Kum & Gone

[CyDude16]

The new team would be in the USL Championship which is right below MLS. Unless plans have changed.

The Menace are in USL2 which is like the 4th or 5th tier. The naming scheme is confusing intentionally I think, to make the USL amateur league sound higehr in the soccer pyramid than it actually is.

You’re right, I was mistaken. Could have sworn it was originally going to be the tier under championship.

 

[jcisuclones]

Looks like KC Current's new stadium is $117 mil for 11,500 seats. So, just over $10k per seat.
Which would make the $7692 seem worse, wouldn't it?

That project never made sense to me, especially given they have a really nice stadium Sporting uses.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Didn't he just sell his dad's company for $2 billion? You'd think he could use some of that money for his hobby.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

If there's a market to watch people drive in circles in the dirt, there's definitely a market for soccer.

Circles? My dear fellow, that would make one dizzy.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

I'm no Kroenke backer and that really wasn't your point. All I did was link a statement showing he paid for a stadium.

Please reread my statement.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

Maybe if he wasn’t losing millions on vanity projects in Italy he wouldn’t need as much help from taxpayers here to build a stadium.

I mean who doesnt want to buy a Kum & Go purse. Seems odd to me he wants to break into the fashion design world.

 

[Cyclone06]

Sports teams are a business and if fans want them in their city why shouldn't they at least pay for some of the stadium cost? 50/50 sounds right to me.

And then when he sells the team and stadium he will split the profits 50/50 with the tax payers?

Its the "you pay to get me here, then I reap all the reward" that is the problem. If you want the full reward, pony up the full ante.

 

[werdnamanhill]

I agree it happens everywhere, and it is disgusting. Holding cities and states hostage threatening to move pro teams to suckle even more tax payer teet... I am sick of seeing it. And I sure as hell do not want to see it in "my backyard."

If that means no, very low level pro soccer in DSM, so be it.

USL Championship is only one step below MLS

 

[carvers4math]

Didn't he just sell his dad's company for $2 billion? You'd think he could use some of that money for his hobby.

The wealthy are just super grifters

 

[deadeyededric]

And then when he sells the team and stadium he will split the profits 50/50 with the tax payers?

Its the "you pay to get me here, then I reap all the reward" that is the problem. If you want the full reward, pony up the full ante.

If you don't pony up some other city will.

 

[mayor4prez]

Several mentioned that the toxic site will be cleaned up, but the construction plan is just a rebuilding of the existing "cap" for the site. It's hard to imagine it hasn't been leaking to the river right next door for years. No one else wants to touch it so it's cheap land.

 

[RING4CY]

I'll take Kwik Star over K&G every day of the week.

Haven't stepped foot in a Kum & Go since Kwik Star came to Ames.

 

[NWICY]

Sports teams are a business and if fans want them in their city why shouldn't they at least pay for some of the stadium cost? 50/50 sounds right to me.

Seems like the general public never gets to have a say in these things. Let it go to a general election ballot in a November election. We all know only a third of the population will vote in it but it would be a wider cross section of the populace that usually gets a say.

Nothing against this project in particular I just get tired of seeing the general population support millionaire and billionaire hobbies that they sell of for hundreds of millions when they get tired of them. In this case I'm guessing it might be worth low millions when sold really have no idea.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

American Equity was suppose to donate $5 million towards the project. With them being set to be sold to Canadian company Brookfield I wonder if that puts that money in danger.

 

[deadeyededric]

Seems like the general public never gets to have a say in these things. Let it go to a general election ballot in a November election. We all know only a third of the population will vote in it but it would be a wider cross section of the populace that usually gets a say.

Nothing against this project in particular I just get tired of seeing the general population support millionaire and billionaire hobbies that they sell of for hundreds of millions when they get tired of them. In this case I'm guessing it might be worth low millions when sold really have no idea.

I still don't understand why the general public doesn't think they should help pay for rich people's "hobbies" when they utilize the entertainment themselves. Just as a matter of principle. I don't look at stadiums any different than any other infrastructure projects honestly. You want big business and entertainment in your town you pay for it. I've lived in a few towns with pro sports teams and I guess I never expected to benefit monetarily from them. You rent basically rent them as a taxpayer the same way you pay monthly fees for things like Netflix. Just the way I look at it anyway.

 

[cycloneML]

I still don't understand why the general public doesn't think they should help pay for rich people's "hobbies" when they utilize the entertainment themselves. Just as a matter of principle. I don't look at stadiums any different than any other infrastructure projects honestly. You want big business and entertainment in your town you pay for it. I've lived in a few towns with pro sports teams and I guess I never expected to benefit monetarily from them. You rent basically rent them as a taxpayer the same way you pay monthly fees for things like Netflix. Just the way I look at it anyway.

True story. I read this and thought “this is a guy who’s at peace and sleeps well.” Then I see you posted at 3 am….

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

American Equity was suppose to donate $5 million towards the project. With them being set to be sold to Canadian company Brookfield I wonder if that puts that money in danger.

If they are buying the stock of AE, you get all commitments and liabilities. It would be highly unusual to someone "cancel the commitment." If they are buying the assets of AE, then this commitment could be easily excluded. I have no idea of the acquisition structure. Brookfield is a great company. Great question.

 

[Farnsworth]

I still don't understand why the general public doesn't think they should help pay for rich people's "hobbies" when they utilize the entertainment themselves. Just as a matter of principle. I don't look at stadiums any different than any other infrastructure projects honestly. You want big business and entertainment in your town you pay for it. I've lived in a few towns with pro sports teams and I guess I never expected to benefit monetarily from them. You rent basically rent them as a taxpayer the same way you pay monthly fees for things like Netflix. Just the way I look at it anyway.

I'm with you for the most part but Netflix isn't a great comparison. I pay for Netflix but I don't pay again every time I want to watch something, aka a ticket to use the venue.

 

[Jer]

I still don't understand why the general public doesn't think they should help pay for rich people's "hobbies" when they utilize the entertainment themselves. Just as a matter of principle. I don't look at stadiums any different than any other infrastructure projects honestly. You want big business and entertainment in your town you pay for it. I've lived in a few towns with pro sports teams and I guess I never expected to benefit monetarily from them. You rent basically rent them as a taxpayer the same way you pay monthly fees for things like Netflix. Just the way I look at it anyway.

I look at it differently because we pay expensive tickets to attend said entertainment. Once they turn a profit, they don’t start paying us.

 

[CyCoug]

Please please please let the stores retain the name.

Honestly since it’s now being run by Maverick, if they don’t change the name to Mavericks Kum and Go, it’s a missed opportunity.