Jax Chamber Headed to Kansas City - A few Pointers

[Lunican]

Kansas City proves worthy trip

10/16/2009
by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer

Mike Hightower has now been on 22 Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Trips, but he’d never been to Kansas City.

Former City Council President Kevin Hyde spent three weeks there last summer working on a case for his employer, Foley & Lardner.

Both came back from last week’s Leadership Trip impressed with the Midwestern city that looks and feels a lot like Jacksonville. Obviously, there isn’t an ocean in Missouri, but both Jacksonville and Kansas City are centered on rivers, have similar populations and an NFL team and are facing many of the same issues â€" how to revitalize its downtown and lure new businesses.

“It was extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary,” said Hightower, who’s chair of the Chamber until the end of the calendar year. “It’s in the top two or three of the places I have been.”

Full Article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=529332

[thelakelander]

Any idea of if the city suffered when they lost two professional sports franchises?  With the Jags situation the way it is, Jax might want to take a closer look at KC.

[thelakelander]

No word on KC's BRT.  Is it safe to assume the Jax delegation did not take a ride on it?  Must not be that impressive......

[vicupstate]

MJ story idea;

call attendees and ask them the 2-3 ideas or concepts, that they took from KC. 

[Keith-N-Jax]

Come on guys you know this was just a vacation at taxpayers expense. How many other trips they've been on. Look downtown see any ideas they brought back?

[vicupstate]

Come on guys you know this was just a vacation at taxpayers expense. How many other trips they've been on. Look downtown see any ideas they brought back?

If that is the case, then that would be obvious in their answers would it not?   

[Keith-N-Jax]

Yep!

[north miami]

 This effort should include interviewing Kansas City persons/current effort participants who have actually been to and engaged with "Jacksonville";specifically Duval county and Downtown.
Then ask;to both this participant audience and a broader Kansas City project participant audience:
How would you deal with a horrific episode like the loss of King Holzendorf IV and all that such an illuminating event implies??

[thelakelander]

I'm currently in Kansas City to do some urban exploring for Metro Jacksonville.  We'll visually answer the questions and concerns raised here that our Chamber did not. At this point, I can tell you that the KC Max BRT is a joke. My hotel is right on the line near Crown Center and even I didn't realize it.  Other than an occasional modern bus shelter every half mile or so, you can't tell BRT runs on the street, so forget about this thing spurring TOD like rail. Unfortunately, the KC BRT model is what JTA wants to force on Jax's residents.

[thelakelander]

Btw, comparing DTs isn't fair to KC. While this place is no South Beach, it's not DT Jax either.  There is life and density here. Walking the streets in KC gives me an eery feeling of what DT Jax once felt like before the buildings came tumbling down.

[danno]

Lake
Be sure to stop by Arthur Bryants if you have a chance.

[thelakelander]

I'm at Union Station right now. So far I've checked out DT, Crossroads Art District, Union Hill, City Market and the West Bottom loft district. What is Arthur Bryants?

[danno]

http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/

IMHO, best BBQ in KC.

1727 Brooklyn Avenue, K.C., MO,  816-231-1123

They have 2 other locations now.

Legends at the Kansas Speedway
1702 Village West Parkway, K.C., KS, 913-788-7500

Ameristar Casino
3200 N. Ameristar Dr., K.C., MO, 816-414-7474

[thelakelander]

thanks. I'll try them out for dinner.

[thelakelander]

Good stuff. Those guys run that bbq joint like an assembly line.  Btw, it appears that KC is trying to revitalize the old jazz district nearby. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit the Negro League musuem that anchors it.