I don't disagree with you. It is a very complex problem and we need to do a better job of addressing the root cause and providing access to these critical services. There is another side though. I lived next to the NLEC for over 5 years and experienced quite a bit. Many were in that situation due to mental illness and addiction issues, but there was a significant segment that were there by choice. Refusing help, refusing services and choosing the lifestyle because they didn't want to live by anyone else's rules. And that's fine until your activities start infringing on someone else rights.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 02, 2025This isn’t about being tough or soft on crime. It’s not even a homeless issue. We are dealing with people battling addiction and severe mental health problems. A jail cell does nothing to fix either, and the brutal truth is that we’ve completely lost the will as a society to actually help these people. Instead, we lock them up, throw them away, and act surprised when nothing changes. The clown above is a textbook example of how dumbed-down and unserious public discourse has become. People like him are exactly why we keep spinning our wheels and getting nowhere when it comes to real solutions.
Just for clarification, I wasn't comparing homelessness to expired plates. I was trying to convey that (I believe) the city would be in a better off if all laws were enforced across the board for all of us. Regardless of our societal or financial status.Debaliviere91 wrote: ↑May 02, 2025Yeah comparing homelessness and expired license plate tags is difficult to take seriously.
Then the law needs to be rewritten to be enforced without regard to societal or fianancial status. Because as it is right now, lower income people are affected more by penalties like fines or short jail sentences than middle or higher income people.robertn42 wrote: ↑May 02, 2025Just for clarification, I wasn't comparing homelessness to expired plates. I was trying to convey that (I believe) the city would be in a better off if all laws were enforced across the board for all of us. Regardless of our societal or financial status.Debaliviere91 wrote: ↑May 02, 2025Yeah comparing homelessness and expired license plate tags is difficult to take seriously.
Has anyone heard anything about 4th of July?
I thought they were saying they skimped last year to make this one bigger?
I thought they were saying they skimped last year to make this one bigger?
https://fox4kc.com/news/downtown-kansas ... ety-issue/
It feels like our downtown is going in a much different direction than neighbors across the state
It feels like our downtown is going in a much different direction than neighbors across the state
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To say the least, it is interesting to see KC's FOX 4 run a St. Louis-style hit piece on downtown.
Wait, I was told this was just a St. Louis thing and that nobody else has this problem.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 07, 2025https://fox4kc.com/news/downtown-kansas ... ety-issue/
It feels like our downtown is going in a much different direction than neighbors across the state
Illegal street racing, ATVs and dirt bikes tearing through neighborhoods—even an officer intentionally run over by one an ATV just mere weeks ago. Chaos, Lopez says, is constant.
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You can pack so many amenities in the Gateway Mall that would make downtown very very attractive to live and keep visitors hanging around. It’s really not difficult to execute
Also - would love to see 5 or so major concerts on the arch grounds/steps each summer. Live on the levee was awesome and I'm so suprised we don't do that anymore. Anyone know if there is a reason?
Pure speculation but perhaps the National Park Service does not want the risks associated?
I've been following the KC stadium discussions and I notice that a few posters over on the rag agree with you, at least with respect to KC. Here's one persons take on the state of KC:dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 07, 2025https://fox4kc.com/news/downtown-kansas ... ety-issue/
It feels like our downtown is going in a much different direction than neighbors across the state
by BrisbaneKC » Thu May 08, 2025 3:02 am
"Pre covid around 2018/19 I believed KC was headed in a positive direction, but I am starting to worry again about the direction of the city, specifically the urban core. The recent stories making the national press about crime and anti-social behavior, the decimation of bus service and the mess that has become the Royals stadium. Development fells stalled out infact they are still demolishing buildings in the Crossroads. Then you add the complete anti urban mentality of the residents and the continued path of sprawl. It's not just in Kansas or even Johnson County, the development on the Missouri side appears to be happening in places like Lee's Summit, Liberty or around the airport. I don't think the majority of residents in metro KC are bothered about this either, infact this is what they would prefer. They've become so accustomed to convenience and the lack of exposure to other major cities means people in KC rarely get the opportunity to experience what a true thriving Downtown looks like. The region is at a real crucial point where bringing the Royals and that development Downtown would spur a new wave of activity or it can continue to slip in national importance by failing to achieve this and even putting the team at risk of leaving whether in the near future or down the line. I don't think most people in KC realize this though. For a reasonably large metro area the mentality of the locals is probably not much different to Topeka or Joplin or places of that stature."
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^I could be mistaken, but I think DB was suggesting our downtown is looking up. He is pretty much the biggest of our downtown boosters.
