Slippery walking in KC

I would like to echo Troy Meyer’s thoughts (1/2, Letters) about the slippery parking lot after the Jeff Dunham show at Kemper Arena, which I attended with my son on Dec. 27. The parking area was a sheet of ice.

We had to walk through the parking lot and through Hale Arena to get to Kemper. It took a long time to get through the lines at the doors. Our seats had mud on them from a previous event. It was obvious that the seats had not been cleaned, and it was disappointing to see that a once-nice venue had deteriorated so much in a short time. The lack of staffing was apparent.

Leaving was also a challenge. I remember going to events in the past and there were either security or police officers present to help you get though the traffic.

Kemper Arena should be utilized more, and the city could benefit from more events with both Sprint Center and Kemper Arena. I hope the next time there is an event during the winter, at least some salt can be put down so event-goers aren’t at risk of falling and getting injured. It’s not like the parking was free.

Jan Rosenblum
Overland Park

Troy Meyer writes about the lack of snow and ice control at Kemper Arena one recent Saturday night. He goes on to say “I bet they had ice melt at the Sprint Center.” Well, Troy, I can’t say that ice control near the Sprint Center — at least in the Power & Light District — has been much better than at Kemper.

I work near the Sprint Center, and on Dec. 23, I walked out to lunch around noon with two friends. As we walked through the entertainment district on Walnut Street, we saw several pedestrians slip and fall on the ice glaze that had formed on the brick sidewalks. And as careful as I was, I also slipped and fell, striking the back of my head on the sidewalk. Fortunately, I have a thick skull and a non-litigious nature.

As we walked back to work from an excellent lunch one hour later, we still could see no sand or salt on the sidewalks. A little concern for safety — and planning for bad weather — should not be too much to ask from our local attractions.

Fred Gustin
Leawood

Comments

[Pub 17]

Absolutely, a throwaway line in one of his jams in Zap.

[Casady]

I always figured Kemper would fade into oblivion aftrer SC opened (although they still pull off a good show like last years Foo Fighters concert). We need to live up to the fact that KC is not the major metro area that it aspires to be and thinking that we can support two arenas without an anchor tenant preposterous.

Side Note: Pub, you are not referring to the artist Rick Griffin who did all those Fillmore posters are you?

[Pub 17]

"Evil" is "Live" spelled backwards, my son.
-Rick Griffin, 1969

[solomon]

Ice is an evil sent by Allah.

[Marctnts]

"Kemper Arena should be utilized more, and the city could benefit from more events with both Sprint Center and Kemper Arena."

Let's see. AEG is a BIG financial partner in the Sprint Center with a LOT of money on the line. On top of managing the Sprint Center, KCMO hires AEG to manage Kemper. Now, we have a company with a direct and long-term financial interest in one venue hired to fill that venue AND one in which the interest is only on a short term managerial basis.

Which venue do you think AEG wants to see filled the most?