Oh my God, the race is this weekend at Kansas Speedway, it will be a zoo!
"Craig, bet you guys will be packed with the NASCAR race fans this weekend!" Yeah, right. That’s what everybody always says. And what’s really nice is the city puts all those highway signs up saying, RACE WEEK, FRIDAY & SATURDAY.
Meaning, STAY AWAY IT WILL BE NUTS.
Now here’s the truth: "This is unreal, we are one of the busiest restaurants in the area and this is our slowest weekend of the year unless it snows," said a Yardhouse waiter.
Yardhouse, in its 6th year, is one of the busiest restaurants in the Legends shopping area. Stanford’s is in its fifth year at Legends and we too have some of our slowest weekends during NASCAR.
Why?
First off, nobody comes until the race event which is on Sunday.
Yes, in years past they had crowds for the Formula races on Saturday and time trials Friday. Since those are gone, the crowds have been small before race day on Saturday.
Now they have a truck event that draws very few on Friday and no time trials to speak of.
Plus the Saturday crowds have fallen by 30% or more. And most of those folks that come live here – they’re not from out of town. And as you may have noticed, the Plaza, Westport, P&L gets almost no NASCAR fans to speak of either.
NASCAR fans don’t go anywhere.
They don’t even cross the street to visit Legends or, for that matter, even Hooters doesn’t kill it. And they’re next door to the damn thing. You’d think they’d love HOOTERS!
Why?
The event does everything it can to keep all the money at the track, so there’s almost no interaction between them and anyone else, including Legends. The drivers used to come in and do autographs and promo at Legends, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and so on.
Not now.
Maybe they should. It might up local sales. Almost all the people who go to the speedway spend their money on beer, food, t-shirts and hats at the track. So they have little to spend elsewhere.
They are only there for the race, that’s it. Even the hotels are not all sold out anymore.
We hate it because the city thinks we are too busy that weekend. But the reality is, nobody locally wants to fight the non-existent crowds. It’s weird. Even our parking lots are only half full. Looks like a snow day.
So if you want to shop, eat or be entertained at Legends/Village West come on race weekend.
There are no waits and there’s plenty to do. Hey, don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice event and helps put our city on the map. But they need to work with everyone else to make the weekend a success.
Right now it really isn’t. Except for the track.
It’s like many of our city’s so-called "big events" that bring in millions. Bullcrap.
Who comes up with these numbers? Like, "Boy, a playoff game at Arrowhead brings in millions to the city." Really? Where, other than Arrowhead? 99% of the people who go live here. They don’t need a hotel and don’t really eat out anywhere except where they normally eat. Or they eat at – guess where? – ARROWHEAD!
Events are for the event area only these days. The economy is one reason. Too many events is the other.
Still they are nice to have, but we need some help from the city to make it work for everyone.
Starting with, take down those stupid highway signs: RACEWEEK FRIDAY AND SATURDAY…stay away!
Wrong Dong Silver
Just because you don’t directly benefit doesn’t mean that others don’t. What’s good for the goose doesn’t have to be good for the Glazer.
Might wanna show Danica in her NASCAR gear and not her IRL Gear. There have NEVER been Formula One cars racing or testing at the speedway only Indy and Indy-Lites in the open wheel category.
Saw lots of out of towners on the Plaza on Friday and Saturday. Easy to spot with their Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado Texas gear and license plates.
Oklahoma Joe’s on 39th was infested with out of towners on Saturday…takes ’em FOREVER to order. It was faster for us to step out of line and call in our order than to wait in line.
Even saw some NASCAR tourists at Old Shawnee Days on Saturday
I doubt they were in the P&L with all the Semen Demon’s at PRIDE although I heard Dale Jr was walking around in drag.
A friend of mine runs a beer delivery route for Central States Beverage. He worked overtime on Friday and Saturday cause the liquor and grocery stores and WalMarts were getting pounded.
While there will never be a way to adequately and accurately measure true economic impact from a Speedway event to suggest that it’s a myth is more wrong than shooting snuff films in a nursing home.
Glazer more right than wrong
smartman you made some good points. Glazer said it was still a great event for the city, however like most of our BIG events, it has been over rated as far as money for the city. My cousin works at Dave and Busters at Legends and says it is a very slow weekend out there for them as well. These NASCAR people likely don’t shop at the Gap either. I live downtown and didn’t see much NASCAR attendance anywhere. Maybe Legends should promote their locations with the event more, don’t know. Highway signs aren’t needed.
