Cytown Update

[2speedy1]

Fans: it was never going to be like power and light. People made that up.

Jamie: “this will be like power and light”

So by saying it will be "like" Title town and Power and Light, we should expect it to be exact carbon copies of those?

Being "like" or similar to those, can mean similar in a lot of ways, it doesnt mean they will be exact replicas.

Similar.... commercial district next to large athletic venues, commercial space with a clinic, commercial space with retail and restaurants, commercial space with hotel, commercial space with outdoor entertainment, commercial space with condos, etc etc. You could make a long list of things that are similar to those places. But, in no way was this ever going to be exact copies of those spaces, and it was never going to be as large and have as much as those. Which is why it was called a "baby version" of them, a "light version", meaning similar but on a smaller scale etc.

Thinking this was ever going to be exact copy of those, especially considering this is being done on a University Campus vs next to a Professional sports venue etc. is ridiculous. This was always going to be on a smaller scale than those locations, but still using the same idea, and having some similarities.

It really shows some of you either are never satisfied, or have some seriously unrealistic expectations.

 

[isucy86]

Fans: it was never going to be like power and light. People made that up.

Jamie: “this will be like power and light”

The Power & Light District is heavily subsidized by tax breaks, so it isn't a financial gravy train for KC taxpayers. It's been a few years since I've been to Big12 Tournament, but I'd always heard that the Big12 Tournament + St Patrick's Day was a significant share of the P&L District's annual revenue.

Hopefully Cytown proves itself financially. As much as people poke fun at the McFarland Clinic, it brings a steady revenue base to the project. Same goes for the residential aspect and hopefully there are more everyday commercial businesses. I haven't followed the project that closely to know if it's still in the plan, but also thought the outdoor music amphitheatre also brought a unique entertainment draw throughout the year.

IMO the comparison to P&L District is more about having bars & restaurants in close proximity to Hilton & Jack Trice to give fans an option beyond tailgating or compliment Ames restaurants for a segment of the fan base. IMO it will fill that need.

 

[STLISU]

I’ll be surprised if those empty lots on LW become anything more than cheap 3 story apartments with some room on the ground floor for payday loans and mattress stores.

Negative Nancy. Rooting for failure. I suspect you will get more satisfaction if that is the case than if it’s a successful addition to downtown Ames.

 

[clone52]

Fans: it was never going to be like power and light. People made that up.

Jamie: “this will be like power and light”

Like a baby version.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

How the hell does Romantix still have a building on that lot? City administration must getting some “extra benefits” to keep it up.

I didn't realize Dangerous Curves is still around.

 

[aauummm]

Historic building

If I'm not mistaken, I think that the Romantix building was the Beach House way back in the day (1960's). There was some "historic" stuff going on there for sure.

 

[JM4CY]

If I'm not mistaken, I think that the Romantix building was the Beach House way back in the day (1960's). There was some "historic" stuff going on there for sure.

“Historic stuff” and “butt stuff” are not the same thing.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Negative Nancy. Rooting for failure. I suspect you will get more satisfaction if that is the case than if it’s a successful addition to downtown Ames.

If Hunziker wanted this project to happen, it would’ve happened by now. Fact is they don’t want to use their money to develop it. That’s why they’re now trying to get the City involved. They’ll be perfectly happy as a company to sit on this prime land for 25 more years.

 

[NWICY]

If I'm not mistaken, I think that the Romantix building was the Beach House way back in the day (1960's). There was some "historic" stuff going on there for sure.

Beach house before my time, some highlights please?

 

[aauummm]

Beach house before my time, some highlights please?

Oops, after doing a little research into the Beach House, I find that it was the adjacent building north of the present Romantix building. Here's what the Ames History Museum has on it:

The Beach House-Ames, Iowa

I didn't hang out there but dropped in a couple of times. If I remember correctly, evidently things were getting a bit rough so they hired Chris Taylor as a bouncer. That was impressive and you could call it a bit historic. I remember him checking our ID's at the door.

 

[cyclone87]

If Hunziker wanted this project to happen, it would’ve happened by now. Fact is they don’t want to use their money to develop it. That’s why they’re now trying to get the City involved. They’ll be perfectly happy as a company to sit on this prime land for 25 more years.

To be fair they were always a asking for TIF incentives for the project from the beginning.

 

[SolarGarlic]

You are dead wrong. Look at what the AD was putting out just 3 years ago. This video is more recent than the one Pollard ran around to the neighborhoods selling. He was promising P&L district-like for years!

