CyTown Announcement - Monday 9/19 (Links in OP)

[twincyties]

Are we underestimating the traffic this may get during the school year from students? It’s not as though this is all that further to get to than any other establishment in Ames outside campus town. It’s probably closer to parts of Greek land and some of the residence halls than Welch Avenue is.

 

[nfrine]

It's going to bring people who don't care, or actively dislike ISU to Ames.

Hope it doesn't attract any tavern hoks....

 

[RLD4ISU]

This should give me just enough time to start Trust the Process Brewery. Complimentary tours at 10 and 2. Put me down for 20,000 SqF, Jamie.

Loyal Forever Brew

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Are we underestimating the traffic this may get during the school year from students? It’s not as though this is all that further to get to than any other establishment in Ames outside campus town. It’s probably closer to parts of Greek land and some of the residence halls than Welch Avenue is.

I think there are a few people with an agenda or just like to interject their "knowledge" about random **** that doesn't have anything to do with this project and the majority think this is a great project and are excited to see it play out.

 

[yowza]

College kids must be wealthier than they were back in my day.

 

[CascadeClone]

Do you define "fine" as costing the city millions per annum as it's never brought in enough revenue to cover the annual debt payments? The city has, per annum, drawn 15 million out of its "general" revenue fund to cover the albatross.

Now, like a lot of things P and L creates some hidden benefits that are hard to monetize, like being an attractive anchor for surrounding investment (residential condos). But it's hard for anyone to spin P and L as a successful, stand alone venture. The city could have and should have done other things with the money/land.

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2021/02/11/power-and-light-debt-refinancing.html

I didn't know that, but I also can't speak to how the whole thing was structured financially. Maybe the city took on too much risk in exchange for not enough revenue action, idk.

To me, it's been there for a couple decades, and it's still a popular destination and something they are known for. Someone is making money, but maybe the city got screwed. That happens (see: most NFL stadiums).

 

[CascadeClone]

College kids must be wealthier than they were back in my day.

They are. Way more disposable income.

But I don't expect they will be a significant revenue source for this. Maybe just enough to add some window dressing that it is a "college theme destination" lol.

 

[2speedy1]

Seriously? I had pseudo sue and thought it was bad. Maybe their other stuff is better.

Some people REALLY REALLY like IPA style beer. They are famous for theirs and win awards for it. They do offer other styles but their most known for their extremely Hoppy IPAs. If you don't like IPAs you are going to hate Pseudo Sue.

 

[alarson]

I didn't know that, but I also can't speak to how the whole thing was structured financially. Maybe the city took on too much risk in exchange for not enough revenue action, idk.

To me, it's been there for a couple decades, and it's still a popular destination and something they are known for. Someone is making money, but maybe the city got screwed. That happens (see: most NFL stadiums).

I would imagine in the big picture the city is doing fine. The taxes on everything that developed around there as a result probably quite a bit more than pay for what KC pays for P&L. On top of that, its an amenity.

 

[isucy86]

This.

Creating a space for temporary infrastructure like beer gardens, food trucks, tailgate zone, etc. requires a lot less investment and carries a lot less risk. As mentioned KCP&L is a ghost town the majority of the year. When it's not its usually because there is an anchor event...Hot Country Nights, Big 12 Tourney, St Paddys day, a big game watch....that's bringing people there. EVERY local abhors most of the establishments that are there. They are either generic bars or terrible fits for the local culture (Leinenkugel's was a terrible move). Most would rather go to Waldo or even Westport where there are more genuine establishments to chose from.

Ultimately I think this idea is a waste of money and risks the cannibalization of the new businesses and established businesses. Some people who used to go elsewhere will go to the new district, hurting old business. There isn't enough localized demand or events for that area to make this one sensible. Too many examples of developers selling a concept that never had the local demand for its existence.

Pollard has been the best AD Iowa State has had by leaps and bounds and is usually on target with most of his ideas. This one completely misses the mark.

IMO new investment will help/force existing business to lift their game. Ames is way too stuck in the past.

Iowa State can fall into the same category. We might not have a Law or Medical School, but we are an Ag, Engineering & Tech school. Those areas should be attractive in the future.

 

[Cyclonsin]

Some people REALLY REALLY like IPA style beer. They are famous for theirs and win awards for it. They do offer other styles but their most known for their extremely Hoppy IPAs. If you don't like IPAs you are going to hate Pseudo Sue.

They may be best known for their IPAs, but their super rare ultra expensive beers are 15% stouts that have become very well acquainted with the inside of various liquor barrels. Delicious stuff and highly sought after.

I drive Uber some in my free time and drove a guy to a bottle release in Decorah from La Crosse. He had taken the train to La Crosse from Chicago, where he flew in from the Carolinas.

 

[2speedy1]

This is really it right here.

