If you didn't go to the open house yesterday, by now you've surely heard the rave reviews about the Sprint Center. Sure, there's some minor issues (manual sinks and toilets, for example, probably a cost-saving measure; and an escalator that is both thrilling and scary to ride -- you can see it in the photo above), but overall this place is so far beyond what I expected I cannot even put it into words. And the College Basketball Experience is going to be a HUUUGE draw!

Still, there are perpetual naysayers out there who have nothing positive to say about Kansas City and revel in constantly complaining and looking for the negative in everything. Often they employ oversized, bold, all-caps, red text to make their points and link to their own posts to back up their claims.

One of the complaints these naysayers keep bringing up is that Kemper Arena failed to revitalize the West Bottoms, so there is no way Sprint Center will help revitalize Downtown. "Turns out that concept was a complete failure because folks going to see any event at an arena (for the most part) only want to go home afterwards," the naysayers say.

Let's take a look at what surrounds Kemper Arena:

Kemper Arena is surrounded by a giantic sea of parking. That sea of parking is in turn surrounded by a belt of 4-lane expressway that is busy before/after events and offers little to no safe pedestrian crossing points. (In fact the only discernable crosswalk I can see connects to... another parking lot!) The bars and restaurants are/were located to the north, beyond this beltway.

If you make it easier for people to get in their car and leave than you make it for them to patronize the businesses of the surrounding neighborhood, which do you think they are going to choose to do?

Now let's take a look at what you see when you step outside the Sprint Center:

(The above will be partially open next month with some
restaurants and bars opening early, and completely open by March!)

Before and after major events, automatic barricades close the 2 blocks of Grand in front of the Sprint Center, turning it into a giant and safe pedestrian plaza. This leads pedestrians naturally into the Crossroads, the Power & Light District, or north into the central loop... where no matter which direction they parked in they will pass places to eat and/or drink within the first block and beyond.

Last night during the open house I saw increased activity at Willie's, at Cupini's, and at The Mango Room that looked busier than what a Wednesday night would normally bring. And that was with only a few hundred people walking to and from their cars. Just imagine what it will be when that few hundred becomes several thousand.

I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure I am right.

Whatever the case may be, we'll find out this Saturday night!