza Blanco!!!!!
Thank you Ian…
I require many years of professional help to rid me of his influences…
I still happen to have the file of the Charlotte tour, if anybody is interested in getting some ideas rolling. (Tony?) It’s a .wmv and is 15383KB. (I’m terrible at math.)
can u do me a favor and email it to me? ill download it at the office where i have alot more internet to work with…
Tony, I sent it. If you don’t receive it, it may be too large and won’t come through. Let me know.
Tony! Great Idea, but lets even extend it further. Not only for Hotel Guest, but we need a very prominant Visitors Information Center that has the things you say. Even a small theater that would run the video of Wichita, either on a loop or just press the play button.
I don’t want to miss the people who don’t watch the promo channel on TV or the Internet Kiosk, especially those who are driving into town on a day trip and not staying in a Hotel.
:)
Joe,
Its not just an Internet Kiosk but the visitors and convention bureau would provide the equipment to hotels to redirect people who log-in the hotels wireless to the “visit Wichita” site. But yes, i agree.
And at large out of town conventions, have a booth playing the movie.
there are dozens of things we can do… i hope someone from the visitors bureau is watching this…
No, Wichita is no Las Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, but the only people claiming that it is trying to be are the cavers. Wichita is a great WEEKEND destination for anyone in the region. Great shopping, good museums and cultural attractions, sports teams like the Thunder (and hopefully the Wranglers in the future). No one is going to spend a two week vacation in town but that is not what the CVB is trying to do.
Sorry guys but nothing pisses me off more than people trying to dumb-down or small-town Wichita. I wasn’t complaining about RD’s or Tony’s comments, just seconding J’s. Seems to me Todd, Mr. C., and AUC just want to complain and have nothing constructive to offer.
Ben, you’re a great poster but don’t let your experience go to your head. The under 30 set is often overlooked in Wichita but has a lot to offer with fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, energy, and a POSITIVE ATTITUDE. One of Wichita’s greatest weaknesses is its unwillingness to listen to and cultivate its next generation.
Apparent, 07, you must belong to a GOBN family.They’re the only ones who are allowed by city staff to offer positive suggestions.
‘07 – I work with the under 30 set a lot. The only ones I have a problem with are those who have become premature good ol’ boys.
If by good ol’ boy you mean professional, positive, open-minded individual active in the community who does not jump to conclusions or always thinks some sort of conspiracy is at foot, tries to see the good in people, is motivated and energetic, is not a hillbilly or a redneck convinced government is out to destroy us all, then I think you’ve described me pretty well. Thanks. You’ve also probably described very well why sometimes I feel out of place around here…
Define “professional”.Ben has listed his qualifications on other posts.Here’s mine:B.Sci., Political Science, KSU, 1979;B.Sci., Journalism, KSU, 1979;39 Hours toward Master of Public Administration, KSU;Candidate for statewide office, 1990;Regional Vice President, Heartland Chapter, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.Your definition of “positive” is all too clear: “whatever they moneyed interests in this city want, and to hell with the real people”.
I would add that, since I have lived in other cities I have seen what works and what does not work elsewhere.
“Great shopping, good museums and cultural attractions,”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Excuse me, I just got back from my vacation in Denver.
I will say this much about Wichita… unlike Denver–unless you go to Quik Trip–you don’t get accosted by drunks in the streets.
“Wichita – Our Winos Don’t Bother You.”
Wichita can’t compete with Denver and mountain views, doesn’t mean that place is excellent for everyone. I’ve been every direction on road trips but haven’t captured what’s in other towns should be here.
I only see what we don’t have in comparision. What Wichitans aren’t doing in large numbers. We don’t have that gather us together ability yet on a constant basis.
20,000 to 30,000 people all fans or supporters of events. Even larger amounts of people are normal in cities around us.
There is enough Wichitans to gather in large groups but for what? We don’t have that yet.
I agree with ways to promote Wichita, pump up what we do have but it can’t be glazed over things we don’t have. Promote the Epic Center, as the tallest in Kansas yet not mention the twin is missing. WSU doing well, basketball and baseball, all sports trophies, good track, but the stadium shell goes unused for a reason.
The hotel promo’s must have what our ideas are to better this community, if only in drawings or schematics. Time lapsed kind of thing, at least it will show we’re dreaming here.
We have to build quality and interesting things, because the landscape has no backdrop. We have to complete projects to improve this city. If WaterWalk isn’t ever finished, it will be on par with other structures we have. Half of something and quickly will become useless.
Speaking of WaterWalk … will there ever be any private development there to go with the millions of tax dollars already spent?
And let’s not forget the Peerless Tower. (Shamelss Plug) ;)
I just saw the Wild West World promo’s set to open May next year on TV. WaterWalk doesn’t announce anything being completed time period.
The private developers aren’t vocal or quick with the construction, I don’t know why. It seems everything is financed already but completion time of structures is too iffy, real estate lease contracts aren’t quick to be signed.
I have hopes for the project. Dreamers came up with it, is time on their side to complete things. Are we patient or impatient? Red tape locked up. Are the changes better in the Master Plan or has it been reduced some.
I know the Lewis street alteration heading toward the hotel coming from the west will be gridlock in the future. I wonder about traffic flow in that area.
Mrage! This should answer some of your questions.
http://www.wichitawaterwalk.com/
“The building is scheduled to begin construction by Aug. 1.”
3 weeks. We shall see.
Joe – think it will start building Aug 1 as advertised?
“Tom Johnson, president of WaterWalk LLC, said in a statement that there will be more tenant announcements in the next few months”
Well, it has been over 4 months … still waiting …
“The Wichita EagleNovember 6, 2005Written by Dan Voorhis & Brent D. Wistrom
An upscale residential project on the west bank of the Arkansas River and a corporate headquarters building that will replace the Wichita Boathouse highlight the next phase of the WaterWalk development. Two more buildings — a large apartment/commercial building and an office building, both along Main Street — also will be built during the next phase. Construction on those buildings is scheduled to start in February.”