You have 6 football games a year which will bring hellish business for 12-18 games. You have what, 20 mens basketball games and probably another handful of womens BB and/or wrestling events that will bring in some crowds for a night. Even with the football slaughters, that's not enough viable events to make this kind of thing work out.

I think the bold is what has to happen to really make this a viable/remotely sensible plan. The problem is Ames has never really been viewed as an extension of the Des Moines market like Lawrence has with KC. Mammoth, Pipeline, and other promoters were based out of Lawrence over the years and they consistently put shows there as part of the "KC market". People became used to and accustomed to making that drive to see shows at the Granada, Bottleneck, and Liberty Hall. Even if Jamie WANTS to lure events to Ames he HAS to have a promoter that sees his vision. He will need a First Fleet (DM based) or a Mammoth (whos is behind a lot of TM venue shows in the OMaha, Des Moines, and KC regional markets) to put shows there. It then has to be the right sized show for that to happen and Stephens is simply the wrong size for that to happen. A lot of 3k sized events skip the low-mid markets altogether. Anything smaller and you have to convince someone not to put it at Hoyt Sherman when 90% or more of events will sell better there, all things being equal.

Just because you renovate Stephens and aim for grandeur doesn't mean it will happen. You need a promoter that has connections and can bring in the shows, then they need to be successful. Tough sell IMO.

So maybe they hire a promoter/event manager. Seems like a simple thing to get someone that entices conventions, concerts, free live music, flee market/farmers market events, family nights, venor weekends etc.

Not to mention the things like Special olympics and other events that happen in the off season right in that very spot.

 

[drlove]

There will always be a people who want surface-level parking lots more than anything else. A sea of pavement is their primary concern.

I've not read this whole thread, but you mentioned a sea of pavement. Has anyone touched on the time we have an actual sea of flood water in that area?
Honestly just curious about that part and didn't seen it brought up in the 8 pages or so that I've looked at.

 

[theshadow]

I've not read this whole thread, but you mentioned a sea of pavement. Has anyone touched on the time we have an actual sea of flood water in that area?
Honestly just curious about that part and didn't seen it brought up in the 8 pages or so that I've looked at.

Flood mitigation and water detention were discussed in the press conference.

 

[mfl3cy]

I drove from Ames to Decorah on a Sunday once just to go get some Toppling Goliath. I routinely make trips to Des Moines to go try out other tap rooms. Putting a Toppling Goliath tap room there will draw people from Des Moines and the surrounding areas year round.

Toppling Goliath is putting a brewery in Des Moines. So probably not going to happen. Personally I would rather see Iowa Tap Room branch out as opposed to just one brewery going in.

 

[twincyties]

College kids must be wealthier than they were back in my day.

I agree. I was talking a roll of quarters to Lumpy’s on Friday. But if you go out in Ames now you’ll see them outside Campustown at bars/restaurants I would not have been able to afford to go to.

 

[alarson]

Toppling Goliath is putting a brewery in Des Moines. So probably not going to happen. Personally I would rather see Iowa Tap Room branch out as opposed to just one brewery going in.

They've announced they're looking around the area but haven't announced a location. CyTown could very well be that location.

A place like Iowa Taproom could easily take up one of the commercial spaces too in addition to the brewery.

 

[2speedy1]

College kids must be wealthier than they were back in my day.

So you dont think College kids are a big majority of the business of Freddy's? Kum&Go convenience, BareFoot Outfitters on Lincoln? You dont think they are the majority of the business of Cy's Roost, Welch Ave? Cy's Locker? ISU Book Store? Copyworks? Even CVS?

But these all are just fine year round, they all get a lot, probably most, of income from students, and dont get a huge influx of business that this location will on Game Days, from football, mens and womens Basketball, wrestling and volleyball, plus concerts, conventions and other events hosted by the area, including special olympics Iowa just to name one.

 

[AuH2O]

That was never about actually closing the auditorium. He lied about that and admitted it after the fact.

That was about anger with people whose Covid concerns kept fans away from the Louisiana game. It was an unhinged interview that was among the low points of Pollard's ISU tenure.

I love JP, but he was full of **** in regards to his comments about CY. He was whining about ISU subsidizing entertainment for the community. He was giving the impression that the facilities lost money because ISU was subsidizing cost of events for the sake of cheap local entertainment.

The reality is in CY and Scheman there were a lot of ISU events that did not cover costs, or even close. Not only did they mean operating expenses with little revenue, it also meant restricting the ability to schedule performances and other revenue generating activities.

Prices were in line with other venues for events. They lost money because they couldn't make up enough revenue for the non- and low-revenue ISU activities, not because they had some directive or altruistic notion to subsidize entertainment for the community.

 

[titleist]

College kids must be wealthier than they were back in my day.

Their parents certainly are.