There are good reasons to argue that Kansas should spend more promoting itself to tourists and building its $5.6 billion tourism industry. This just isn’t a very good time to make the argument, which is why the interim legislative Joint Committee on Economic Development recently declined to endorse a bill that would beef up the state’s $4 million annual tourism budget by $2 million a year and set up a new agency to market Kansas attractions. “My apologies to the tourism industry,” Chairwoman Karin Brownlee, R-Olathe, said after the panel voted against advancing the bill. One good thing came of the discussion, though: the panel’s stated support for Commerce Secretary David Kerr’s offer to better emphasize tourism by making the state’s tourism director a deputy secretary who reports to Kerr.
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45 Comments
Kansas already voted against increased tourism when they banned gay marriage. If marriage was legalized in the state then thousands of couples would flock here to get married, spend money on ceremonies, outfits, hotels, food, etc. But the followers of Phelps decided that ideology was more important than freedom and the economy and voted against their own interests.
Tourism is income for the state but many voters only see it as an expense. This untruthful perspective costs us. “It’s what people think they know, but don’t, that really hurts.” (apologies to the correct statement and author).
6.5 billion my ass. Just because you stay in a hotel and eat at McDonalds doesn’t make you a tourist. Why don’t they give us the figure for the number of free Kansas maps handed out each year at the state’s information centers.
The above figure claims Kansas gets 6.5 million tourists each year, each of whom spend $1,000, putting it on par with such destinations as the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
Its no secret, the State of Kansas is facing dire loss of tax revenues and needs to drastically cut back in all areas of tax spending. So what do we get from the state’s department heads, we need to INCREASE spending for their particular little baliwicks.
In this blog thread, the Kansas tourism czars want more tax money to support their activities … which by the way have never been proved to bring any additional tourists to Kansas. The money would add several employees in Topeka who would produce another glossy tourist magazine.
On the editorial page of this morning’s Wichita EAGLE, a letter from the head of the Kansas Highway Department claims that INCREASED tax spending is needed on Kansas roads, not because the additional roads are needed, but to make additional construction jobs and bring investment to areas along the new roads.
The most often mentioned justification for building new coal fired power plants in western Kansas is … “just think of all the new jobs that will be produced out along the Kansas – Colorado border where there aren’t many people living now.” Not mentioned is the draining of the underground pure water Ogallala aquifer, pollution of Kansas air to the east, humongous profit for a few private corporations from the vast growth area of Denver region, etc.
Watch out Kansas … very little of your taxes will be spent to help you. Your taxes are going to pay for someone’s VISION of something that’s not going to help you.
My proposed new Kansas motto: “From the many off their hard-working backs … to the few according to their perceived personal needs regardless of contributing anything of value.”
When ever the topic of tourism comes up I think back to my relatives from Virginia visit back in the seventies. They were shock to discover we had color T.V. and building taller than two stories. They were disappointed to not see half naked warriors riding their war ponies down Douglas. I did try to fill their desire to see real Indians by taking them to the Mid-American All Indian museum. But sadly everyone working there was Blond, Blue eyed and wearing colorful handmade necklaces.
A good starting point might be to answer this question: If a space alien came here to visit what would you show them here in Kansas. AND why would you think they would be interested in it?
As long as kansans vote to sustain the republic of wingnuttia, tourism will be a joke. It’s a boondoggle that produces little or nothing in the way of real economic development. Because, ya know, creationism, the whole statewide cult of the angry jesus, and spirit one’s “ignorance in America” will drive away more visitors than any state program could hope to lure.
heheh. Because, ya know, nothing says FUN on a vactaion like going to see terry, joe, fred or their clones in Kansas. Ya. You betchya. THAT kind of judgemental, angry, and backward state with no attractions other than one NASCAR track and Cabelas is JUST what travelers make a priority to visit.
Jesus Wept!
And the saddest things are the little bitty towns that spend their last dollar creating something as exciting as the world’s largest ball of twine, or they spend half the town budget to restore ONE historic building. They are thinking it will somehow SAVE the town. Ya. You betchya.
Unless you’ve tied tourism to economic development by luring these visitors to live and/or invest in the towns they visit…
…it’s just another lobbying group for chain hotels and restaurants. A lobbying group funded by taxpayers to privatize the profits and socialize the costs.
Why do republicans love socialism?