February? What year? What century?
The Wichita EagleDecember 21, 2005Written by Brent D. Wistrom
In January, Wichita officials will choose one of five plans for the site. Or they’ll decide to leave it as is.
One Boathouse.
Six possibilities.
That’s what the future of the Wichita Boathouse came down to as the deadline for proposals passed this week.
The City Council could vote to let WaterWalk developers tear it down and build a corporate headquarters in its place.
It could let a local hotel or restaurant move in and cater events.
It could sell the building to either of two groups for half a million dollars.
Or it could take a sixth option: say “no” to them all and leave it as is.
Here’s a glimpse at the proposals.
• Wichita Area Association of Realtors: The group wants to buy the building, move its offices there and rent out the second floor after hours for meetings and other events.
• Broadview Hotel: The hotel, at 400 E. Douglas, wants to handle all catering and sales for events at the building. It claims to have worked more than 300 events at the Boathouse and says it would also promote it in its hotel advertisements.
• Larkspur restaurant: It would like to lease the building, charge rent for events and pay utilities. It would pay the city for use of the building.
• Larkspur has also offered to buy the building for $580,000 and let the city continue to maintain the International America’s Cup yacht.
• WaterWalk: The developers want to lease the land for $1 a year. They would tear the Boathouse down, relocate the yacht and other memorabilia and build a $12 million corporate headquarters. Value Place, a hotel chain owned by WaterWalk partner Jack DeBoer, would put its corporate headquarters there.
Decision due in January
January? What year? What century?
Joe – seems to me with all those promised dates fading into the past that your link leaves many questions unanswered.
For those who want the Boathouse left alone, I did post the link to the petition, right?
I’ve already gotten signatures and will drop off what I have soon…as soon as I remember where I put it. *grin*
What is the link again RD?
“Boathouse”, no boats to rent, no dock. The building isn’t much but a rental place for events.
We need a boathouse on the river, a slip, renting boats useful for the river and it could have Koch’s boat somewhere on the property. Where on the river bank..hmmm.
I don’t feel anything about the current boathouse and Bill Koch’s desire to keep it around, sorta weird. His money and legacy but its purpose was flawed. Typical Wichita “destination”, half of something. Half a boathouse and there is love for it.
Should the land be used for a WaterWalk Corp building, probably not. How about a restaurant and still some meeting space area for rental in well designed building. Not the current boathouse design.
WaterWalk can eventually move progress east of Main and maybe over there should be the WaterWalk Corp building. It doesn’t need river views.
Joe,
Here’s the link to the petition. It’s a pdf, so just print it and get it signed.
http://keyn.com/promo/boathouse/petition.pdf
While it may be true that most people don’t have a connection to the Boathouse, I do.
When my youngest was about 3, we visited the Boathouse. It was still open at the time–about 13-14 years ago. After that, she always looked for it when we got near downtown.
I remember the old boathouse and the stories my dad used to tell me. (He was born in 1910, so he had some great stories and great memories, including Wonderland Park.) The current boathouse is an extension of that, for me. Doesn’t mean it is for everyone, but there’s no reason other than the almight $ to tear it down.
If we’re celebrating the river and the city that surrounds it by having a WaterWalk, why tear down the one thing that’s already there that commemorates it?
RD I use to work at the Wichita Boathouse for several years.
Although I think it’s a great place and worth saving, but it’s vacant with no utilities. The longer it sits empty the more likely it is that it will be torn down.
Since the council will not act on it until next year, with still more possible delays on the decision, it doesn’t look good.
It won’t be a popular decision and that is the reason why the council is stalling, but I believe most of the council members want it torn down.
Ben, thanks for all the newspaper articles. Guess you must have missed the one a few weeks ago about how the arena site selection set the project back significantly. For someone with such tremendous worldly experience and astounding amounts of education, you seem to lack any patience and understanding. You wanted the arena project done right now. You want the WaterWalk done right now. Calm down, dude, enjoy life a little. WaterWalk developers appear to be waiting until the city can realign the streets, and potential tenants have backed away due to delays with the TIF fiasco and the arena site selection. Just because you’ve been through the school of hard knocks or something doesn’t mean you have to view EVERYTHING with scepticism.
There are several factors that delayed WaterWalk.
Shocker is right! The Arena vote and the Arena site selection is just one.
There was also transitional problems from the Knight to the Mayans Council.
There was also a radical design change to WaterWalk, from the canal base to the dancing water fountain base.
The Boathouse incident delayed it a small bit.
Star Bonds being rejected, but later going on TIF.
The city council delay on what their part would be on the project.
Now it’s moving forward. The city works at a snails pace.
Remember the Destination Restaurant. It was suppose to be announced by the city council. Why hasn’t it yet? It suppose to be several weeks ago.
Regarding your credentials, Mr. C, touche, my friend. On a side note, I share your admiration of Denver–there’s a city that has it figured out. Since losing the 76 Olympics, that city has reinvented itself and has a strong sense of pride. One of the most livable cities in the nation, last I heard. Wichita would do well to learn from its example.
‘07, Joe. The WaterWalk people have all sorts of excuses.
They do Ben! There are legitiment excuses for the delay, but much of the delay, there is no excuse over.
It should have been half way completed by now.
All I see is one backhoe and a front end loader and a couple of drainage pipes. You know! Kind of like the Kellogg expansion. ;)
“It should have been half way completed by now.”
Which helps explain my skepticism. So, when do we see ground-breaking on any sort of private investment.