NASCAR is not a biggy for the city
Glad its here, but for the most part not a big money maker for KC. Hotels were not full anywhere I know of, means most of the crowd does live in the KC area. I have heard Legends is very slow during these events. Two years ago we happened to be out there when there was a race, my wife and I ate at Famous Dave’s, usually packed on weekend nights, it was maybe half full, they said the race hurt their business cause the fans all eat at the track or in their trailor.
NASCAR not a sport
Who cares about those redneck hicks. Move it to OKC. They aren’t real athletes.
@monkeyman
Monkeyman, don’t you know what NASCAR stand for? Negroes and Spics Can’t Afford Racing.
All we got left is hockey and racing my ebony skinned brother. Hell, you even got the WHITE HOUSE now. We don’t like it when the Air Jordans are on the other foot.
Good Points
Well some good points some bad ones.
Rather it’s NASCAR of not when a big event hits it is whats happening and not the stuff we can do all the time. And out of towners came to see racing not some 3rd string guest from a late night show trying to do comedy.
Now Cabelas might see more traffic than say Famous Daves does or Hooters for that matter because hell Hooters are everywhere why the need to see when here in KC. Besides my friends and I when we are together and the women are around as in a race weekend Hooters isn’t the place we care to be.
As for motels it’s funny but Saturday morning I notice way more traffic at hotels along I-35 coming into KC than I do any other Saturday and noticed more traffic inbound as well. And I know of 4 rooms that wouldn’t have been booked otherwise.
Money is tight folks and not everybody can rack up a huge tab for the whole weekend when the whole point of the weekend is they came to see the race. And to be honest on race weekend The Legends is the last thing on mine or my out of town guests minds when racing is in town. We have other places we visit or hang out at or things to do.
But yes I do spend more money that weekend as a whole when racing is in town as per a weekend when it isn’t so yes it is good just that those who think they should be raking it in are not and well thats business either swing with it or get out of it.
GLAZE WRONG AGAIN…
take my advice…stick to pussy….you’re out of your elements here agian. First you bitch that theres
nothing happening in this city. Then a second race is added at the speekway that brings in milllions in
tax dollars…millions in sales…and i saw hundreds of out oftown er at the airport coming in for the race.
Think about the drivers and their crews….spending big bucks…and even though you might not like
racing glaze…this is huge.
Plus it was on national tv….how much is that worth…millions and miallions of dollars that you never
account for.
Lets say the total income from the race in 20 million dollars… that includes all the people to run it…
out of towners…people from the broadcast and nascar coverage national people….don’t know the
attendance but it brings in tens of thousands and millions and millions of dollars.
Its national…its huge expsoure…i watched part of the race and they highlighted the city..
and what was happening at the dotte area…new casino (one of a kind near a racetrack)…
retail….new stadium….and most of all big bucks into the economy.
How can you knock it…booze sales…these people have to eat…they sleep somewhere.
So glaze keep on bullshitting us abut rockfest (a massive mess of drugs/tramp stamps/skin heads…
none with a dime to spend and calling it the the biggest outdoor bullshit event in the nation….
This is big for kc….so stip bitching all the time….your beginning to sound like a crabby old
old man….stop…this is a big event for kc.
and if you’ve ever been to nascar and gotten near the hotties…you’d see the make the
rockfest girls and woodside girls look like hogs….truthfully…lots of women love racing.
sorry your business was off…but it is big for kck and dotte….
and mores on the way!
Was AT Race Sunday
First off it was a blast, but way too hot. It maybe should be moved to the evening. The crowds were down, it was maybe 3/4 full at best. However they did add a second race and economy is bad. Who wants to see the truck stuff anyways. Legends, which my wife and I went to before the race was not as busy as usual, thats true. We at ate at Styx, its great but they were not full and I’m sure that is not normal for a Saturday night.
We didn’t need a hotel since we live here, but I can see Glazers point, the area around the race should gain business not lose it. I do think Kansas City people think its too busy that weekend and if they aren’t going to the race avoid Legends, so he has a point. Glazer we love the comedy club, but we can’t be at the race and the club at the same time.
Super Dave did Glazer steal your old lady or something?
Super Dave, I’ve noticed you and Cliffy really hate Glazer. Why? Did he screw you over in some way? Just curious. He dumped me a couple years back, but I’m sure he regrets it now. However I have been to his clubs and its kinda stupid of you to knock the talent they have, its pretty damn awesome Davy. I don’t know anything about NASCAR, I do agree its good for Kansas City. Hey Craig I am coming to Carlos Alexrqui the guy from Reno 911, with a girlfriend so heres your chance to be nice to me. Maybe you’ll get lucky if you’re a good boy.