Most of the attractions in Kansas can be best described as “quaint” as KFG pointed out there are many towns whom restore and maintain older buildings and oddities. They may make a decent attraction on a weekend trip around Kansas to see the history of the people. But hardly something that someone from East or West would jump on a plane to come see. There are some exceptions I have seen, the Prairie Rose did/does draw foreign visitors. A local Helicopter service draws visitors from Japan whom want to see a Tornado? But those are the only two I have seen that brings people from far away to Kansas.
Well,
I don’t think ANY amount of investment can make Kansas a tourism destination. Exploration Place, The Cosmosphere, and our Sedgwick County Zoo are about as best as we have.
But even if it COULD? What’s the point? We constantly make news here that shouts “STAY AWAY if you have any sense!”
I don’t know. Maybe play to THAT. “Come to Kansas! You’ll be happy to go home!”
Many Kansans have always been clueless as to what could form the basis for a tourism economy.
1) Kansas will always be a travel through, not a travel to, destination, with exceptions for some sorts of hunting. But there are ways to capitalize on that. Some communities have tried, but there is more that could be done.
2) Kansas has put less money into natural resources management and (this is not an oxymoron although it may look like it to some of you) development than any other state in the region. Kansas has some areas of very real natural beauty, easily as much as, say, Nebraska, but the latter state has done a much better job of management. It isn’t that we don’t have good people in resources, either, but the legislature almost always pushes resource management to the back burner. And also, the resources we better manage are vital to the economy of most of the state (agriculture).
3) The wingnut factor, which is unfortunate. Yes, we obviously have some wingnuttiness, but Kansas is NOT as wingnutty as the outside world seems to think. When I come back to south central Kansas (the most wingnutty region in the state) from south central Missouri, Arkansas, or Kentucky, I feel like I’ve come home to a relative Greenwich Villaige. And the I-70 corridor where most people travel through is not nearly as wingnutty as south central Kansas.
4) Kansas undersells what it has. A good example is the 177 scenic byway. There is a sign that says it ends at Council Grove. The scenery doesn’t. If a driver keeps going they will see the Konza Prairie. And nothing I’ve seen on 177, as much as I love it, exceeds what I see on I-70 going through Geary, Riley, and Wabaunsee County.
Oh, and too many Kansans have run away from the Wizard of Oz when they should be embracing it.
Wasting some $500,000,000 of Sedgwick County’s taxpayers hard earned dollars on the unwanted, unneeded, no purpose downtown ice hockey arena … which when finished won’t draw visitors from much further than fifty miles in diameter. Unfortunately not many of its proponents still live here to take the blame. Most have since left Wichita to ply their ill-gotten “steal from the taxpayer” skills elsewhere.
The few left are here because they are still on the tax supported payroll: Bill Buchanan, the current County Manager who is trying to slither over to City Hall, the holdover county commissioners, Tim Norton and Dave Unruh, the city-county planning director, some local contractors and architects, among others.
That 1/2 billion dollars wasted on Wichita’s downtown arena (Kansas equivalent to Alaska’s proposed “bridge to nowhere” which never got built) could have been broken up to have accomplished about 20 less expensive projects which would have transformed Wichita and Sedgwick County into an international jewel of rebuilt infrastructure, a beautiful rearranged downtown utilizing its strong points the 1920’s office buildings and structures and several wonderful buildings built since, a new convention center near the Arkansas River, a sparkling bowling center with all the bells and whistles to draw visiting bowlers from all over the world to Wichita “for the waters,” etc.
But all the taxpayers got for their money was a humongous waste of their tax dollars without any meaningful input.
Heads should roll on this gigantic waste of tax dollars but in timid Kansas, probably won’t.
Jwink a large town with a population approaching 300,000 SHOULD have had an ice venue 20 years ago.
Yeah, I’ve never been there. But it’s nice to know it is there if I want to go.
Let’s be clear here. There is not much point to trying to make Kansas a tourism destination. But I think we at least need to have venues that give people some small reason, against reason, to continue to live here.
Kansas is missing integral parts of drawing tourists.
We have no public transportation.
There are very limited places where you can rent a sleeping room and walk to choices of dining, entertainment and shopping.
