Wichita City Council members wanted answers today about why the United States Bowling Congress suddenly canceled its planned 2011 Open Championships in Wichita. They heard from city attorney Gary Rebenstorf about the legal sticking points on a couple of items about Century II maintenance and contract arbitration that he didn’t think were "deal breakers." They heard some good ideas from City Manager George Kolb about how to avoid such situations in the future — and they passed a resolution giving the Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau the lead in future negotiations.
But why did it take so long for the bureau and city staff to wrap up a convention contract worth $100 million in economic benefits to the city? They received the contract last June and were still working on it this spring. And when, last November, the bureau heard of complaints about the delay from the bowlers, and then an impasse developed on a couple of legalese items, why didn’t someone inform the City Council sooner about the problems? Why didn’t someone pull out all the stops to finalize the contract as quickly as possible?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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49 Comments
Randy, you pretty much asked all the questions that I wanted asked.
Someone dropped the “bowling” ball on this, let’s see some names please.
I am sure the people on this blog will have ALL the answers and will condemn everyone who is not as perfect as the writers here consider themselves.
As such, may I suggest that those who are just itching to cast stones to run for office, get elected and then be perfect for all the rest of us to gaze with wonder upon your perfection.
Once again raptor, we seldom disagree…
If I was in the position of that function to insure the Bowling Congress keeps their Invitational in Wichita, I would hope to sunflowers that they would fire me if I blew a 100 million dollar deal. If not, I would resign for being incompetent.
I am glad we are not locked into a 5 month (or longer) contract for a bowling tournament in 2011. This gives the city much more flexibility and opportunity as to the future of downtown & Century II. Wichita is finally starting to see some development in the core area and yet our most valuable piece of property would be untouchable because of a one-time only bowling convention? Previous council rolled a split with this mess…now it’s up to our city leaders to salvage a spare and possibly an extra frame. Are they up to the task? Only if they focus on our future.
2013 – Reno, Nev.2012 – Baton Rouge, La.2011 – Wichita, KS (doubtful)2010 – Reno, NV2009 – Las Vegas, NV2008 – Albuquerque, NM2007 – Reno, NV2006 – Corpus Christi, TX2005 – Baton Rouge, LA2004 – Reno, Nevada2003 – Knoxville, Tennessee2002 – Billings, Montana2001 – Reno, Nevada2000 – Albuquerque, New Mexico1999 – Syracuse, New York1998 – Reno, Nevada1997 – Huntsville, Alabama1996 – Salt Lake City, Utah1995 – Reno, Nevada1994 – Mobile, Alabama1993 – Tulsa, Oklahoma1992 – Corpus Christi, Texas1991 – Toledo, Ohio1990 – Reno, Nevada1989 – Wichita, Kansas
They like to hold the Championship in Reno.
Someone in the Bowling Congress had a bad time here in 89?
Someone in the Congress can benefit if the Championship happens in another city?
Wichita is “weak” for a variety of reasons, no sweat taking the Championship from us.
I smell payola from Reno…
let’s investigate shall we? :)
I shot a man in Reno.
just to see him die…
when I hear that lonesome whistle,I wish the Libs would die.
Lane – keep up your spinning. Now lets see you fill C-II for that time period.
Republican – we agree.
One point that I have seen made is that in prior years the C-II maintainence issue had been solved by showing that we have a good record of keeping it up. Apparently now that is no longer the case.
Ben -
Simple = CASINO
Lane – SHOW ME THE MONEY
Ben -
Speaking of money, that’s rich! If the city didn’t own/operate Century II, we wouldn’t be having this conversation and you’d have your precious bowling tournament.
Private enterprise is the BEST solution for Hyatt & CII. Taxpayers would get a sizable revenue boost to build/fix quality of life institutions i.e. downtown library, cowtown, kansas aviation museum, etc. AND we wouldn’t have the maintenance expense drain on the park dept. budget.
City won’t sell Century II, but will turn over the interior to corporate industry if a Casino choice happens.
The city will promote the Casino by the river plan, that buys Library building, possibly the Hyatt and takes over interior management of Century II.
Its going to take time, regardless of the Casino vote in Aug. 2011, will we have a casino open, no matter where its located? If downtown by the river, that’s going to be a huge project to make happen.
Why not sell the building and retain ownership of the land?
Century II, Hyatt & downtown library are on the tax rolls for approx. $63 million. I’m guessing those properties are worth much more than that on the open market – $100 million plus?
With that kind of capital infusion, you could significantly add to city assets (downtown library, performing arts centre, etc.), improve quality of life for citizens, re-allocate city budgets to areas that are under funded — all without raising taxes!!!