Ahhhhhh Maureen
Oh I as well have been to his clubs in every location they have ever been in. I doubt Maureen he regrets anything and your proof of that.
Superdave You are a Fraud
So thats your answer. You hate Glazer cause I am proof of what? You’ve been to his clubs, but the acts are third rate? This is your big comeback Super Dumbass! I am a hot 30 year old blonde with a college degree and am a court reporter. What are you Super Loser?
Super Dave Is a Racist Too
You make fun of monkey man cause he thinks that redneck race is for white bitches like you, ‘white devil.’ We hate people like you, so go fuck yo self.
And now we see why some species eat their young
Not said a word to monkey man so get your facts right.
And you best be careful who you call a racist and I mean that with all promises.
Glazer: Instincts Correct… Sporting KC Needs Walkway
Glazer is nailing another issue. And he’s right. The traffic is only busy two hours before… and two hours after the race… and usually the Sunday race only. Also…. you cant walk from the Speedway to the Legends. You cant do it logistically or even logically. You can’t. After a race… you have been in the sun and drinking for 7 hours…. you go home…Not to Yardhouse for grilled cornish game hens and Sierra Nevada Ale. . So the signs are stupid. They are WYCO’s way of saying …. we are hot! Its like St. Elmo’s Fire… There is no fire.
Anyway… The Legends is just part of the whole development. The speedway is just a part. Sporting KC will draw more people out there on many multiple nights and they ARE in walking distance. They need to build a walkway over Village West Parkway to make seemless foottrafic between the stadium and Legends. They need to DO IT NOW… Don’t be Union Station and wait ten years.
Also… The Casino and Cerner? Game over. Total package baby. The place is going to be a juggernaut.
To Clear A Point
Now as for Mr. Glazer coming on here saying that nobody went to his club over the weekend and crying about how the races hurts his business well guess what not everybody in this metro area or the areas surrounding it was at that race track this weekend. And an easy quick check of things would have shown that no races were run Saturday night so no huge traffic delays or crowds either. In fact only race on Saturday was over by 4:00 winding down and clearing at the latest.
Now I have to be honest I have no idea for sure who that was at the club this weekend and can assume nobody else did either or they would have filled the place.
Pit crews and people stuck over at that track might have headed on over and seen a good act if it was someone playing this weekend that people really knew and it was promoted right.
I don
Glazer Didn’t Write This About His Business
Super Dave, Glazer only mentioned, just mentioned that Stanfords was also slow during NASCAR weekend. What got missed here was this is a pattern at Legends, not just this one race. So I don’t believe it was him crying about his own business, just that clearly the races are not helping Legends or Village West, in fact hurting their business as an area, thats all.
Get Dana to walk around Legends
Get that crazy bitch to come over and help out.
Danna Sucks
She couldn’t drive a wheelbarrel
NASCAR IS boring
more than baseball even.
Some decent points…
…by Glazer in regards to the race, but perhaps a bit of a overgeneralization regarding NASCAR Fan’s spending habits. First off, I’m doubting visiting a comedy club on perhaps their one evening in town would be very high on their agenda. If anything, probably more about grabbing a bite at one of the area restaurants. Second, with the economy down and higher gas prices across the country, I’m guessing that’s cutting down on some of the travelers to this event. Third, oversaturation of NASCAR tracks in recent years probably keeps some folks closer to home as opposed to making the trek to KS. This year, heat and perhaps the added race played a part.
I do agree with Craig about those economic figures always thrown around when it comes to big events in any metro area. Who comes up with those figures (perhaps the Plaza lighting ceremony estimators?) and who the hell checks them?!
The Totally Bogus Girl You Call Maureen..
Ok time to call this one out. Either this chic is way beyond stupid begging you to be with her yet defending you to the brutal end or Craig you are totally making her up! When I put her down she doesn’t say a thing back- another RED flag. I don’t care if you did date her for awhile. I guarantee she doesn’t read this site or even knows it exists. YOU ARE MAKING HER UP SO FROM NOW ON I DECLARE MAUREEN IS ANONYMOUSLY CRAIG GLAZER. It’s just getting so obvious I can’t take it anymore!
stupid Bitch Mermaid
Hey, I was on this site before you I have known Craig and Hearne for five years. I don’t have to defend myself. Screw you jealous whore. Happy now?
catfight…maureen versus mermaid
wow…2 hot women batttling it out for the glaze. Love it. and maureen…if you’re
all you say what the hell are you doing up alone at 12:14 am writing on this blog..
no boyfriend…maybe a friend with benefits….comeon maureen you brag about your
looks and body….lets stop b.s.ing everyone