Yes, it’s Monday, but not just any Monday…
While Most people are merely stewing around in their offices trying not to act like the zombies they are, it’s a great day to be a Kansas Citian. That’s because it’s also the day KC’s first streetcar was to be delivered. So I decided to make my way to the River Market and cover the event for you.
I stood next to KC Mayor Sly James as we watched the car inch off a flat bed in one of the slowest dismounts I’ve ever seen. The rear of the car was lowered to the track, and then inch by inch it was winched off the lowboy.
The whole thing came down to the last, most critical inch.
Then with a deliberate and very solid thud you could feel through the ground beneath your feet, the last of the wheels fell off the trailer and onto the track. A track where it will spend the rest of its somewhat suspect life and whatever its future allows.
Whereupon the Mayor turned to me and said, “Paul, it’s a great day for Kansas City! In one 24 hour period, the Royals won the World Series and we were standing beneath royal blue skies watching this historic event.”
And I have to admit, I’m proud to live here too.
It also gave me pause to reflect on the battle that got us here today, and what it really means. You’ve heard me say time and again that I’m a total and complete sports agnostic. I care nothing about sports – never really have. But these Royals have proven something the politicians of our day could learn a lesson from.
Shady Sly & Well Coiffed selfie
Like it or not, character matters.
Character, drive and a never-quit spirit won the World Series for the Royals – that and a constant, come from behind, desire to win.
That same never quit spirit – maybe short of exemplary character – landed the street car on its track today. You can’t help but recall the two most vocal voices on the topic for a little comparison and contrast.
Clay Chastain and Tony Blowtello – talk amongst yourselves….
One was pathologically in favor of light rail, the other diametrically opposed to the Toy Train. Yet both were completely ineffective. Because when it comes to Tony, when has he not opposed anything that looks like progress if it’s anywhere other than the Westside?
For the love of God, he wanted to boycott the Roasterie for putting a gorgeous, restored DC3 in a faux take off stance, fully lit and beautiful against the night skyline.
That’s the biggest facelift the Westside has had since the last time Tony left hisso-called basement to reload on hate.
It’s been a long and winding road to get where we are today and it’s not over yet.
I don’t know how people like restaurateur extraordinaire Michael Smith have navigated the hurricane like waters and stayed in business. For far too long the front of his restaurant, Extra Virgin and all too many other businesses were all but shut down to parking and pedestrian access as the tracks were being laid.
Chastain didn’t get what he wanted – a 22 mile, $2.5 billion light rail system.
Tony didn’t get what he wanted – death to the “toy train.”
The projected cost of this project was $102,000,000. We may never know what it really cost or how it performs in its out years.
Will it ever make money?
Of course not.
Will the majority of people use it?
Of course not.
Will the 549 voters who made it a reality use it?
Maybe.
And while it may bleed red ink for years to come, it will also do this. It’ll dress up our city a little bit more. Out of town conventioneers will use it to shuttle back and forth and it will find its place, kind of like the Power & Light District. P&L could hemorrhage three times the cost of the streetcar in future losses, but it too has its place.
If you were like a good deal of us – camped out in LIVE for the World Series – that’s not what was on your mind while you were using the facility, was it? Not once did you think,
“What a great facility, what a great place to party and watch our Boys in Blue, but man, this is a money pit!”
It’s just money, people – it’s just money.
The streetcar is yet another cog in the wheel that’s making KC more and more attractive as we climb to the top of every list that’s out there today – from places to live, vacation or convention – it’s all eyes on KC.
So I ask you, what else would we have done with that money? Feed it to the KCMO School District?
Put in those terms, the P&L and streetcar are looking pretty good now, huh?
Chastain didn’t want a streetcar, he wanted an above-grade light rail system as any other reasonably minded person would want. Big difference from the complete fustercluck Mayor Silverback has gerrymandered into existence. So, how late are those toy choo choo cars arriving? A year? Two years late?
Dude, I think where KC missed it, in all the rush to make this happen, was some BASIC, and I mean BASIC project management that simply didn’t take place. Someone should have had their finger on the pulse of the manufacturing and delivery process and they clearly didn’t…
As a follow up, that’s why I said NEITHER got what they wanted. Clay didn’t get his 2o mile light rail, Tony didn’t get it stopped. Thanks, Dude, as usual…
Dude, my apologies. I just saw what you meant. I wrote this at the coffee shop in River Market and was in a rush. I meant to put Clay on the side of light rail and I said streetcar. My apologies.. you are correct, I stand corrected.
another slip.
how about the ku-ksu game. will there be a pe*** formation?
you should investigate this.
hahahahahahahahaha!
Oh, I dunno, Fix the broken water lines for starters and quit kicking the can that is the the stormwater MS4 design and construction down the line?
