Last Chance To STOP The Event Center.

[Detector]

As much as I'd like to agree with you, Detector, I'm stuck on tourism's being driven by the entertainment media but they don't seem to be very interested in Cowboys and Indians.

I have no doubt that the powers that be want us to believe that to be true. I just happen to believe we(Dodge City) stand alone in wild west tourism potential. For this reason you can not accurately compare our success or failure to any other. That would all depend on our commitment and thats where our real issues are.

If you didn't read it, just know that Sarah says that someone's deciding to spend money in an Events Center instead of at the Movie Theater IS NOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

This is only true if you fail to target the right people. A perfect example of our fine racetrack. If you target people from lets say NOT Dodge City, you would be pulling in new money that would have been spent in their state and not ours.

The problem is we all keep thinking smallsville or local. If we continue to target our local community then yes it will fail.

We can use the money to build a new jail to house our ever growing criminal population and we can use the money to improve our streets so that the packinghouse trucks have nice roads to destroy. Neither which will improve our economic growth and thats what the Why Not Dodge funds are for.

[lurker]

I put economic development in a different pigeon hole compared to shifting spending.

All wealth comes from the Earth. We see that every harvest time out here. Value can be added to Earth's bounty with refining; whether it be baking bread or processing cattle or refining oil or turning sand into silicon chips.

I'm not against building an events center but I believe $41 million is way too much to spend building a place so the P. T. Barnum's can separate us from our money.

[Firedog]

Why not build it? I know there is some problems with where to build it. What people don't think about is this. I know people from outside Dodge that would come to Dodge and go to the things it would bring in, they do some of that now. Just like the race track it is out South with how many highways to get around Dodge, but people still come into town and eat, and do what ever. If they are coming to Dodge to go to an event, they already have it in thier head that they are going to go and do things or they are not. So where you build it I don't think it will matter.
I know when I was a kid and would go to Wichita to a consert or what ever, I would meet people driving that way from western KS all the time. I know I would get a hotel and stay a night, and eat. Look at the draw it would have from the small towns around the area. The CIVIC Center sucks. Who likes to go and set in the seats for any amount of time. I know I don't, no leg room. I think Dodge is missing out on things. Look Garden can get a Home Depot, and Dodge has what new business? ALCO!

[lurker]

...........and Dodge has what new business? ALCO!

The big money boys really do know where to invest their monies....

[Made in the USA]

I know--------------How about an illegal immigrant "Round-up", and "Rodeo", with a live "Shooting Gallery"!!!!!! "Coursing" events on weekends, utilizing the "fastest illegals" versus their big and dangerous "Pit BUlls"!! "Cock Fights" on Saturday nights, along with "Big Mama TAco Butt Wrestling" during the first and third Fridays of the month!! That should bring in the activity that y'all are looking for!!

[booger]

Was there any word in the "Left Leaning Light of Liberalism" about the Great Cock Fight in our town last Saturday? At least a dozen attended, and the city made money from it.

[too_nice67]

I was driving around the other day and noticed a great location for the SEC. Why not put it just west of Cavalier Field and the Sheridan Center in the open field? There is plenty of area for the center and parking and can have easy highway access off of the bypass and I believe the city already owns the property. Seems to me this would be a great location.

[Detector]

Interesting idea too_nice67.

And welcome

[Bubba]

I think it would be better to build the Casino next door to the SEC. For a location that size with plenty of parking it would about have to be either east of the DCRP or caddy corner to the NW from the DCRP property on the property that the city and/or county have optioned to buy. That would make it easily accessible from the southeast by-pass, the soon to be built southwest by-pass, US 56 and US 283.

[flange]

Where are the tourists coming from? That's the important question to answer if tourism is going to be a serious source of revenue for Dodge City. The reason that question is most important is because after you answer that, you'll need to figure out exactly how you're going to get these tourists to Dodge.

Nearly every serious tourist destination has two major features that Dodge City currently lacks: Interstate Highway access, and an airport that's reasonably affordable to fly in to. I'm having a lot of trouble seeing a casino and/or an SEC bringing in too many people from anything beyond Wichita, and that by itself isn't going to amount to much.

I really want to be wrong about this. I love Dodge and I hate seeing it in its current state.

I think Detector makes some good points; Dodge has some very interesting history. If Dodge is going to seriously pursue it, I hope someone asks Detector to help, because that guy is passionate and excited about Dodge City history.

Right now, though, I just don't see it. And my doubts are all because of Dodge being out in BFE with no easy access. No one goes through Dodge by accident. If Dodge was where Hays is, I'd say you were sitting on gold. Dodge's history and Hays' location would be a winner. Dodge's history and Dodge's location... just not enough.