Even if you rent a room at the Hyatt in downtown Wichita, where are you going to walk to? Will you walk as far as Old Town or the museums on the river or even to that stupid new arena. Will you make those walks if the weather isn’t too hot or too cold? That criteria leaves out much of our year. Where are the restaurants located, the golf courses, the movie theaters, shops…? And if you drive, where do you park? Say you stay out on west or east Kellogg, do you need a car to get anywhere? Yep, no shops, few choices of restaurants, and no entertainment within walking distance.
The few state attractions are spread far apart. Although I find beauty in the Kansas landscape, you better be close to a city of some size (which Kansas has FEW of) at mealtime or have packed a lunch. When dark is approaching be sure you’re someplace that doesn’t roll up the sidewalks at 5 p.m.
Think about the times you have visitors. Where do you take them? Then think about if they were here without the advantage of you knowing where things are and how to get there. Would that eliminate some?
Even Kansas City (the Kansas side) pales as a tourist destination if compared to its Missouri side. Outside the race track area, what is there? You go to Missouri for The Plaza, the boats, Westport, Crown Center.
I know there are sportsmen who come in for hunting, but outside specific and limited pursuits, Kansas is not going to be a tourist destination any time soon.
Hey folks, this is Kansas! The only tourists we see are on the highway, and they have skis strapped on top of their cars. It’s a safe bet they’re just passing through. Fast! They might be good for a hamburger and a tank of gas, but nothing worth spending $6 million in tax money to attract.
I doubt people will flock to a new Feedlot Hall of Fame or an even bigger ball of twine. If we want those Touri$t Buck$ we’re gonna have to grow some mountains!
“Jwink a large town with a population approaching 300,000 SHOULD have had an ice venue 20 years ago.”
Actually, we are now closer to 400,000 (approximately 360,000 at last count). And that’s just in the city (and since I actually am in Park City, my “we” is now in the Sedgwick County, now approaching 470,000).
I think time will tell on the downtown arena, but there is going to have to be some attention to the area around it, and the parking fiasco brought about by clueless consultants who really don’t understand this area of the country has made me less optimistic about the arena than I was when it was first proposed.
“JWink
Posted November 30, 2008 at 10:48 am | Permalink
Wasting some $500,000,000 of Sedgwick County’s taxpayers hard earned dollars on the unwanted, unneeded, no purpose downtown ice hockey arena”
If memeory serves me correctly, greater than 50% of the electorate vote in favor of this project and the associated .05 sales tax back in 2004 (at a presidentail election at that). Just because you voted “nay” doesn’t make the arena “unwanted, unneeded”. Did you also vote “no” on the school bond?
Few thoughts on some of the points made:
-The Gay Marriage Tourism idea is a myth. It’s speculation and there is no data to back it up at this point. If my marriage was only recognized in two states and I could not legally be married in my current state of residence, the most sense is to either move to the state that it’s legal or stay home. Why would I travel from Kansas to Massachusetts to participate in a ceremony that when I return home is not recognized by the law? Makes no sense.
-RE: The arena. Tax payers voted for the minor sales tax increase (which has been rolled back as promised) to build the facility. What do similar size cities in our region (OKC, Omaha, Des Moines) with vibrant downtown’s have in common?
A new state-of-the art arena.
Actually, Linda, I love walking by the river (after my first wife died, my daughter went ice skating a lot and I would just spend my time walking from the Ice Rink to Old Town and back). The area by the river is truly beautiful, but it is more of an amenity for residents than “tourists”.
To attract tourists, what we are doing is attracting people who are traveling through to linger an extra day or so. Some of the lakes in Kansas, particularly Wilson and some of the lakes to the east are really nice lakes with really nice scenery, but you have to have the infrastructure to attact and hold people, and we don’t, never have. And you also have to maintain the amenities that you have, which we don’t, and rarely have. Despite Jed’s snarky comments to the contrary Kansas does have some nice things to offer (check out Kansas Magazine to see some of what we have). Except for the Ozarks, we really aren’t that far off the mark from what Missouri has, and the open spaces with rocky hills in particular are spectatular in my opinion. But Missouri is ahead of us in how they manage what they have (for the most part, we do better on a couple of things, Missouri has a couple of strikes against it, their highways suck and they have far too restrictions on garbage billboards).
Wink,
Hey, that $500M isn’t wasted. Think of it as a bail-out for contractors- twice! They’ll get it again in a few years when they have to tear it down.
Blaidd,
If memory serves, the county said they’d build it even if we didn’t pass it, because sports teams were just falling all over themselves to come to Wichita. If it was going to be so effing profitable, why weren’t private investors clamoring to build it?
