American Royal leaders propose tearing down Kemper

[DaveKCMO]

the star poll: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/edito ... 02517.html

[grovester]

Shenanigans

http://www.kansascity.com/news/governme ... 0bf72afe-1

Can any entity pursue historic designation?

[herrfrank]

Kemper Arena should be nominated for historic preservation, despite the American Royal threats. It has both architectural and historic value. Frankly, I am shocked that the city has slunk away on this -- that building is important, and there is nothing wrong structurally with it. The AR can find itself another parcel.

It is one of the early and substantial Helmut Jahn commissions -- he is a genuinely important architectural link between modernism and postmodernism.

It was the site of the last contended party convention, the 1976 Republican. This was where President Gerald Ford dropped Nelson Rockefeller for Bob Dole in an attempt to outmaneuver the surging Ronald Reagan. Where a visibly enraged Betty Ford threw food (but no drink) from the Ford family box onto Congressman Ron Paul and his rump Texas delegation who were shouting down Henry Kissinger.

[herrfrank]

I'll add, somewhat circumspectly, that if Kemper Arena is demolished, it will be the second signficant, local architectural crime headlined by Mariner Kemper. The first demolition was an effect of the circumstance of his earliest years.

[Eon Blue]

Can you elaborate on the first one? I can't connect the dots, thought I may be denser than usual here at the end of the day.

[FangKC]

Government-owned buildings are almost never put on the National Register of Historic Places.

The only one in Jackson County is the Jackson County Courthouse in Independence.

http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/jackson.htm

In downtown Kansas City, Liberty Memorial, Municipal Auditorium, City Hall, the Jackson County Courthouse on E. 12th, Police Headquarters, and the Municipal Courts building on the SE corner of Locust and W. 12th, are all eligible to be on the National Register of Historic Places, but none have been placed. They are all over 50 years old, and examples of art deco style government structures.

[DaveKCMO]

I'll add, somewhat circumspectly, that if Kemper Arena is demolished, it will be the second signficant, local architectural crime headlined by Mariner Kemper. The first demolition was an effect of the circumstance of his earliest years.

.

[smh]

I'll add, somewhat circumspectly, that if Kemper Arena is demolished, it will be the second signficant, local architectural crime headlined by Mariner Kemper. The first demolition was an effect of the circumstance of his earliest years.

.

Perhaps the first is the EBT building? Grand St Opera House? (Do I have the right building name?) Whatever the beautiful building was around 8th and Grand.

[loftguy]

I'll add, somewhat circumspectly, that if Kemper Arena is demolished, it will be the second signficant, local architectural crime headlined by Mariner Kemper. The first demolition was an effect of the circumstance of his earliest years.

Sounds like the plot line for Whitney Terrell's next novel.

[FangKC]

Different Kempers. The Commerce Bank Kemper branch (Jonathan Kemper) was responsible for the demolition of the Grand Opera House on Grand and E.7th Street.

The UMB branch of the Kemper family was responsible for the demolition of the Emery, Bird & Thayer department store building. At that time, R. Crosby Kemper Jr. was running the bank.

[FangKC]

The majority of Kansas City Star readers vote to keep Kemper Arena.

1. Kemper Arena should be demolished to make way for a new, smaller building for the American Royal and possibly youth sports activities.

Strongly agree 24%

Agree 13%

Disagree 18%

Strongly disagree 44%

The majority of readers polled also indicated that the City shouldn't pay what the American Royal needs to build a new structure, and were not concerned that the American Royal would leave the City.

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/edito ... 78613.html

[FangKC]

In Kansas City’s battle over Kemper Arena, the American Royal tosses a high hard one

Many Kansas Citians were outraged by the revelation that the American Royal’s high-priced attorneys threatened to sue the Foutch Brothers development firm if it didn’t stop questioning the organization’s lease with the city and stop pursuing a historic register designation for the 40-year-old arena.

The Foutch proposal aimed to retrofit and reuse the woefully idled, city-owned Kemper as a center for youth sports. That plan stood in the way of the American Royal’s obsessive hope for a do-over at the West Bottoms site that would eliminate Kemper and give it, at much taxpayer expense, a shinier and smaller building.

Well, dang, if the Polsinelli letter didn’t work. Foutch announced tersely last week that it would withdraw its proposal. That left the American Royal’s leaders a clear shot at arm-twisting the City Council onto their collective laps.

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/edito ... 85369.html

American Royal threatened lawsuit before developer withdrew Kemper Arena project

http://www.kansascity.com/news/governme ... 45207.html

[FangKC]

Arrogance on Kemper Arena, plus Tuesday’s elections really matter to Kansas City’s future

6 p.m. Monday: The Star reports online that American Royal officials sent a letter that threatened a lawsuit against the Foutch Brothers days before the developer abruptly pulled its planned reuse of Kemper Arena.

The letter re-revealed the arrogant approach of Neal Patterson, co-founder and CEO of Cerner Corp.; Mariner Kemper, CEO of UMB Financial Corp., and other big-time business leaders as they try to get tens of millions of tax dollars to help them build a new Royal facility.

Now Kansas Citians will wait to see whether Mayor Sly James and City Council members will show real leadership on a good deal to save or demolish Kemper — and determine how much taxpayer funds the American Royal backers could get their hands on.

Given the diminishing importance of and public interest in the Royal, the politicians need to drive a good bargain that focuses on a different priority. They must ensure that any public investment in the West Bottoms is a good way to attract more private dollars to the historic area, a potential gold mine for long-term redevelopment of Kansas City.

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-c ... 82645.html

[FangKC]

Councilman will back Kemper plan despite bullying charge

http://tinyurl.com/qhmv3e9

[aknowledgeableperson]

An interesting statement/development in that article, something not mentioned before that I know of.

because the American Royal has agreed to divest the city of its current lease obligations and assume ownership and maintenance of the American Royal Complex

[bobbyhawks]

An interesting statement/development in that article, something not mentioned before that I know of.

because the American Royal has agreed to divest the city of its current lease obligations and assume ownership and maintenance of the American Royal Complex

Sure. Give us your property AND pay a huge fee for our new playground.

Am I way off?

[aknowledgeableperson]

Much of that property belonged to the AR before they gave it to the city. Plus in what the city built the AR contributed mucho dollars in initial construction and improvements.

[bobbyhawks]

Much of that property belonged to the AR before they gave it to the city. Plus in what the city built the AR contributed mucho dollars in initial construction and improvements.

I paid for the rims on the Escalade my dad bought me.

[chaglang]

Much of that property belonged to the AR before they gave it to the city. Plus in what the city built the AR contributed mucho dollars in initial construction and improvements.

That's the rub when you give something away: it's not yours anymore.

[DaveKCMO]

Much of that property belonged to the AR before they gave it to the city. Plus in what the city built the AR contributed mucho dollars in initial construction and improvements.

mucho = $12,500,000