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Eastern Jackson County, MO —
Tonight’s All-Star Game is a significant highlight for the Kansas City area, an event not held here for almost 40 years.
A huge amount of the credit goes to the voters and taxpayers. Six years ago the voters of Jackson County – who own Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums – approved a three-eighths-cent sales tax to renovate both, work that got done on time and on budget. The Chiefs, Royals and state of Missouri kicked in money, too.
Look at the benefits:
n The Royals and Chiefs signed long-term leases that keep them in Kansas City for another generation in exchange for the stadium improvements.
n How smart does all of this look now that the economy has crashed since that vote in 2006 and cities around the country have shelved thoughts of new stadiums? Renovating two already first-rate stadiums cost far less than new stadiums would have, while upgrading the fan experience and improving the all-important revenues that the stadiums provide to the teams.
Area leaders turned out to have been wise to build separate stadiums in the early ’70s when other cities where building drab, cookie-cutter, multi-sport stadiums – many of which have already come down. What a waste. This generation’s leaders are looking wise for having done an extreme makeover instead of building from scratch.
n Tonight’s game is part of a deal between voters and Major League Baseball. It’s customary that teams with new or significantly upgraded stadiums are rewarded with an All-Star Game, and baseball’s commissioner made that promise to voter/taxpayer/fans in Kansas City.
It’s only the third Major League Baseball All-Star Game ever in Kansas City. There was one in 1960, at the old Municipal Stadium, in the middle of the era of the underperforming Kansas City A’s. There was one in 1973, when Royals Stadium was brand new and the Royals were building toward their decade of on-field success from 1976 to 1985.
Now comes tonight. Sit back and enjoy – with high hopes that the Royals are again building toward a run of pennants and good memories.
(And a Super Bowl at Arrowhead because of its renovations? Probably have to come up with that rolling roof, an idea that gets kicked around now and then. Let’s worry about that one starting tomorrow.)
It’s a brief moment in the spotlight for Kansas City. Lots of TV shots of fountains and folks inhaling barbecue. It’s our turn, and it’s good.
Next project (and the taxpayers have done their part): Start winning pennants again.
Tonight’s All-Star Game is a significant highlight for the Kansas City area, an event not held here for almost 40 years.
A huge amount of the credit goes to the voters and taxpayers. Six years ago the voters of Jackson County – who own Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums – approved a three-eighths-cent sales tax to renovate both, work that got done on time and on budget. The Chiefs, Royals and state of Missouri kicked in money, too.
Look at the benefits:
n The Royals and Chiefs signed long-term leases that keep them in Kansas City for another generation in exchange for the stadium improvements.
n How smart does all of this look now that the economy has crashed since that vote in 2006 and cities around the country have shelved thoughts of new stadiums? Renovating two already first-rate stadiums cost far less than new stadiums would have, while upgrading the fan experience and improving the all-important revenues that the stadiums provide to the teams.
Area leaders turned out to have been wise to build separate stadiums in the early ’70s when other cities where building drab, cookie-cutter, multi-sport stadiums – many of which have already come down. What a waste. This generation’s leaders are looking wise for having done an extreme makeover instead of building from scratch.
n Tonight’s game is part of a deal between voters and Major League Baseball. It’s customary that teams with new or significantly upgraded stadiums are rewarded with an All-Star Game, and baseball’s commissioner made that promise to voter/taxpayer/fans in Kansas City.
It’s only the third Major League Baseball All-Star Game ever in Kansas City. There was one in 1960, at the old Municipal Stadium, in the middle of the era of the underperforming Kansas City A’s. There was one in 1973, when Royals Stadium was brand new and the Royals were building toward their decade of on-field success from 1976 to 1985.
Now comes tonight. Sit back and enjoy – with high hopes that the Royals are again building toward a run of pennants and good memories.
(And a Super Bowl at Arrowhead because of its renovations? Probably have to come up with that rolling roof, an idea that gets kicked around now and then. Let’s worry about that one starting tomorrow.)
It’s a brief moment in the spotlight for Kansas City. Lots of TV shots of fountains and folks inhaling barbecue. It’s our turn, and it’s good.
Next project (and the taxpayers have done their part): Start winning pennants again.