Even if they just brought back more riverfront activity, that’d be a huge win. Fingers crossed this isn’t just another case of “maybe next year.”bwcrow1s wrote: ↑May 06, 2025Has anyone heard anything about 4th of July?
I thought they were saying they skimped last year to make this one bigger?
Hey SP, yes I was pointing out that some in KC agree with his assessment that DT KC is trending down.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑May 09, 2025^I could be mistaken, but I think DB was suggesting our downtown is looking up. He is pretty much the biggest of our downtown boosters.
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Downtown KC (and urban KC in general) is about to get a giant shot in the arm from the imminent opening of the streetcar extension.
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It’s been announced already, it’s a 2 day music based festivalJimyy10 wrote: ↑May 09, 2025Even if they just brought back more riverfront activity, that’d be a huge win. Fingers crossed this isn’t just another case of “maybe next year.”bwcrow1s wrote: ↑May 06, 2025Has anyone heard anything about 4th of July?
I thought they were saying they skimped last year to make this one bigger?
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... rgest.html
St. Louis gets the 2026 and 2027 Vex Robotics World Championship at the America's Center.
Each event will generate $16-17M in direct spending and will have 25,000 hotel room night bookings. 2,400 students from 60 different countries are participating in this year's event in Dallas.
Explore St. Louis says that the convention center upgrades helped to attract the event.
St. Louis gets the 2026 and 2027 Vex Robotics World Championship at the America's Center.
Each event will generate $16-17M in direct spending and will have 25,000 hotel room night bookings. 2,400 students from 60 different countries are participating in this year's event in Dallas.
Explore St. Louis says that the convention center upgrades helped to attract the event.
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It’s not 2,400 students. It’s 2,400 teams of students
Teams are 4-7 people. So about 13,000-15,000 people and here for 10 days.
“St. Louis has secured a major robotics competition for two years, an event that immediately will become one of the area's largest based on the number of hotel room nights booked.
The Vex Robotics World Championship will be held at the downtown convention complex, America's Center, in 2026 and 2027, officials said. The 2025 event, held this month in Dallas, is to bring more than 2,400 student robotics teams from across the U.S. and more than 60 countries.
Explore St. Louis, the tourism agency that operates America's Center, said the St. Louis events would each come with more than 25,000 hotel room night bookings, and $16 million to $17 million in direct spending from the event each year. The 2026 event is April 20-30 and the 2027 event April 26-May 6”
Teams are 4-7 people. So about 13,000-15,000 people and here for 10 days.
“St. Louis has secured a major robotics competition for two years, an event that immediately will become one of the area's largest based on the number of hotel room nights booked.
The Vex Robotics World Championship will be held at the downtown convention complex, America's Center, in 2026 and 2027, officials said. The 2025 event, held this month in Dallas, is to bring more than 2,400 student robotics teams from across the U.S. and more than 60 countries.
Explore St. Louis, the tourism agency that operates America's Center, said the St. Louis events would each come with more than 25,000 hotel room night bookings, and $16 million to $17 million in direct spending from the event each year. The 2026 event is April 20-30 and the 2027 event April 26-May 6”
How many hotel rooms are downtown?dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 09, 2025It’s not 2,400 students. It’s 2,400 teams of students
Teams are 4-7 people. So about 13,000-15,000 people and here for 10 days.
“St. Louis has secured a major robotics competition for two years, an event that immediately will become one of the area's largest based on the number of hotel room nights booked.
The Vex Robotics World Championship will be held at the downtown convention complex, America's Center, in 2026 and 2027, officials said. The 2025 event, held this month in Dallas, is to bring more than 2,400 student robotics teams from across the U.S. and more than 60 countries.
Explore St. Louis, the tourism agency that operates America's Center, said the St. Louis events would each come with more than 25,000 hotel room night bookings, and $16 million to $17 million in direct spending from the event each year. The 2026 event is April 20-30 and the 2027 event April 26-May 6”
Incredible win, not only for downtown, but the region as well.Auggie wrote: ↑May 09, 2025https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... rgest.html
St. Louis gets the 2026 and 2027 Vex Robotics World Championship at the America's Center.
Each event will generate $16-17M in direct spending and will have 25,000 hotel room night bookings. 2,400 students from 60 different countries are participating in this year's event in Dallas.
Explore St. Louis says that the convention center upgrades helped to attract the event.
I love to see these huge events because each one of those people goes home to their city to talk about St. Louis and hopefully their visit leaves a positive impression.