The Wichita City Council could act Tuesday on a new booking policy for Century II and new agreements with the convention center’s three marquee tenants, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Music Theatre of Wichita and Wichita Grand Opera. The process has been long and worrisome for the organizations that call Century II home. The rent is going up. Plenty of questions also remain about what the city’s effort to turn the convention center into a moneymaker will mean for all the building’s longtime users, especially when push comes to shove on scheduling conflicts. Organizers of the Wichita Garden Show, for example, have suggested they’d be unable to pay the proposed 20 percent up-front rental fee to guarantee dates. It will be up to City Council members to ensure that a new day at Century II doesn’t do harm to the very organizations that have built its reputation as a downtown draw.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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11 Comments
I personally have always like Century II. It is a nice venue for small to medium events. the really large one are better at the Coliseum. Parking could be better, but that damn Public library is in the way! Just kidding!I have long thought that Century II has not been properly pushed, other then when it first opened it fell off the scope shortly afterwards.
I definitely agree with the comments above. Performances in C-II should not be priced out of the market by hiking their rent. The big justification given for the arena is the supposed benefit of increased business in bars, restaurants, etc. That impact is much more real and effective with frequent smaller perfoamances such as these in C-II than they will be with few large events.
The reason: Music Theater has several different shows each year, each with several performances. Lets say that it is 6 shows and 6 performances with a seating of 1500 (I am not looking up actual numbers here BTW). Do the same with the other two tenants. This leads to 108 nights per year with an infusion of people into downtown. When I attend Music Theater my evening begins with dinner someplace. what this then does is provide a good base for restaurants with FREQUENT events that can fill their seats.
Contrast that with a very few much larger events. Although the total aggregate number of people drawn downtown might be the same the impact on business will be much less. The reason: it is simply not frequent enough to support expansion of dining capacity. So, you simply end up with overcrowding on these few nights or, more likely, I just get in my car and go elsewhere.
My big fear with the arena is that it will suck up so much in subsidies that it will crowd out other venues. This is becoming increasingly likely as cost over-runs in the land acquisition and construction eliminate the advertised loss reserve.
I hope that when the Arena people have to get their subsidies they have public hearings so that we can remind them of their claims that there would be a sufficient loss reserve.
From what I have read in the past the rent for that venue has always been less than for comparible venues in comparable cities. Even with the increase it will probably be less. And with the new downtown arena working in concert with Century II hopefully much more life will be seen in downtown Wichita after 5PM.
You want it paying for itself? Put in a giant Casino with flashing lights to go with the WaterWalk. Big shows, loud noises etc.
Do it outside the Indian premise and have the city own it, Wynn manage it , then Print money.
Bring back money now going to Oklahoma by the car load. There are usually around 2000 cars at the new casino south of Ark City. They are getting ready to build an even bigger Harrahs down there on the big Chilocco school. Will have hotels et al.
There goes your money.
Buddy of mine was down in Oklahoma last weekend. He said that about 75% of the tags in the parking lot were from SG county. ‘Nother buddy of mine regularly attends the bingo events down in OK and says the same thing.
Ralph – I have heard similar numbers. I tend to lean toward Tony’s approach with a relatively small casino located at the Broadview. Extend it northward across where the tracks were. Open up the area between the hotel and the river for outdoor dining/bar. A fairly decent-sized casino could be established in that footprint.
Ben,
Topeka says the Casino’s if ever offered must be $200 Million dollar places.
Hyatt, Library building, interior of Century II remodeled, probably worth $80 Million. I heard that amount leaked around, don’t know if its factual.
A Casino should have more gaming tables and less slot machines for me to be interested.
I wouldn’t visit an all machine Casino. Or the dog track with gambling machines.
We shouldn’t have slots at the dog track if we get a full casino downtown.
No increase in gambling machines in places like the airport, hotels, book stores or restaurants. Especially not in bars or clubs.
Other than the size I agree with you. The casino in Montreal has a fairly small footprint but is full-service.
I spend the minimum about $500 dollars every year seeing the plays at Century II.
We are probably pretty close to that wiseman. Then add to that dinner out downtown … makes for very enjoyable evenings.
PARKING GARAGE!!!! seriously, the lot behind the Cenutry Plaza building is a great location and is ALWAYS full. help us out city!