I doubt that I will ever be able to afford the tickets to see the inside of Intrust Arena, but I still got taxed to build it for all of you who can!
“Some of the lakes in Kansas, particularly Wilson and some of the lakes to the east are really nice lakes with really nice scenery”
As long as sebelius and mike hayden are in charge, those lakes wont have much water in them anyway, much less amenities near them.
The fact is Jed, that the voters passed the tax to fund the arena. That is how democracy works.
It remains to be seen if it will suceed.
Agnatha, I love Kansas too! The walk you mention is great. I used to work in the near downtown area and have walked all along the river, etc. I had the luxury of choosing the days the weather was most pleasant, not what happened the day(s) I visited.
I still don’t think we will ever be a tourist destination. There will be those here on business leaving a few “visitor” dollars but they’re not likely to choose this business destination as the place they bring the spouse or come early / stay late to enjoy the city or state attractions.
“If memory serves, the county said they’d build it even if we didn’t pass it, because sports teams were just falling all over themselves to come to Wichita. If it was going to be so effing profitable, why weren’t private investors clamoring to build it?”
As I recall, the pitch was coming primarily from the city, not the county. As memory serves, the county was divided, but a majority on the County Commission went along with it. And the hook was that an almost as expensive renovation of the Kansas Coliseum would have had to be done if the arena was turned down, and that spending money up there wouldn’t have been as efficient as building a new arena in downtown Wichita because that’s where the people are. I personally think that’s questionable, Park City off of 135 is just as easy to get to as downtown Wichita for most city and county residents, and if anything is easier.
ksafrmgrrl, I strongly disagree with your characterization of Mike Hayden on these forums, and I will let it go at that.
Sebelius, not so much.
The scare tactic used was the repairs and compliance improvements needed for the Coliseum would be almost as costly, those funds would be property tax assessments and never go away. So, we were fooled into voting for the arena and they raised our property taxes for the Coliseum anyway. I was one of those who voted yes because they lied to me. I will never trust them again!
They also told us there would be parking and the temporary sales tax would include some banked funds for maintaining the arena. Now we know those were lies too — no parking and they spent the maintenance fund.
kfg..can you name one person or convention that has not come to Kansas because of politics? Please..I would love to see some facts to back up your assertion of:
“..statewide cult of the angry jesus, and spirit one’s “ignorance in America” will drive away more visitors than any state program could hope to lure.”
I have been a tourist many, many times, and local politics never had any bearing on my visit. I went to ski, or view scenery, or ride a mule, etc.
I would love to see some backup of that off the wall claim….
Blaidd,
“That is how democracy works.”
Correction: that is how democracy works when politicians are lying and screwing their constituents out of $500M+!
Raptor: The year long International Bowling Convention that considered coming to Wichita and then back out would have brought millions of tourist dollars to Wichita from all over the world. This one convention would have produced far more tourist income for Wichita than the ONE HALF BILLION DOLLAR white elephant downtown arena will produce for many years.
There are a surprising number of Kansas and national church organization conventions that look for a family type atmosphere for their conventions.
Basically your question would have to be answered by the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau that was just forced to move to the Realtors new building in Water Walk.
Jed, how did “politicians are lying and screwing their constituents out of $500M+”?
Sorry, I just returned from church and lunch in Wichita. So I am just reading the comments on this “tourism” thread.
I think I should clear up some apparent misconceptions on this thread.
One, Wichita already has an outstanding operating ICE SPORTS FACILITY at Maple and Sycamore. It has had its ups and downs. It opened in January 1997. I was the first person to eat in its “Breakaway Restaurant” on its upper floor. For the record, I ordered the “Breakaway Burger with mushrooms, bacon, tomato, cheddar cheese and french fries.”
ICE SPORTS, as the facility is called, was a great operation for about four years. Then because of bad management and no oversight from the City, it virtually tanked for about three years.
Then about four years ago, with a change of management and excellent guidance from a new manager, Brenda Glidewell, (perfect name for the job!) the ICE SPORTS facility again caught on and is going full speed ahead. It functions in several activities on its twin ice sheets: general skating for Wichita youth on a designated schedule, ice skating lessons, practice courts for the Wichita Thunder ice hockey team, playing courts for a number of ice hockey teams around the area and wonderful ice shows by Wichita amateur ice skaters.