Of course there are a million things we could do, that was actually quite tongue in cheek. But when it comes to infrastructure, we should be doing that outside of ANY other projects. Thats the life blood of everything else…
+ 1,000,000, dude.
F*ck an A right Wilson. Either this town grows or it dies. Either it builds
enough convention rooms or the downtown dies. P and L is going to be
a huge attraction…fox gave it 10 minutes over 10 years and people acorss
the nation are starting to realize the kc brand.
What do we do? sit on our hands and wait for all the conservative bankers
to let kc become a big bust.
Or does someone make a move and do something.
Kay barnes had more guts than any other mayor. I was a p and l for all the
away playoff games and it was packed. Don’t tell me cordish would give this
money maker up. And according to the inside scoop from cordish officials…
there’s lots of cash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yeeehaaaa as we say as business owners.
Show some guts…make the move.
Joco is developing like crazy….kc needs to make a move…its either that
or become a dead dying city.
by the way wislon…like the new hairdo….very coooooooooooooooooooool!
your friend
Harley
I know you passed out when I agreed with you but don’t worry
I’m sure you’ll post something soon we can tangle over!
KC IS ON THE MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
see ya at parade and rally….Harley
How many beige strip malls does an area need.
“Don’t tell me cordish would give this money maker up. ”
If/when the city stops subsidizing it to the tune of 1$2-15 mil per year, Cordish will drop P&L like a polonium filled potato.
cordish is doing fine…..don’t worry about that.
city took a dive with this deal but in end it will pay off.
Like the glasses too~ You pay felix and roman $1500 for those?
With all due respect Paul, I have to disagree.
http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/great-streetcar-conspiracy
Tampa, Tucson, Cincy and every city with the exception of Denver suffers under the weight of this type of vanity project.
“It’s only money folks” is the mantra we have heard from tax and spend politicians for decades and here we sit hoping that if we build it, they will come. That is not what, in my opinion, is good stewardship of the public dollar, taken by f0rce and delivered into the pockets of developers and law firms, who in turn have their hand in the pockets of every citizen in the city by City Hall proxy.
That Hotel, built for a dying Convention Business Paradigm, is sold to the public with legerdemain, false information and specious statistics based on unrealistic projections and the hope that no one looks behind the curtain.
On Ruckus last week, I heard the entire panel laugh up their sleeves at an acronym that only an elitist would enjoy. The panel insulted folks who disagreed with their take on the Train and Hotel by calling them C.A.V.E. members. “Citizens Against Virtually Everything”. Real fu*kin funny you sh*theel pukes. The condescension was palpable, the sanctimony and disregard for the voting public from these lickspittle “insiders” is exactly what is wrong with America today and in this instance, Kansas City today.
We should hold our politician’s feet the fire when it comes to expenses and projects that fail or have no hope of ever meeting expectations.
Chuck, you know we are good, agree or disagree. If anyone agrees with me all the time they likely need their head examined!
Ruckus – what a bunch of douchenozzle’s. I dropped my none too small monthly donation to KCPT/The Bridge when they put Tony on the panel.
Thanks, as usual, for your comment, Chuck.
+ 1,000,000, Chuck.
The Ruckus panel, with the exception of a couple, doesn’t deserve a second moment’s thought. What a bunch of losers. That includes the moderator, who couldn’t control the program if his life depended on it. They could take some lessons from KCWIR.
Why so plain and boring? Shouldn’t they be colorful so people can be aware of them as they drive?
Here is something we do agree on Paul. I know this is off of the subject, but in a follow up to your article, “When The Media Gets It Wrong” dated October 22nd, a suspect has been arrested.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/article_98672cca-39ad-54d9-9ab5-67905b4ff4ad.html#.VjOX5FgxYdx.twitter
At the time you wrote the article, 6 black churches had been defaced and burned to some extent. The total at the time of arrest was 6, now, 7.
The suspect, as usual in these “Race Hoaxes”, is, unsurprisingly, black.
We will all stand by now and wait for the Main Stream Media to cover this story and bring the facts to light.
(crickets)
No doubt, this counts, again, as racist, vile, disgusting “noticing” by Harley and his many followers.
Sorry, I meant the total at the time of the article was 6, now it is 7.
:-/
Chuck, before I wrote the piece, and if you recall its part of the story, I talked to multiple authorities in the STL. I mentioned in the story, one of the suspects is a yet to be identified black man. I think I even gave the age as 30something. Then, please recall the hatred that got, from one fake name commenter, DiscoStu. He said;
DiscoStu says:
October 21, 2015 at 6:08 pm
Of course Paul Wilson does exactly what he is decrying…
> In talking to locals with connections to the investigation, it seems among those being considered suspects is an unidentified 30-something black male.
Of course you offer no proof of this. No source. Just a completely baseless claim that will undoubtedly ignite those who already believe the claim you posited.
But it is OK when you do it, Paul? Of course not. Thy name is hypocrite.
