By Justin Kendall
Hockey great Mario Lemieux confirmed at yesterday's arena groundbreaking in Pittsburgh what we already knew: The Pittsburgh Penguins used Kansas City like a cheap whore to get a new arena deal in Pittsburgh. KMBC has the video here. The highlight was Lemieux saying there was never a possibility of the Penguins moving to Kansas City.
"We had to do a few things to put pressure on the city and the state," he said. "Those trips to Kansas City and Las Vegas and other cities were just to go, have a nice dinner and come back."
I wonder if AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke ever believed this November 2005 statement to The Kansas City Star:
"The Pittsburgh Penguins can be the Kansas City Penguins, no question about it."
And like a whore, the Sprint Center waits for the next team to promise her they'll call her after they screw her.
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KC already new that the Pens had no chance of relocating to KC. KC, however, is far from a piss-ant city, as someone eluded to. I've been to the "Steel City" 5 times (for 5 NHL games) in the past 3 years, and may I say, you don't have much room to talk shit on any city outside of Cleveland. And, that, is like 1A and 1B.
Fair-weather fans (look at attendance in the late 90's), horrendous highways/roads/infrastructure, and more.
Trust me.....the arrogance of Lemieux/Crosby etc., is much better tolerated, alas, revered, in the "Steel City" than the "City of Fountains".
i knew it was too good to be true... they said we get a new arena, then we get a new pro sports team. they made it sound so simple. and pittsburgh?!?! come on... a team with that much history and tradition was never going to bail on thier city. that was obvious from the start of these negotiations... they got a new arena and kc got to say 'someone expressed interest' the only good that came out of it was letting people know we had a new arena.
from the start it wasn't going to happen. one of the many concerns of kemper was its capacity. so the city says ok we'll build a new arena... but, we make it smaller? basically ensuring us to never get a final four or any of the other events promised. wouldn't the logical thing have been make the improvements to kemper? or build a new arena right next to it? (like they did in st louis for busch stadium) leaving us with an arena that offers tons of decent parking and a competitive capacity with other cities?
yeah, it's still possible that we could get the nashville predators or maybe an expansion team... but are we going to support it? probably for a couple years... or they'll make it that the average kansas citian can't get tickets. i keep hearing rumblings that kaufmann is supposed to get a mlb all-star game in the next few years... at first i was excited... then realized why care. tickets for super bowls, all star games, typically aren't readily available to the public.
i've noticed many presales for concerts at sprint center seem to have the same tradition, and when the tickets finally go on sale to the general public, there aren't any decent seats (if any) left.
one more thing that could have lured more things to the area... and yet, the city has failed. . . again.
but maybe all of you are missing out on the fucking faboo POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT!
DUDE!
MALL FOOD COURT BARS!
Who cares about a pro sports team when we can all drink 9 dollar gin and tonics OUTSIDE while someone from American Idol is hanging out?
Ok, anyone who really thought that Kansas City could or would EVER receive an NBA or NHL franchise is an idiot. KC is a piss-ant second class city in all areas. Yes, Kemper is a pit and did deserve to be replaced. But not under these pretenses. No Final Fours, no pro teams. Only Arena League fake football. Thats what this city deserves
I voted yes for the Sprint Center mostly because I thought we needed a new arena.
Kemper by all acounts is a dump but what sold me of the SC was that the city PROMISED us that within three years we will have either a NBA or NHL team there.
In 2006 it looked promising. The Pens, Preds and Sabers looked like they were close to leaving their cities. In the NBA, the Hornets, Magic and Sonics were thinking of leaving as well.
Now it's 2008, in the NHL the Pens got a new arena, the Preds maybe,sorta, who knows what's going on there and the same thing for the Sabers.
In the NBA it looks like the Hornets will say in NO. Orlando is building a new arena for the Magic and the Sonics and the NBA think OKC will be a better NBA town then KC.
So now all we have for our new fish bowl arena is the Big 12 basketball tourny once every now and then and Arena Football for eight Games.
I guess the moral of the story is when KC thinks big, you know they'll mess it up.
I'd happily take the AWA. The Road Warriors. Jesse The Body. Dick the Bruiser. Baron Von Raschke. Maybe we can get a Super Clash with Hulk Hogan versus Nick Bockwinkel for the title
This city had the Kings and the Scouts and supported nada.
Building the arena for pro sports was dumb. With the lack of private suite bathrooms it isn't attractive for NBA or NHL standards.
Maybe they can sign up Vern Gagne's AWA wrestling once a month? LOL
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