So tell me – why does the city have to own Century II?
Century II is a icon shape and blue roof. The City won’t sell it.
They will turn over the interior management and reconstruction to private industry..if the vote happens! If downtown, is chosen by the State to place a casino.
The Library group wants to move. The Hyatt should be sold.
That’s an exciting plan by the river and it takes ownership of much city property.
That building corner of Douglas and Main is part of the plan too. That would be torn down. Asbestos red tape, no matter.
The Casino must be $200 Million. That Canadian group threw out a $300 Million dollar cost for their idea. Enough money to purchase much city property.
The City will sell that stuff at a steal! Probably face value.
Lane – for the sake of those who lost the tourney I hope they have your deal lined up. All I see so far is the loss; not the gain.
You know, bird in the hand and all that …
The city council also dropped the ball. They should have scheduled updates from Kolb.
This whole deal is about a casino and for the city council members and Kolb to say otherwise is a lie. It’s all about the money. Tom Docking and his Canadian folks will get the deal.
sotheysaid!
That is long as the anti-casino crowd doesn’t defeat the casino vote this August.
Joe! The casino will pass. Then the thing comes down to the details of a casino. I still think the people who FUBARed the bowling deal should be eliminated. That is a large lss for the City.
Think Lane has his casino deal ready? Big enough to make up for the loss of the tournament?
“That is long as the anti-casino crowd doesn’t defeat the casino vote this August.”
I don’t think the above will happen, but isn’t this what voting in a democracy is supposed to be about? Or, is it really true, that the Repubs have suspended this right, too?
I would worry more about the same entities that financed so many of the anti-casino legislators financing a major blitz against the casino. It has been shown that with enough money behind a well-organized campaign a vote can be influenced.
The ‘anti-casino’ interests to which I refer are other gambling interests that have donated so heavily to the anti-arena legislators.
I don’t know Steven. I never knew Repubs to suspend the right to vote.
If you know something, please share.
It’s interesting and perplexing how people like Mrage have inside knowledge about things that no one else seems to have.
When you realize that Mrage can barely compose a coherent sentence and doesn’t seem to remember elementary school usage, I wonder what weight we should give to his remarks.
The answer is very little weight.
When ever one resorts to attacking somebody’s grammar, then it’s troll label time. ;)
Welcome Troll! No food here.
While I am not particularly concerned about grammer (being pretty bad myself) I DO wonder about those who claim all sorts of inside connections and information.
I agree Joe – the attack on grammer is about the same as calling JWink an asshole. Ain’t that right Joe!
Joe you are so right – when the personal attacks start the writer is out of ideas if they ever had one. I am curious about the library. We go downtown often to visit this branch because it has so many more areas of interest than the branches. I know the homeless are maligned because they hang out there in the daytime. I have never seen anything out of the way with them. Sometimes they are napping, sometimes reading, but never a problem for us. If the library is moved, where is the proposed site? How do we know the library group is behind the move?
It’s not that Mrage makes the occassional mistake.
He demonstrates, every time he posts, that he has no idea how to form a sentence.
His thoughts are disorganized, as evidenced by the sentence fragments he uses.
It is no wonder that some of the most outlandish and ill-conceived ideas — Wichita Shockers University, for example — come from such a mind.
Mrage, quit posting and embarrassing our city! Please!
Well n! You can say that his Wichita Shocker University is a terrible idea, (I think so too), but the grammar attack thing is so freakin old and lame that it’s annoying as seeing Paris Hilton on TV.
And I take back my troll remark about you.
I need to start being more kind. I’m just being a damn hypocrite, splinter in your eye with a board in mine.
My apologizes.
ksgam – I don’t really know a lot about the Library situation but it is my ‘vague’ understanding that they want a new facility. I tend to like the idea of someplace on the west bank area.
In general the vision I am looking at is an ‘adult’ area on the east bank (casino etc) with more family oriented on the west. Obviously this would all be contingent on a major monetary offer from a developer for the casino complex area.
There is a proposal (AECH) in the works to address the homeless situation. Like you, I have no issue against the homeless ‘hanging out’ at the Library – hell, I have been known to hang out there. I am told that there is a surprisingly high level of education and literacy among many of them and they actually use the library facilities properly.
I once recommended a revenue stream for the Library – charge people like me for enhanced searches and technical support. After all, I simply pas it along to my client anyway – why not make me a paying customer for enhanced services. Even for free their business services are top notch! (I did take a box of do-nuts in once ;^))
My my Joe – did they teach you that vocabulary in communications class?
