How about an aquarium?
Submitted by civil on December 7, 2008 - 11:42am
A goodly number of us feel that an arena to house a hockey team is a great waste of money. There have been hockey teams in Kansas City off and on since 1922. One lasted 5 years and it was a league champion. All the others lasted 4 years are less. So why do we continue to throw good money at a bad idea? I know if I have any extra cash to spend on a sport I will go to a Chief’s game or to watch the Royals’. Ice hockey would be far down the list. In fact, I would probably do the right thing and save the money rather than go to see a hockey game. So why don’t we construct something that will draw sightseers from all over and just might put some cash in the till to boot?
Folks in the Kansas City area have often voiced support for an aquarium, but funds were never found for its development. Now we have the opportunity to make this dream a reality. Since the arena is a “design-build” project and it is in its earliest stages it should be possible to switch gears and develop a world-class aquarium, containing both salt water and fresh water species and featuring those native to the plains. We might even be able to secure help from the Department of Natural Resources if advice or extra funding is necessary.
Aquariums have a universal appeal. I believe it would attract people from a wide area year around. People visiting KC for other events would perhaps journey out to see the displays, especially if the area ever develops a decent transit system. I visited many aquariums when traveling to other cities. Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, San Antonio and Monterey, CA all have great aquariums and all are well visited. Special evets could be offered. Groups could “rent the hall” and catering of private dinners could be offered. There’s a lot more to an aquarium than just watching fish swim. Visit the Baltimore aquarium's web site, http://www.aqua.org for a hint at what can be done.
It would not be necessary to hire an events manager since no events would be necessary. We wouldn’t need a ticket seller since all admission charges, if any, would be collected at the door or on-line. It wouldn’t be necessary to find a patron to buy or sponsor the hockey team. It might be easier to sell naming rights to a civic aquarium than an iffy hockey enterprise. Even if the aquarium is not self-supporting there’s no loss. The arena isn’t likely to be a great money maker either.
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It seems that you don't have your facts straight.
The most successful hockey team was in town for 10 years and won the Turner Cup. That would be the Blades.
Now why did they leave town? Because the entire league folded and the owner was not a local owner so he had not interest in keeping them and moving them to the CHL. CHL...does that sound familiar? That is the league that is coming to town. The CHL took the place of the IHL as the farm teams for the NHL. When the Blades were in town they drew 2-3000 on weeknights and 8 - 10,000 on weekends. Kansas City will support a hockey team if they are a good team and the prices are right. Looking at the prices for the Wichita team, you can get a season ticket for under $300, and thats for 32 games! Oh and they have Childrens pricing. How many other sports teams do that?
To whoever brought up Topeka...they are a different league. Thats comparing apples to oranges, or NFL to High School Football.
Doesn't the leaky tank at the Bass Pro Shops count? :-)
I can't easily navigate these days so i'll admit I haven't seen the Bass Pro installation, but I did see the one in Springfield right after it was installed several years ago. It is only fresh water and limited to Missouri species. Also it is not the prime attraction at BassPro, but fits right in with the stuffed animals. Also a private collection. I envision a salt water and fresh water mix which will include species from around the world. As much like the National Aquarium or the one at Boston as possible.
I was just playing around and never intended to make a comparison to a city-owned public aquarium, which I agree would be a great addition to our city.
But for now, the Bass Pro aquarium is actually pretty cool, although it pales in comparison to the ones at Cabelas, which has by far the most impressive aquariums that I'm aware of in the KC area. Another cool privately-owned aquarium is at that Chinese restaurant southeast of 291 and US 40. It's got a nice saltwater tank and it's worth eating there just to see it.
The Independence School District's science center at Bridger Middle School has a pretty nice collection of indigenous fish as well.
a couple of friends were out there and reported back that it looked like they are starting with the seating structure.
Were on our way to hockey..
Of course Globals Arena in Topeka is up and running and they need to have about 4K a game show up to break even and so far they are drawing about 1600..
Globals other hockey arenas are drawing about 2K a game and not breaking even either.
That's up in the snow belt where they live Hockey...
Global said in the Examiner that they intend to have 200 event days the first year, drawing 300,000 people - which, by the way, is the bear minimum to meet their contract requirements. That means they need to average 1,750 per event to meet their attendance goal.
If we built an aquarium that was open 365 days a year, it would have to draw 822 people per day to have the same economic impact to the city. As much as I like aquariums and would support one, that's a tall order to match attendance-wise.
Also, as cool as an aquarium is, it's not as versatile as an arena. Once you've seen an aquarium, you've seen it. An arena can bring many different types of events.
Bottom line here, is the arena is getting built whether we like it or not. So the people of Independence may as well support it to make sure it succeeds.
Global has no srena anywhere that is providing 200 event days a year, even when 35 of those days are hockey games. The ones I checked are all either with a history of less than 125 event days or are on a track to reach less than 125 days, including both hockey and arena football. While you are right about the versatility issue, an empty arena is not doing much except gathering dust and rolling up expense. An aquarium open 365 days a year will draw some number of attendees. It will never sit there like a bump on a log and be empty of human visitors. It can hold catered events for groups, As someone said, there is something calming about dinig amongst the fishes. It can host field trips for visiting school students from both within and outside the immediate area,serving as a valuable educational tool.. But, no matter, Mminnoe writes that they are in progress of building the seating area, so whatever happens now will have to wait for the demise of the hockey dream.
Well, I guess we can always convert the shell to an aquarium when hockey melts away.