Cowtown theater should be public-private project

wranglersWhat a difference the Diamond W Wranglers have made for Old Cowtown Museum. The beloved group’s long-term booking at the museum will have Wichita City Council members talking at today’s meeting about adding a $4 million, 500- to 600-seat theater to the museum as soon as possible to accommodate the Wranglers’ crowds. The enthusiasm is welcome, both on the part of concertgoers and council members. But especially because Cowtown’s recent history has been so rocky, citizens may see this as a pet project, a want rather than a need. Private donors should at least supplement the cost of building such a venue. The seven-figure investment also demands long-term planning about how the facility might be used on non-Wranglers nights and how it will serve and supplement Cowtown’s mission and bottom line.

14 Comments

  1. ksagnostic
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 7:11 am | Permalink

    This is actually fixing something that the people who ran Cowtown broke awhile back. They used to have a melodrama theater that attracted crowds, but then they (Cowtown) decided to pursue certification as a museum and the melodrama was seen as inconsistent with that mission. It was a dumb decision. A museum is only as effective as the number of people who come to learn from it. Having a hook gets people in the door to look at the exhibits. I mean, come on, look at the Cosmosphere.

  2. J R
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 7:28 am | Permalink

    Hey city leaders?

    I want to hawk pop tarts while I do old renditions from Hee Haw. Can ya build ME an auditorium?

    This is absurd. Let these Hillbillys build their own venue. There is only so much market for paying 30 or 40 bucks to listen to cornpone while eating cornbread.

  3. Ben
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 7:40 am | Permalink

    Hey JR – I’ll back you as long as I get to sell RC Cola and Moon Pies!

  4. Pleefer
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 8:37 am | Permalink

    I’ll rustle up a mess o’ tasty meatloaf…

    Live at “The Brokeback Mountain Daredevil Theatre”.

  5. Pleefer
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 8:44 am | Permalink

    I can hardly wait for the souvenir, “KFDI’s gonna make me rich” cardboard hand fan.

  6. Regular
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 9:58 am | Permalink

    Should be fun and great entertainment. Will be ample opportunity for guest speakers, entertainers and celebrity guests.

    Perhaps Crowson can go up there and do some ‘pickin’ with them. :)

  7. Ben
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 11:18 am | Permalink

    Regular – I think you are onto something. With a decent restaurant and then ‘free entertainment’ (jamming) there just might be a good baseline demand. A nice relaxing evening for both performers and others.

  8. delores
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 11:45 am | Permalink

    Yes, yes and yes!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. JJ
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 12:13 pm | Permalink

    As long as they do not try and pay the place off in the first year by jacking up the prices so that no one can afford to go… i think it could be a small bit of entertainment that is lacking in the Wichita community.

  10. ksgrm
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 12:21 pm | Permalink

    JJ you beat me to it. This needs to be a venue that families can afford to go to something the Arena won’t be. I was at the downtown library yesterday and read the marque at Century II. Some great things coming, Chicago the Musical, Sheryl Crow, Aida… Something for everyone. Diversity in entertainment is great and if the public gets behind it we could build this with donations and not more taxes.

  11. ProudMan
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 12:30 pm | Permalink

    If Cowtown is doing all that well then it’s time for the city to sell its interests there. The City has no need to run an entertainment business.

  12. Regular
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 12:42 pm | Permalink

    Disagree Proudman.

    Cowtown is part of Wichita’s heritage. It should be supported and funded just like Colonial Williamburg or many of the other attractions cities have.

  13. Wiseman
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 1:25 pm | Permalink

    Branson Missouri and Silver Dollar City started out the same way.
    There should be some measurement of success for it; after all it is still a popular and growing venue in the Midwest.
    The City Council should seek private donors and investors from that area.
    I am sure that there is someone that is willing to make it an extension of an already successful venue.

  14. Tony
    Posted March 4, 2008 at 3:45 pm | Permalink

    I am slightly torn as to use public money to build a facility there… I agree that we shouldnt loose such an asset but than again, i also agree that this is for the few, rather than the many, maybe private dollars and ticket sales should fund the new facility.