Northeast News
July 6, 2016

That’s right. Still no comprehensive plan for the redevelopment of the 18th and Vine Entertainment District and nothing, as far as planning is concerned, seems to be on the horizon either. This even after last Wednesday’s poorly organized media stunt organized by KCUR and The Kansas City Call that backfired into a series of citizen rants against the only viable portion of the redevelopment: the urban baseball academy funded largely by Major League Baseball, the Kansas City Royals and the city’s Parks Department that would offer area youth the chance to play some baseball instead of dodging bullets in the shooting gallery that is 64128 and 29.

This dog knew the jig was up when City Manager Troy Schulte opened the meeting with the comment that “we need to finish the 18th and Vine District.” This dog agrees. We do need to finish it; the $100-million that’s been dumped in this district with little or no accountability is the finishing touch in this dog’s eye. Robbing the taxpayers of another $27 million with, as we’ve railed before, no comprehensive, strategic plan for prioritized and targeted redevelopment of this district is beyond irresponsible and just plain dumb.

One very important detail that seems to be left out by the rest of the lame stream media in this case is the notable absence of Councilman Jermaine Reed at this event – the very person who sponsored this ordinance to begin with. Let that sink in for a minute. The primary sponsor of this $27 million hot mess wasn’t even at the media stunt event to defend the very legislation he proposed. Apparently Reed had more important things to do that evening.

The dog said it before and we’ll say it again. Until there’s a comprehensive and strategic written and approved plan developed by community stakeholders and museum planning professionals that guides redevelopment at 18th and Vine, that $27 million should be re-routed and spent on basic and boring infrastructure so desperately needed in Reed’s and Lucas’ district.

Here’s a thought. How about instead of sliding this $27-million for the project de jour at The Vine, the council allocates $3-million to be specifically dedicated to developing a formal planning document that enlists subject matter experts, museum professionals and community stakeholders, all working together, forging a direction for the district. Oh, but wait. That would make too much sense, something sorely lacking on this Council.