In much the same way that a man can never have too much money or a woman can never be too good looking — this town is always looking for the final piece of a development puzzle that will make us as good as Denver. I don’t mind offering yet another reality check: It’s never going to happen. Nevertheless, locals are always waiting for the next scheme to make Kansas City complete and a major league city. Sadly, geography and our overall legacy of mediocrity and good old-fashioned racism assure our perennial place as a 3rd rate town. Allow me to explain. Here is just a quick overview of the big ticket items that so many local dimwits believe will push this town over the top: Light Rail – Every few years Kansas City must unite to push back this pipe dream devised by engineering companies and architects. Subsequently, clueless hipsters and cheerleaders tout this idea not realizing that it’s nothing but a Ponzi scheme to keep political consultants and other financial interests paid. NEVER in U.S. history has light rail single-handedly kick-started metro development and boosted the economy. In fact, the legacy of this old school form of transit is low ridership rates coupled with high maintenance fees and easy transport for crime. A Downtown Baseball Stadium – Get it straight losers – starting with the Star’s Kevin Collison – Kansas City is not Chicago and watching the Royals finish near the bottom of their division year in and out will never make Downtown like it was when this city used to matter oh so long ago. I’m not your history teacher but let’s be realistic and note that Kansas City had a much more bustling Dowtown when adult fare and nasty-syphilis infested hookers were the main attraction of our urban core streets. And family fare hasn’t really given the new and improved Kaufmann Stadium a sustainable boost. So spending BILLIONS on this kind of experiment downtown is just a wasteful pipe dream. A 1000 Room Downtown Hotel – This is a serious proposal that involves a great deal of cash and many convenient donations to City Council people. Sad thing is, Downtown has more than an adequate supply of hotel space at the moment that often goes unused. Again, duplicitous business dudes behind this proposal are simply looking to manufacture support in order to get paid, and the long term money losing result doesn’t really matter after these folks cash out. Even worse, the proposal on the table is for a hotel wherein KC Taxpayers pick up most of the tab. This isn’t the "final piece" for Downtown. It’s nothing but a swindle at the behest of desperate real estate folks. These sentiments are easy to express around election time when developers write checks, keep their mouths shut and like to stay in the background. Once again, we’re going to have to so many empty promises about neighborhoods and infrastructure when, in fact, these topics are only given a mere mention around election time. It’s almost tragic that making the metro less segregated or developing decent neighborhoods doesn’t receive any kind of zeal for financial investment and is only touted by a powerless Mayor that hasn’t accomplished anything other than a costly and embarrassing lawsuit settlement over his wife’s nasty mouth. Weak and crooked politicos along with a fickle and tiny voting public obsessed with new shiny things are responsible for this town’s failure year after year. So many in KC are led like stubborn jackasses chasing a carrot or simpletons dreaming of pie in the sky. Meanwhile, it’s obvious to wickedly smart realists like myself that far more cunning business folks are reaching for this town’s wallet while everyone wonders about the next big thing will save us. Tony Botello
bschloz
Is this a practical joke? Wait its Halloween not April Fools. Denver? Omaha? knock yourself out. Were all in the soup buddy.
How bout Chicago now there’s a place that swings. Buddy of mine who works for large IT Co in Illinois says State is 11 months behind on payment.
Its all a big Ponzi..so who cares if we get a new Flash Cube arena..hell throw 2 hotels in there and be sure and put slot machines in lobby.
Now its all about the Mort/Mess..fraud fraud and more fraud…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVTfsOPMcns&feature=player_embedded
Eric
Yeah, that light rail in St Louis was really a bomb, wasn’t it? (heavy sarcasm). Hell that thing goes halfway to Indiana now, and Maryland Heights MO is building another section to join into it.
mark x
… spot on, Tony.
My personal favorite is the infamous
jjskck
There’s a difference between something existing and something being successful. Only 28% of Light Rail operating expenses in St. Louis are paid by fares. The rest is covered by tax increases. This DOES NOT include the astronomical construction costs.
Power & Light looks pretty, and everyone says, “Well, it’s better than what was there.” Yes, but at what cost?
I can buy a Ferrari and a mansion and people would comment that I sure appear to be “big time”, but if I’m digging my own financial grave it’s not such a smart move.
jojo
bschloz…i am so glad theres someone else
who is watching this unfold. the banks are
going to owe another trillion dollars to the
inveswtors who bought their shit loans.
and how will they get out of it…
1. Stall
2. We pay.
Noone seems to care. We’re so enamored by trying
to fix blame on one group or person.
Hey…i knw…its our politicans that saw..knew
and let this happen. Not just repubs but the
dems too.
When you vote next week…just forget about making a difference. All those crooks on the ballot are in the game for one thing..money~~
And people like us are the pawns of these
people….and when we get a chance to get a
few crumbs thrown our way the guys in power
(both parties) find a way to take it away.
SEE mexico…thats where we’re headed….
2% of the population controlling the money and
nation (actually 38 families)…THEY’VE MADE IT
impossible to earn a living….high unemployment…crooked politicans all on the
take….the newspapers and media in the pocket
of the ruling class….an ecnommy that is dead..
poverty rate skyrocketing….nothing for the
98% of the nation while the top people take
everything…..follow whats happening there…
that’s where this nation is headed.
would not suprise me that one day is massive
revolution takes place in mexico….the
population is lving in fear…the politicians
have taken all the gravy…..the people have
nothing left….remind you of another country?
Wake up everyone….I’m not for either party
but our cities and states and now borke too!
And how about the repubs in kansas….increasing
taxes 16% …largest tax increase in 15 years…
they snuck a sales tax
increase of 16% to keep kansas from going broke..
wow…someone save us!
chuck
bschloz is right imo.
Paul
This continues to be a third-rate column written by a do-nothing-but-complain pessimist.
dp
Light rail in St. Louis is the shit. I take it all the time when I’m there 3-4 times a year. Park my car in ‘burbs by the Galleria Mall and take it straight to Busch Stadium. I’d use it every weekend if we had it here.
Who care what Tony says anyway? Guy is all negative, all the time.
Markus Aurelius
“it
MediaJunky
Right DP (and all of the the Brookside Liberals for Light Rail) the city and country are broke and you’d spend $75,000,000 a mile for better baseball game convenience.
James Andrews
Thanks again for another shitty article. Please get the fuck out of Kansas City ASAP!
Human Growth Hormone
Great article post. I like this blog site. I will start to folllow this site more and I just bookmarked it.
dixon
Great post, always enjoy reading your stuff.
Max
Everything sucks and is stupid!
Wow Tony, you’re right, its far easier to do that than to come up with anything constructive on my own!
Health Care
realy interesting. i will try. thanks
Betty
You mention an interesting point on that stuff. For me you handled it in a professional way. Hope you go further this way, with your marvellous way of writing articles
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Wow! That’s a relaly neat answer!
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