Why isn't Kansas City, Kansas booming? (Washington, Clayton: rent, how much, purchasing)

[kcmo]

Even though KCK has always called it a convention center, I wouldn't call the Reardon Center a convention center. It's really small. The main ballroom addition to Bartle Hall alone is like twice the size of the entire Reardon Center and KC has several suburban convention centers that are much larger, in much nicer areas that are surrounded by dozens of hotels like the KCI expo center and the Overland Park convention center. Downtown KCK has one hotel and it's not all that nice. There is zero desire or demand to hold an actual convention in downtown KCK outside very small local things like a small gun show or something.

Downtown KCK needs new residential to happen. It might happen, but it will take a while. It will take most of KCMO’s urban districts to become gentrified first and KCMO still has a ways to go before areas like the West Bottoms, Midtown and even the Crossroads are more built out and have priced out a lot of people.

But even then, there are so few reasons to live in KCK other than it being cheap and having nice views of downtown KCMO. There are few jobs there outside county government and blue collar jobs. There are few basic amenities, restaurants, shopping etc. Transit is limited to a few bus routes. Recreation is nearly non-existent. And most of all the city does not care about much of anything outside of the speedway area. They have put all their eggs in that basket. All the corporate welfare out there by the speedway pretty much gives downtown KCK zero chance of ever fully revitalizing. I mean if KCMO built the P&L District and Sprint Center and H&R Block next to Liberty, would downtown KC be as strong today?

KCK has barely changed in 50 years east of 435. I don’t really see that changing much over the next 50 years unless KS side companies and politicians take an interest in something outside of sprawl. It seems like the few companies in KS that do just come to KCMO.

Sad thing is that KCK could be a really neat part of metro KC. The speedway and mall area are fine where they are in western wyco, but some of that should have been done downtown. Even if only some of what is by the speedway were in downtown KCK it would have made all the difference in the world.

Imagine if the Cerner buildings, the Dairy farmers HQ and the soccer stadium were all part of a huge mixed use development in downtown KCK or on the Kansas Riverfront. I personally hate the village west area. It feels too "country" to me. It has a very rural culture to it and it's out in the middle of nowhere and isolated from the rest of the developed metro area. Some of that in downtown KCK would have transformed KCK and sparked all kinds of additional development like urban apartments. And now they are building a high rise Hard Rock hotel out there. It should have amazing views of all the empty land out there lol. That would have been really cool in Downtown KCK as well.

Oh well.

[idaeus]

I saw one of the best concerts at the Reardon Convention Center. It was the Red Hot Chili Peppers with a couple of unknown acts...Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. Man, I'm old!

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by idaeus

I saw one of the best concerts at the Reardon Convention Center. It was the Red Hot Chili Peppers with a couple of unknown acts...Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. Man, I'm old!

Seems like an odd place for a concert. Are you sure it was not Memorial Hall?

[idaeus]

Yeah...could of been.

All I know is that it was a long time ago and it was a heck of a concert!

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by idaeus

Yeah...could of been.

All I know is that it was a long time ago and it was a heck of a concert!

I bet, would have been cool to see those groups before they went bigtime.

[idaeus]

You're right Grid. Just did a quick search for the concert date and it was Memorial Hall.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by idaeus

You're right Grid. Just did a quick search for the concert date and it was Memorial Hall.

Saw a few concerts there myself. It was a pretty popular venue in the 80's and 90's.

[idaeus]

Sorry I meant kcmo...I sometimes forget what forum I'm on!

I just remember thinking that Smashing Pumpkins had a heck of a drummer.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by idaeus

Sorry I meant kcmo...I sometimes forget what forum I'm on!

I just remember thinking that Smashing Pumpkins had a heck of a drummer.

lol, no biggy, not like I try to hide my identity. I have actually tried to change my name here since it's confusing when I post about KCMO a lot.

[kcbluesprings]

I was out delivering the other day in KCK, and noticed land was being cleared at 8th and Washington, for a large loft project. Is there any information out there on it??