In fact, an ice skating show complete with music and colored lights is scheduled for a weekend in December, I believe the weekend just before Christmas. This is unbelievably wonderful entertainment.
****************************
NOW, MY OBJECTION IS TO THE GIANT ICE SKATING DOWNTOWN ARENA WHICH IS BEING BUILT NEAR OLD TOWN, SOUTH OF DOUGLAS, JUST SOUTHWEST OF THE HISTORIC UNION RAILROAD STATION. I ESTIMATE THE COST FOR THIS WHITE ELEPHANT ARENA TO RUN UP TO ONE-HALF BILLION DOLLARS.
This ground should have been retained for parking for Union Station so Union Station could be used for a regional Amtrak station in case we get an Amtrak connection. Now the regional Amtrak station will have to be built in Park City or Haysville.
The “new” downtown white elephant arena will contain super expensive ice making refrigeration equipment plus perhaps 10 super expensive Zambonie ice scraping vehicles to maintain the ice surface.
Just like the Kansas Coliseum, when the floor is needed for other events, a thick rubberized surface will be placed on top of the ice.
The new arena is NOT DESIGNED for dirt activities such as horse shows or circuses. It is NOT DESIGNED for concerts where acoustics are important although loud clanging music will be OK there. It is NOT DESIGNED for use for large conventions and large antique/gun type shows.
These uses will most likely continue to go to the Kansas Coliseum. Or even more likely, will go to the sparkling new Wink Hartman Sports Center virtually on the west side of I-135 from the Kansas Coliseum.
Some bloggers might have forgotten … the estimated cost to renovate the Kansas Coliseum into a sparkling new beautiful arena would have been $65 million dollars, about 8% of the cost of building the downtown arena. This amount would have included wider corridors, larger restrooms, more in and out entrances to the massive 4,000 car parking lot with some enlargement in number of spaces. Some other amenities to the RV park, the building, the other “pavilion” buildings on the east side of the Coliseum, and perhaps an entrance to the dog racing track area.
The Kansas Coliseum could have continued to be the home of the Wichita Thunder ice hockey team for as long as they survive here.
Then in downtown Wichita, a new convention center could have been built on the west side of the Arkansas River, north side of Douglas, in Delano.
And Century II could have been converted to an International Bowling Facility with all the bells and whistles to provide a connector to a new Convention Center and the current Convention building south of Century II. Tie this all to the Broadview Hotel and city-owned Hyatt Hotel.
This configuration would have brought millions of dollars to Wichita over the next ten years.
But we’ve got the holdover county commissioners, Norton, Unruh and Winters (soon to exit) with absolutely no imagination or vision except when it comes to collecting their pay checks.
So Wichita is stuck in a large tax sinkhole with no light in sight at the end of the spending tunnel.
Note to Phil Brownlee, opinion editor of the Wichita EAGLE: You have my permission to use these comments on the editorial page of the Wichita EAGLE.
“JWink” –
10 Zambonis?!
jwink…did that convention cancel BECAUSE of Kansas political leanings as kfg asserts? If that were the case, then the IBC would never have booked in the first place.
kfg made the assertion…I am waiting for some substantiation of that claim.
Jesus raptor, you must go to the same church that condones lying as bigotbawks.
Please repost where I said ANYTHING about ANY convention.
And… google gay + boycott + kansas and see what you find raptor.
I think it’s pretty funny that kansas isnt even important enough to warrant an official boycott. WTF would gay people boycott? The NASCAR track? The kansas sports museum? The Garden of Eden in Lucas?
heheh. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Um. Yeah. I’m totally “off the wall” on this.
Because bigotry and hatred and kansas wingnuts are so good for tourism. Anytime your town is featured under Ignorance In America on CNN, it causes people to put kansas ON their list of places to visit.
jesus wept. There’s a reason we’re known as the Flyover State filled with Flyover people…
Jesus rap, you are so pathetic.
“kfg..can you name one person or convention that has not come to Kansas because of politics?”
One person?
“http://web.morons.org/feature/boycottkansas/”
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!
Dumbass. Typical kansan. The google is your friend…
That every time Kansas or Wichita gets mentioned in the National news it is almost always negative, Fred Phelps, BTK, dumbing down science standards , Spirit one church etc. And tornados
“That every time Kansas or Wichita gets mentioned in the National news it is almost always negative, Fred Phelps, BTK, dumbing down science standards, Spirit one church etc. And tornados.’
