Stewart’s Jewelry and the Hilton Garden Inn don’t compete for customers — just for parking. The Hilton, on the corner of South Topeka Street and Douglas Avenue, dwarfs the family-owned jewelry store next door. Customers of both businesses — and sometimes employees — compete for spaces in front of the two establishments. “If I don’t […]
downtown
Posted inEconomics, Health
Wichita’s biomedical campus aims to build tech and variety into health care training
A $300 million project about to be built downtown will give Wichita State University a unique opportunity to give students the most modern training possible in a health care world that is undergoing “tectonic” changes, says Gregory Hand, WSU dean of the College of Health Professions. As health care becomes more about teamwork among doctors, […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, Local Government
What the stadium tax defeat says about teams, their subsidies and Jackson County voters
Editor’s note (April 4, 2024): This story has been corrected to reflect an error about a Virginia tax package to attract stadiums. The Royals and the Chiefs had everything. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — fresh off of a Super Bowl victory — endorsed a “yes” vote in ads airing on TV and on YouTube. […]
Posted inLocal Government
KC curveball: If voters OK sales taxes for a ballpark, Royals will ask the city and state for up to $700 million more
The proposed extension of Jackson County’s sales tax won’t be enough to pay for a new downtown Kansas City Royals stadium.
So the team is in conversation with city officials and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to fill a $700 million funding gap with taxpayer dollars from Kansas City and the state.
Posted inElections, Local Government
The Royals want your tax dollars for a new stadium. What to know before the April 2 vote
Upward of $1.7 billion taxpayer dollars are on the line this April.
After years of planning and negotiations, the Kansas City Royals want to demolish six blocks of the Crossroads district to make way for a shiny new baseball stadium.
But first, they will need voters to agree to tax themselves for four decades to subsidize the Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Posted inLabor
Jackson County sent the Royals stadium tax to the ballot. Now, labor gears up for tough talks
Takeaways: The Kansas City Royals want voters to promise four more decades of tax money to underwrite a new stadium. Parking attendants, beer vendors and the other people who tend to fans want more leverage on their wages. And the Royals say the team stands willing to bargain, offering to enter into a community benefits […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Wichita’s new task force will address homelessness. Who’s involved and what are their goals?
Update: the location of the meeting has been changed to Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th Street N., Room 138. Text in the story has been changed to reflect this. Concerned about the number of unhoused people living in Wichita and what is – and isn’t – being done to help them? A new task […]
Posted inWatchdog
After hundreds of 911 calls, police and advocates for people without shelter struggle to address a downtown crisis
The corner of Second and Topeka streets in downtown Wichita recently received an onslaught of attention regarding its unsheltered residents. On Oct. 5, the city’s Public Works & Utilities department painted white lines around United Methodist Open Door, a social services organization, and nearby buildings to disperse encampments and respond to an increase in violence […]