Should KC build a new airport?

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by kcmo

It's no wonder metro KC is eating itself for economic activity when there is so little else going on there.

Good thing you left, huh?

[traverone]

The powers that be want a new airport so there will be one hour waiting lines to get thru security. It now takes longer to take off belt and shoes than to go thru security. Oh well guess we need construction jobs.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by kcmo

It's no wonder metro KC is eating itself for economic activity when there is so little else going on there.

Honestly, if you can't find something to do in KC, you are probably extremely boring.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

Honestly, if you can't find something to do in KC, you are probably extremely boring.

Come on tab, you should know that of all people, I don't find KC boring. Quite the contrary and one only has to look at my sticky thread for proof that I think there is plenty to do in KC.

When I mentioned there is "not much else going on", I was talking about economic development. I will rave all day along about that fact that KC has "things to do", but there is not much going on in KC as far as eco dev, especially in the urban core. Most eco dev in metro KC is just companies moving around town via excessive incentives and downtown KC (despite all the public improvements) continues to take a nasty beating from the suburbs as companies continue to ignore and flee downtown KC. Even the Plaza is more or less stable and not growing much. But I believe downtown KC lost 1/4 of its private employees over the past ten years and ranks as the worst city (except San Antonio) in the country when it comes companies that are still fleeing for the burbs. Even Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland etc do better than KC.

What little construction you see in metro KC is just corporate welfare and often in the outer suburbs at the expense of urban kcmo and kck.

So that's basically KC's eco development. Not much going on.... Metro KC eats itself, no net gain and drastic urban core losses.

So when you factor in the fact that KC very rarely builds major infrastructure improvements that you see in nearly ever other major city, like new airport terminals/expansion, major transit improvements, comprehensive recreational improvements etc, which often brings a lot of federal money to town as well, there is little going on in metro KC.

That's what I meant.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by traverone

The powers that be want a new airport so there will be one hour waiting lines to get thru security. It now takes longer to take off belt and shoes than to go thru security. Oh well guess we need construction jobs.

It bothers me that they don't even care what the people want. They are going to do what they want regardless.

[MOKAN]

Sometimes the professionals know more than the laymen. Our city needs to do everything it can to be competitive. Apparently there are enough people that know that judging by the fact a new airport is proposed and seems to have momentum. If these types of things were only up to the masses on a vote with no influence of professional leadership, KCMO might look more like KCK (or Detroit) and be even more devoid with everything being in the suburbs. KCMO has held its own against the suburbs and other cities fairly well, thanks to professional leadership, not the layman's expertise. It's difficult to express to voters (and Joe Blow) how an airport can have an effect on a city's economy and how that effect can benefit or harm them, even if they do not fly at all. Companies want a nice airport, and so does an educated/affluent workforce. It makes our city more attractive and more likely to retain and attain new employment. For every single job at a large company, there's a spinoff of multiple other jobs. Those multiple other jobs keep Joe Blow employed.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Sometimes the professionals know more than the laymen. Our city needs to do everything it can to be competitive. Apparently there are enough people that know that judging by the fact a new airport is proposed and seems to have momentum. If these types of things were only up to the masses on a vote with no influence of professional leadership, KCMO might look more like KCK (or Detroit) and be even more devoid with everything being in the suburbs. KCMO has held its own against the suburbs and other cities fairly well, thanks to professional leadership, not the layman's expertise. It's difficult to express to voters (and Joe Blow) how an airport can have an effect on a city's economy and how that effect can benefit or harm them, even if they do not fly at all. Companies want a nice airport, and so does an educated/affluent workforce. It makes our city more attractive and more likely to retain and attain new employment. For every single job at a large company, there's a spinoff of multiple other jobs. Those multiple other jobs keep Joe Blow employed.

wow, one of your best posts (and you post as lot of good posts )

[MidWestCityNative]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Sometimes the professionals know more than the laymen. Our city needs to do everything it can to be competitive. Apparently there are enough people that know that judging by the fact a new airport is proposed and seems to have momentum. If these types of things were only up to the masses on a vote with no influence of professional leadership, KCMO might look more like KCK (or Detroit) and be even more devoid with everything being in the suburbs. KCMO has held its own against the suburbs and other cities fairly well, thanks to professional leadership, not the layman's expertise. It's difficult to express to voters (and Joe Blow) how an airport can have an effect on a city's economy and how that effect can benefit or harm them, even if they do not fly at all. Companies want a nice airport, and so does an educated/affluent workforce. It makes our city more attractive and more likely to retain and attain new employment. For every single job at a large company, there's a spinoff of multiple other jobs. Those multiple other jobs keep Joe Blow employed.

The pro-status quo crowd needs to read this

[MOKAN]

^You never know what could happen, our current airport could give one key and influential player a bad impression sparking a chain of events where an entire company end up leaving town. Just the same, it may give reason for key and influential players on a scouting mission a reason to cross Kansas City off their list. An airport is a big deal and to a certain crowd is sort of the "face" of a city.

There's a lot of knowledge some of us have and take for granted, such as basic economic principles. Even then, there are many people with the knowledge that don't understand it's real or how it applies in the real world. Not everybody is able to see the big picture. The tangibility is just not there for a lot of folks. Even if they do understand things in theory, they may think of the theory is BS. It's too stretched out and hard to put together for some. What I said in my last post some folks would likely take too literally as if I said KC is going to fold up over night if a new airport isn't built, and while realizing that's not true they may think my words are untrue in their entirety. I know this is how people think because my dad is like that. He's a good guy, legit, hardworking, makes a good salary, etc., but just doesn't understand things like this. And again, that's why professionals lead our cities and everything isn't up for a popular vote.