Unfortunately, there is truth to that. And when the state does make a correction (re: the dumbing down of science standards, it never garners the same attention).
Correction:
Unfortunately, there is truth to that. And when the state does make a correction (re: the dumbing down of science standards) it never garners the same attention.
Part of what makes Kansas what it represents is traditional consistency.
Not exactly what attracts tourists, but Kansas is what it is.
It’s about people putting their nose to the grind stone, making a living from farming generation after generation. The communities that derive from that industry.
It’s about an aircraft industry that arose from the windswept plains and has grown into a world leader in the aforementioned.
Sure, we have our little attractions, but Kansas is not a tourist stop simply because it was/is a state that became a transition state for those who came here.
I like consistency and tradition. Not sure how you would market that. Perhaps it doesn’t need marketing?
Monkeyhawk: I estimate Zambonies cost about $100,000 each. I suspect the new downtown arena will need about ten of these ice monsters to keep the ice slabs sculpted for the ice hockey players from Canada.
Raptor: I suspect none of us would be able to find out why the International Bowlers Association decided twice recently not to hold their annual convention here in Wichita. Wichita’s “Good Old Boy Network” keeps this information under their hat.
Three or four years ago, I attended public meetings to pass out flyers questioning reasons for building the super expensive white elephant downtown arena. County manager Bill Buchanan knocked my flyers out of my hands onto the floor with the holdover county commissioners standing around laughing. Did any of those politicians help me pick up the flyers? NO, DEFINITELY NOT.
Now Bill “Wichita Arena Visionary” Buchanan wants to become Wichita City Manager to continue spending public taxes for this idiocy.
kfg…interesting link, but where is the proof of it having any result whatsoever?
Case in point…a black woman pulled a gun on police in Riverside CA in 1999, and was shot and killed. Jackson and Sharpe showed up, demanding a boycott of all white owned businesses in Riverside, CA, and nothing ever happened.
My point being…a website calling for a boycott is not proof of anything. My initial question was for you to back up your claim about ‘driving away business’. Convention, person, group..anything. Can you back up your ridiculous claim or not?
If you hate this state so much…why do you stay here, anyway?
“JWink” on Zambonis –
“I suspect the new downtown arena will need about ten of these ice monsters to keep the ice slabs sculpted for the ice hockey players from Canada.”
I agree they are monsters a I wouldn’t be surprised if the biggest of ‘em might cost in the low six figures.
But 10 of ‘em?!
Ten Zambonis probably wouldn’t fit in the arena.
raptor, you dumbass, the owner of that website is boycotting kansas. He’s just one. You asked for one person that is boycotting and I gave it to you. If you wanted MORE than one person, you should not have asked for just one. Now you have to look it all up yourself to find the others. And there are others. In fact, there are many who are boycotting ALL states with hate amendments. But then, you’d have to look it up, and I see that is waaaaay beyond your intelligence.
Typical con. Give them an example they ask for, and they say no, that doesnt count, give me more. I gave you what you asked for. Screw you on a hundred more examples, that STILL wouldnt be enough if I posted all the links.
Too dumb to read? I’ll expect an apology from you. Except, being a wingnut like you means NEVER admitting you are wrong. Or sorry.
And… I’ve explained a thousand times here…
I love my farm. I stay here for my farm. I just hate the state it’s located in. I could, of course, leave, as I did for sixteen happy years in Austin. But why should I let dumbasses like you deprive me of my family farm? You and yours just arent worth it.
Heh. That’s JUST what kansas needs. One more person to leave to escape the wingnuts. One more person joining the brain drain leaving kansas. Good advise rap. Keep giving it out. The state just NEEDS to lose more people…
nitwit
Monkeyhawk: Ice Sports at Maple and Sycamore has two Zambonies, one for each of their small ice sheets. In fact, one is relatively new, purchased in September or so of this year. They operate about every hour when ice skating or ice hockey is going on. A part-time staff member usually operates them during heavy skating periods — provides a nice part-time job for someone.
Wonder how many Zambonies they have at the Kansas Coliseum?
I believe Wink Hartman decided not to install ice sheets in his new Hartman arena because the cost of maintaining ice sheets and Zambonies would be too expensive … only Sedgwick County government can afford that, using our tax dollars of course.