Could dog, horse and gun shows comfortably coexist alongside cutting-edge aviation research at a retooled Kansas Coliseum complex? Good for developer Johnny Stevens for his apparent willingness to find out. Stevens, who has a deal under way to buy the facility for $1.5 million from Sedgwick County, says he would like to keep the Kansas Pavilions open and try to make them profitable. Meanwhile, he would renovate the next-door Britt Brown Arena and lease it to Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. Earlier, the county had pledged to keep the pavilions open until at least Jan. 1, 2016, but it needs to get the entire property out of the red and onto the tax rolls. The pavilions keep worthy events coming to the county, as the dollars of exhibitors and attendees flow to local businesses. It would be great to see them stay open.
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