CyTown Announcement

I guess I'm speaking more to the environment and setup. The renderings are right there as far as setting expectations. Expecting a setup like Power and Light, where it's mostly a party jungle gym with just bars and restaurants, has never been the vision. I'll grant you that it wasn't wise for JP to use that verbiage, but the couple videos that were shared, including yours, also had editorializing from the news stations writing the story. The rendering video is from the department, but that story is from Channel 5 news, not the AD.

I just think a lot of our fans (and humans everywhere) don't pay close enough attention to decipher nuance, and expectations quickly get out of control. This project still can be a beautiful, lively addition to the area, especially on football gamedays (which is what is in most fans heads) but many of our fans have misunderstood the final product from the jump. But an updated, sustainable business district isn't as sexy as "Power and Light" and visions of the Big 12 Tournament atmosphere and attendance.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

I guess I'm speaking more to the environment and setup. The renderings are right there as far as setting expectations. Expecting a setup like Power and Light, where it's mostly a party jungle gym with just bars and restaurants, has never been the vision. I'll grant you that it wasn't wise for JP to use that verbiage, but the couple videos that were shared, including yours, also had editorializing from the news stations writing the story. The rendering video is from the department, but that story is from Channel 5 news, not the AD.

I just think a lot of our fans (and humans everywhere) don't pay close enough attention to decipher nuance, and expectations quickly get out of control. This project still can be a beautiful, lively addition to the area, especially on football gamedays (which is what is in most fans heads) but many of our fans have misunderstood the final product from the jump. But an updated, sustainable business district isn't as sexy as "Power and Light" and visions of the Big 12 Tournament atmosphere and attendance.

Has anybody ever been to the Power and Light District when there's not an event? It's dead. Thank goodness we have modified the plans to have year-round sustaining businesses as the anchors. I have no idea what the masses think, but it continues to amaze me how so many people on this website see the glass as 51% half empty. It's bizarre.

 

[jcisuclones]

Has anybody ever been to the Power and Light District when there's not an event? It's dead. Thank goodness we have modified the plans to have year-round sustaining businesses as the anchors. I have no idea what the masses think, but it continues to amaze me how so many people on this website see the glass as 51% half empty. It's bizarre.

I was there once on a random weekend night with nothing going on having some drinks out in the courtyard with some friends. Patrick Mahomes's creep of a brother walked in with his bodyguard and just stood there for like 5 minutes, realized nobody was interested in him and then left. But yeah, not much going on there when there isn't an event.

 

[Nor'MidWester]

I was about to say who gives a fck. They used power and light because most cyclone fans know what that premise is, a development where fans gather around games.

Would a power and light district actually work here though? i.e. multiple bars? They've most certainly done the research and know that yeah on football game days and big basketball gamedays the brewpub will be full and there will be some upset people who can't get in, but the other 340 days of the year the area might not support multiple bars. During those big game days maybe they'll have beer stands or something to make up for it.

 

[dosry5]

“Historic stuff” and “butt stuff” are not the same thing.

They are if you’re doing it right

 

[TitanClone]

Has anybody ever been to the Power and Light District when there's not an event? It's dead. Thank goodness we have modified the plans to have year-round sustaining businesses as the anchors. I have no idea what the masses think, but it continues to amaze me how so many people on this website see the glass as 51% half empty. It's bizarre.

Hearing an echo from a post I made previously in this thread. It's a ghostown more often than not.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

Hearing an echo from a post I made previously in this thread. It's a ghostown more often than not.

Yes, and if this the same thread as 2 years ago, all of these points have been rehashed five times? Including mine. It's amazing how the same **** keeps getting brought up.

 

[t.m.]

Has anybody ever been to the Power and Light District when there's not an event? It's dead. Thank goodness we have modified the plans to have year-round sustaining businesses as the anchors. I have no idea what the masses think, but it continues to amaze me how so many people on this website see the glass as 51% half empty. It's bizarre.

I’ve never been, so all I “know” about P&L is reading posts during Big12 week. A few months ago my wife was in the area for a weekend for work. I kept telling her “you have to go to P&L, it’s a great place for your group”. She went on a Saturday night, and called me complaining about how much I had pumped it up. She said it was completely dead.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Expectations of a P&L setup were strictly creations of fan imaginations. That kind of thing happens way too often to our fanbase. I've always called it the tailgate effect. One guy at a tailgate says "Power and Light" and it spreads from one tailgate to the next until the loudest morons in the fanbase are stating it as fact.

To an extent I do agree but JP absolutely sold it that way at first.