Nice words for Wichita as bill advances

“We have the opportunity now to take legislative action, support Wichita, support the people of Wichita, the people of Kansas,” said Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, chairman of the Senate budget committee, on the Senate’s approval of a bill to support the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame with $1.5 million in lottery revenue over the next three years. It’s good that lawmakers recognize both the state’s responsibility to this treasure trove of Kansas sports history and that, as Umbarger also said, the hall’s relocation to Wichita’s Old Town from Abilene gives it “great potential” for the future.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

7 Comments

  1. raptor
    Posted March 18, 2007 at 10:48 am | Permalink

    Let’s hope the sports fanatics that insist on wasting office time with their adoration of whatever sport happens to be occuring that day will spend enough money to keep this white elephant afloat without the need for tax subsidies.

    Any kind of ’sports’ activity after high school is a business, a very profitable business for a few at the expense of many. It is not about local/regional pride. It is a business. A very, very lucrative business that does not deserve any tax support whatsoever.

  2. Joe Williams
    Posted March 18, 2007 at 10:59 am | Permalink

    I don’t mind the facility. I’ll will never go through.

    But is there any way they can reduce the cost of operating that facility? Does it need to be open everyday? How about just scheduled group tours and open only during the summer months. Maybe a reduce salary for the guy running it. I think he makes upwards over $85K a year.

    I mean! Their rent is free! They can package their promotion with all the other attractions. They can do it at a reduce operating cost.

  3. HardTruth
    Posted March 18, 2007 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    How about dedicated volunteers to run the place? If THEY think it is so great then THEY should come forward.

  4. Kurt Duncan
    Posted March 18, 2007 at 10:25 pm | Permalink

    In this case, the question is simple, and has already been answered. Where are the people, who are likely to visit the place?

    Or stated differently, are more people likely to visit if the place is in Old Town, than if it remains in Abilene?

    I think so.

    If you are going to subsidize, you are making the implicit assumption that the place cannot make it on its own merits — so why move?

    On the other hand, if moved, the assumption is made that the place will do better in the new location — so why subsidize?

    Funding, even from lottery residuals, is still government funding. If the place cannot pay its own way, it should be shut down. Doing anything else is simply an exercise in making the larger population pay for something they neither wanted nor cared about.

    You may find it disappointing, certainly, for the place to shutter itself — and you are always free to fork over the balance of cost of operations yourself, to prevent that from happening.

    I take great issue, however, with you (the general *you*) reaching into *my* back pocket to support *your* particular preferences.

    I understand that you believe it is a matter of state pride — but it is an individual matter to support and observe state pride, not a government matter.

  5. Wiseman
    Posted March 19, 2007 at 1:05 am | Permalink

    A John Deere Tractor and Agricultural Museum would be more popular, it means so much more to us here in Kansas. (Just a little sarcasm here)

  6. Keith
    Posted March 19, 2007 at 2:42 am | Permalink

    I wonder how many of the naysayers have actually been to the KSHOF. I would bet that would be zero.

    Too all the naysayers the zoo gets tax money too. I guess it should close. Without the tax money the zoo would not be what it is today.

    When I lived in Wichita I never went to the Kansas African American Museum but I didn’t complain about my tax money going to that museum.

    If promoted and funded right all of Wichita’s museums would be tourist attractions.

    Where is the Convention and Tourism bureau on this issue? I fault them for putting billboards of people with shopping bags and wine glasses on their heads all across this state instead of promoting Wichita’s many museums and other cultural attractions.

    Also fault goes to the Eagle and the local media where were they when any museum was doing something positive. All the Eagle and the local media do is run stories when museums are not doing well. How about promoting them in the “local” paper and media.

    Sorry about the long post I was a Wichitan born and raised and all I want is for Wichita to grow and become great. To do this we have to fund what we have.

  7. Keith
    Posted March 19, 2007 at 3:05 am | Permalink

    Joe,I like your idea of promoting all the museums together. I wish that they would put out a membership for all museums even though it might be costly.

    In case of the KSHOF I think their lease with the city expires at the end of the year that is why they are asking for money.

    Like I said in my previous post before anyone complains about the KSHOF go to it and judge it for yourself. Then form an opinion.