Well, DiscoStu, whattaya say now?
Thanks, Chuck. I’m right far more than I’m wrong, but I take some pretty big risks, it’s not easy, but you know what is? Weaklings who want to hide in the shadows, play arm chair quarter back AFTER THE FACT and point out how wrong you are.
The only solace is in knowing they dont have the IQ, creative ability of talent to do anything other than what THEY DO. Hide in anonymity, brag about what they accomplish, talk about how wrong I am, how right they are, all from the shadows and safety of the light of day hitting them in the face!
I write stories, I investigate facts, I meet the people, ask the questions and offer opinion and commentary ALL while being 100% known! Does that have some risks? Of course it does. Does that worry me? I can’t tell you how little it does!
Then the reward? They arrest who I said the suspect was, and I get the pleasure knowing DiscoStu is still so effing stupid he still doesn’t know he’s wrong.
It comes with the turf.
But when I go see the streetcar yesterday, the Mayor doesn’t stick his hand out to me with the greeting, “Harley!” or “DiscoStu!” No, he says, “Hey, Paul! Good to see you,” because we’d just had coffee a couple weeks before at The Filling Station.
I’ll take that all day, with my $1,500 glasses, as one hater pointed out, while making fun of me selling boxes and living in section 8 housing. Some levels of ignorance are funny.
🙂
Then in my perfectly calm response to him, I said, I offer no PROOF….of a SUSPECT? Do you understand why “suspects” are called SUSPECTS? The only unkind, and likely racist thing I said, in his opinion, is that I knew he had a fake name because no one associated with disco was ever named Stu.
So there you go, Stu, you asshat! Suck it long, suck it hard, a black guy gets arrested! Makes me wonder what proof Disco had that a 30 something black male WASNT a suspect?
Ok, back to the street car. I’m going to be on the inaugural ride, by the way!
Keep your tray and seat in the upright position, I hear that thing can perform just like a Japanese Bullet Train, according to the mayor.
We taxpayers will have our heads down between our legs waiting for the crash…, er…, bill.
🙂
you’re a wannabe!
who give a crap about the mayor knowing your name!
BFD!!!!!
Harleys been to the upper class…meetings with top politicians…
working for the Clintons….to 6 super bowls….even on the
field for the game
get serious . Sorry you’re a wannabe who never
was.
who cares about a city mayor!
I would not have voted (if I could vote…live in joco) for this
guy.
He had no competition.
Stop acting like you’re somebody. Writing for kcc is hardly
a great crredntial.
I do work with the top athletes in this town and across the
country. MVP’s….and all stars.
You get off with your hello Wilson line.
Get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nobody cares…especially the 10 people on thissite.
MAYOR: OH HELLO _______….WE JUST MADE
HISTORY.
WANNABE: WOW…HE KNOWS MY NAME…HE
SAID MY NAME….AND HE’S THE MAYOR!
MAYOR: YEAH ++++++….THISSHOULD BE A GREAT PRJECT TO LOSE MONEY ON.
WANNABE: OH MAYOR…YOU ARE SO WORTHY..
CAN I SHINE YOUR SHOES LIKES THE COBBLERS
IN MISSOURI.
MAYOR: UH NO THANKS ___________THAT MIGHT NOT LOOK GOOD FOR MY IMAGE.
WANNABE: PLEAAAAAAASE!
MAYOR: NO…THESE SHOES ARE 20 YEARS OLD.
WANNABE: WELL MAYOR I’VE GOT SHOES THAT
ARE 40 YEARS OLD…JUST GOT NEWSOLES PUT ON
THEM…LOOK…LOOK.
MAYOR : HEY DUDE…YOU’RE EMBARRASSING
ME…MAYBE GO TAKE ARIDE ON THE BUS FOR
$3.00 A DAY.
WANNABE: WOW…THAT SOUNDS FUN…AND IT
IS BETTER THAN CHASING JEWEL THIEFS……
MAYOR: MOVE ON BUDDY…I’VE GOT TO GET
SOME FACE TIME WITH THE TV CAMERA…YOU’RE
GETTTING IN MY LIGHT!!!!!!!!
Didn’t Wavy Gravy tell you to stay away from the brown acid?
A city without a 2-mile trolley is like a fish without a bicycle.
No manner of fluffery can make this debacle into a positive. Steel plates dominate the city streets, every rain brings sewage to the city streets, nary a developers’ wet dream is denounced as long as it brings political contributions.
The Mare and Shitty Council’s mantra is green grass and trees don’t pay taxes.
Sorry but we’ve got a saying in Missouri. Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.
Aptly put, Orphan. Thats exactly where I’m at on the desire for a streetcar.
To quote Ross Perot, “You cannot sit on a pit bull, and get rhubarb pie.” [actually, it was Dana Carvey in Perot drag]
Boondoggle is, as boondoggle does.