If you’re not paying Ben, isn’t that intellectual shoplifting?
;)
Well, Joe!, technically I AM paying via my taxes. But, since they work so hard and often the patrons are professional I think it would make sense for payment for ‘above and beyond.’ The do-nuts were a hit with the business staff though!
Never go into the library with an old green fatigue jacket and worn blue jeans…
They get the impression you are homeless and eyeball you. :)
No Ben! I learned that vocabulary from the streets. Where you really learn.
;)
So true Republican. It is funny then hen you pull out your cell phone, laptop, etc …
You all can see N? That’s no-one-that-matters-at-all.
That troll follows only me, I’m flattered.
Considering the “inside information” about the Casino, the Canadians spelled it out already. It was in the Eagle.
I’m heading out town troll, miss me!
Before I finally go…
The Library wants Watkins Steel lot, as of now the City doesn’t have money to buy the land or build a new Library…until they sell property to the Canadians.
Key reason why Library wants to move, they have outgrown the space. Too much materail they can store. It’s going to be a much larger new library.
For the dumb ass troll, I’ll fix the sentence.
Too much material they can store.
I sneezed. I’m leaving town with laryngitis.
“They heard from city attorney Gary Rebenstorf about the legal sticking points on a couple of items about Century II maintenance and contract arbitration that he didn’t think were “deal breakers.”
This is laughable on SO MANY LEVELS!
First of all, this is the scenario economic development professionals most dread. You work your butt off courting a deal, you work with them, develop relationships with them, try to meet their needs, and…
…some bureaucrat, elected official, or dreaded attorney gets his panties in a knot about something, (like not enough ass kissing) and they squash the hard won deal just to make a point that they are higher up on the pissy pants chain than anyone else!
Well, I guess the bowling folks decided they could go elsewhere with less ass kissing. How are the pissy pants city officials dealing with that ultimate slap in the face?
Uh, “they didnt think these were deal breakers”.
I am hard pressed to think the bowling people didnt MENTION that the items were deal breakers.
Perhaps someone wasnt listening when that was said? Perhaps the “whose weenie is bigger” disease took over the negotiation process? And the end result?
$100 mil not coming into your economy. No big deal I guess. I wonder if they would have treated a warehouse business or manufacturing business the same way?
Either this “pissy pants” school of negotiations took place, or there is some other answer. Like Docking working both sides of the fence? It’s gotta be one of those two.
Either way, a public loss and humiliation like this will have spin off effects. Others looking to come to Wichita will hear (and people in the travel and CVB industries DO talk) that the city really doesnt want visitors, makes impossible demands, and generally should be avoided for big time events.
Sounds like a nice job all around for Wichita. Should I remind your city about the first rule of holes?
If you find yourself in one, stop digging.
Oh, and we spend HOW MUCH each year to fund an office of tourism in the kansas dept of commerce? Helping communities land big events is part of their mission.
Did anyone ask their help in this? Or was it a totally covert and cowboy operation?
In yesterdays business page the article about the SBC renovation (by the Minnesots guys) said this:
“SBC telecom was a good investment that now looks even better …. because he thinks the probability of a downtown casinois growing ….. ”
Caught my eye — made me wonder what he has been told and by who ?
… no vote yet on County casinos, so the probability is still zero ?
Watkins would be a great location for a new library. IF this can b put together it could be quite interesting.
An interesting comment today’s paper was that a casino interest would still want the bowlers in town. Think of all that additional business for them.
The negotiator was probably a guy who was sick of the annual plague of drunken bowlers who descend on the city for the bowling tournament.
“That is long as the anti-casino crowd doesn’t defeat the casino vote this August.”
I don’t think the above will happen, but isn’t this what voting in a democracy is supposed to be about? Or, is it really true, that the Repubs have suspended this right, too?==================================
Even if the casino IS voted down -we can just keep revoting until it passes anyway, right? Just like with the arena?
Good point tron. We DID keep re-voting the Arena until it passed.
Taking the opposite side: Suppose we approve casinos but then, when it is designed, they decide to add a brothel as a part of it. Would that be in keeping with what we approved? Or should THAT require a re-vote as being a major change.
Exactly. Which is why I support a revote on the arena. Even though I was against the arena from the start -if they delivered what was voted on, I have no problem losing. Being that the arena was voted on and voted on until it passed then afterwards changing the specs -I believe we should have a confirmation vote.
If Sedgwick County voters reject the casino, Sumner County automatically gets it. They already voted for it a couple of years back.