WE Blog

So the taxpayers of Sedgwick County wasted over $200,000,000 for the rediculous unwanted, unneeded white elephant downtown arena to which the City of Wichita is said to be adding an additional $100,000,000 for infrastructure improvements for the arena.

And now Intrust, Spirit and Cessna are adding to the pie.

To this money, add salaries of local politicians and out of town “hired guns” who have spent most of their work time pushing the downtown arena over on the complaining, resisting taxpayers who don’t want this albatross.

About 1996, when I came back to Wichita, I brought a list I thought I would do here. One was go canoeing on the Arkansas River. I did this several early summer mornings in the Arkansas River near the Boathouse adjacent to the Maple Street bridge.

Another was to volunteer to help “renew” downtown Wichita. In my mind’s eye, the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City was the model. Perhaps a different style but playing on Wichita’s existing 1920’s/1930’s motif that is here now. But use some of the Plaza’s major elements: no parking meters, very few traffic signal lights in that busy shopping area, a mix of retail and food shops.

Unfortunately, a coterie of Wichita’s “big boy’s” came up with the idea of drawing a circle around a few downtown blocks and spending nearly a 1/2 billion dollars on an ugly, dangerous, out of style “downtown arena” on the theory that this will be a magnet for the downtown improvements the taxpayers/citizens want.

All the while, blocking the input of the many taxpayers who are paying for the project so that NO ACTUAL BUY-IN FROM THE PUBLIC IS LISTENED TOO. Does anyone see why the public is virtually totally against building this downtown arena albatross?

Speaking of downtown Wichita, only one minor spark of improvements there is by the “Minnesota Boys” BUT heavily subsidized by the City of Wichita government.

On the other hand, blocks of buildings that were at least partially occupied in 1996 - 1999 are now vacant and windows broken and covered with dust.

Of course, the SPIN, DUCK AND HIDE is in. According to the Wichita spinners, downtown Wichita is enjoying a resurgence like its never seen before.

Please, we are not blind. The customers in the downtown coffee shops and restaurants are in awe of the difference between the “official line” and what they see on the streets.

Unfortunately the arena is sopping up much available “easy come, easy go” sales taxes that could have been used to do a real downtown Wichita makeover.

Apophis–

Right. And they only had to have something like four elections before they finally got the tiny majority they needed to ram this down our throats.

Not only that, the arena should be named for the people who paid for it–the people of Wichita.

I paid for it. I want my flipping name on it.

CapnAmerica Arena!!!!

“The place J R will never go”

The Dynaplex, city owned Arena was a bad idea at the time. I voted No on that. We’re late constructing a new Arena in comparison to other cities and its more expensive now. We had to do it.

I’m glad the County and City worked together to create the Arena downtown. It was dicey they could work together.

I get my way and wants with Intrust Bank Arena.

Especially if the 15,000 seats for basketball can schedule a yearly KU game. That’s going to take some effort by SMG and Wichita Sports Commission.
WSU and KSU hosting small tournaments.

Can Wichita host a college basketball tournament? City tourism has to work on that kind of promotion.

It will be a lifestyle improvement for many people adding what they do for entertainment. A lot of folks go out to dinner here, then to a movie. In the future it will be dinner out and downtown Arena event. If the parking downtown is accessible, should be great.

I stopped going to the Coliseum years ago because it’s ugly and uncomfortable seats to me.

We need a new dirt Arena for rodeo’s, monster trucks, Motocross, BMX.

History of the Coliseum;

http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2002/05/13/story2.html

We’re at that point again to fix the Coliseum, but some investors have to put money into it this time.

Park City could step up and try to find bond money to own the Coliseum and rebuild it with investor help. Wink Hartman wants to build Arena in Park City seems they have an investor.

Britt Brown Arena should meet a bulldozer one day.

County could go without a dirt Arena for a few years until investors want it brought back.

City could figure they need it. Somehow the City finds money to get the Dynaplex they always wanted.

Could a dirt Arena be put in another location? Sure it could. City may want a dirt Arena along Kellogg, far east or west side.

Mrage - you want a dirt Arena - BUILD ONE!

As for your being happy with 15,000 seats - FLIP FLOP. Remember callin me a liar for saying it was 15,000 and not the 17,000 you claimed? Then remember swearing you would never accept it at 15,000 seats because it cannot attract those tournaments you now claim it WILL attract? Why the sudden about-face?

I still wonder how it can pay its bills on maybe a couple of games a year. Why would KU abandon Allen got Intrust? Why would WSU abandon Koch? You have mentioned “making it worthwhile to them” - i.e subsidies. And where will you get that money?

Mrage - I hope you people can make your Arena work. I know that when they come back to the well for additional taxpayer money to run it there will be trouble. I intend to make sure of that. So, I suggest you get with all those corporates you are close with and get their underwriting of operations. I also (again) suggets membership sales similar to the Zoo. The Zoo raises a tremendious amount of money from people like me who buy memberships. Your Arena should do the same.

15,000 * $100 = $1.5 million. The County indicated to me that they anticipate a deficit of $2 million per year. I contend that it is your job to cover that deficit. Of course, you have already acknowledged that you expect taxpayers to pay for your entertainment.

A reason that sports will not work well. Most of us have teams we follow - not just local teams. Where we went to college, grad school, etc. That is why sports bars do so well. I can go to Players and watch the Bruins or other teams I follow. The likelihood they will ever be in the Arena is vanishingly small, approaching zero.

I was personally hoping for the “Michelle’s Beach House Arena” or “Bomber Burger Arena”

Ben

I think it would ne in the best interest of the casino for Mulvane to capture that image —- having a “quaint” country downtown nearby keeps em close to the casino (the casino of course would prefer they never leave) it’s win - win for both the city and casino —- doesn’t seem to be a lot of people around here that think that way ……

rs,
“Thank goodness they didn’t appoint a search committee———- Can you imagine
Wingnuts arena??”

Unfortunately I can, as well as a wingnut-shaped sign atop the arena. The tragic part is that it would actually improve the design.

We’re at that point again to fix the Coliseum, but some investors have to put money into it this time.

If we could have had a casino move in and invest 500 million dollars into it we would have had something. Property tax on it would have gone to good use, especially the part that goes to schools.