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Final Four celebrations downtown cost the city an estimated $180,000. Do you think it was worth it?
Asked at Massachusetts Street on April 20, 2012
“Yes, because I imagine (the celebrations) also brought a lot of money into downtown.”
“I’m not sure, but the city didn’t really have a choice. I’m glad the mess was picked up.”
“The cost doesn’t matter because people would celebrate anyway and it’s better to have the streets clean and safe.”
“Absolutely. I’m new to Lawrence and I came down and enjoyed it.”
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Comments
misterlee 1 year, 1 month ago
Next time, and there will be one, let's just leave the mess downtown. Most of the stuff is biodigratable. It can also serve as a reminder of how well the team did.
jimjones 1 year, 1 month ago
This is a case where the city actually over-achieved. I had to pick someone up about 1:00AM and everything was well under control on Mass. St.; there were actually too many police still there.
The planning was excellent for the final game. A really good job.
Due to the outcome of the game, the crowds were not as large as the police had staffed for. So, they probably should have made arrangements to downsize at that point.
riverdrifter 1 year, 1 month ago
The Final Four is bank for the Lawrence/KU community. Distraction? Yep. Bank? Definitely.
Pitt_Mackeson 1 year, 1 month ago
Probably good they had all those extra officers down there after the championship game..... even though we didn't win, I heard that some crazed lunatic was gonna let a bunch of zoo animals that I won in a poker game loose on the streets..... had a full house :)
Pitt_Mackeson 1 year, 1 month ago
I mean that 'the guy' won in a poker game.... not me..... I would never do such a thing... (sigh) really wanted to see how the elephants would react to the baboons fece flinging... oops I've said too much. canttalkaboutit :)
Bailey Perkins 1 year, 1 month ago
Does the KU Athletic Department reimburse the city? If you think about it, a majority of it traces back to them and if they can afford to give the senior athletes high dollar rings, you'd think they could afford to pay back the city.
DillonBarnes 1 year, 1 month ago
Then should the city donate all the extra tax profits back to KU athletics?
pace 1 year, 1 month ago
Spending the money with a plan was cheaper than the alternative. I don't really like "fans" who celebrate by trashing. But I would hate them to get out of control and actually end up killing people in their fun.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 1 year, 1 month ago
That money could have fed over 1,440,000 hungry children in America.
ljwhirled 1 year, 1 month ago
Your rent, assuming it is about average (say $800/Mo), would pay for a meal for 6,400 hungry children.
Are you going to stop paying rent? Move into a RV down by South Park?
RoeDapple 1 year, 1 month ago
I'll be sighting in the new Leupold 4.5-14x50 this afternoon. If the wind isn't too bad I will take it out to 400yds, the farthest point at my range. I always pick up the brass, leave the range cleaner than when I arrived. It's the right thing to do.
ljwhirled 1 year, 1 month ago
We always go down to the lake with lots of plastic bags, bottled beer, soda, plastic 6-pack rings, cigarettes (for the kids) and lots of dip.
We go through most of it, then leave the trash behind. Why bother cleaning up? My auntie will do it for me.
rockchalker52 1 year, 1 month ago
$18 or 0.0001% of what the city incurred is what I spent at the movies yesterday. They had to clean up after me, too, but it was just an empty popcorn bag. I took the soda with me.
The Farrelly brothers need to learn about pacing...and background music...and how not to waste talent...
ljwhirled 1 year, 1 month ago
Mostly on tazer cartridges for use on the homeless.
I'm feeling kind of trolly today.
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 1 month ago
If public urination and defecation were legal, then they wouldn't be crimes. ( ... from ... a ... source ... )
CWGOKU 1 year, 1 month ago
Sigh... Yes, worth it, ditto to Babboy
tomatogrower 1 year, 1 month ago
Most people who live in Lawrence don't bash KU. The views of most of the posters on these forums do not reflect the views of most Lawrence people. That has been proven many times.
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 1 month ago
You and me both, autie. I thought that I was the only one seeing that.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 1 year, 1 month ago
$111,218 Police $13,782 Fire and Medical (net after $12,000 KU reimbursement for field house babysitting) $5,874 Parks and Rec $4,898 Public works $19,011 Supplies $5,515 Fuel $4,745 Porta-potties $1,638 Replacement plants $1,105 Landfill Charges
riverdrifter 1 year, 1 month ago
Oh, BTW: happy 4/20 everybody...
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 1 year, 1 month ago
"They went through a lot of trash bags." - T_O_B
And plastic cups. The cops gave my 16 year old daughter a plastic cup and made her pour her beer into it, then sent on her way in to the melee.
""$5,515 Fuel" Did the cops leave their cars running the whole weekend?"" - T_O_B
I ASSuME they track fuel costs by pump data, so when each fire truck was filled up with 300 gallons, and a every trash trucks topped of with 150 gallons of fuel 60 police cars were fueled, that data was assigned to the downtown celebration.
tomatogrower 1 year, 1 month ago
Public Works would be cleaning. Parks and Rec would be replacing damaged plants and trees.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 1 year, 1 month ago
I assume Parks and Rec may be some overtime for the trash picker uppers. What would Public Works be? - T_O_B
Parks and Rec may be the trash picker uppers, but the aggregate the trash into these large plastic bags. Public works include those who drive the trash trucks, pick up the large plastic bags that were aggregated by the Parks and Rec people, the people who put out the barricades to block off Mass St, and drive those who drive the street sweepers. It is a large synergistic organism.
cozborn 1 year, 1 month ago
parks did all the trash, all of the cleaning,they have trash trucks for that purpose, they are responsible for trash on mass everyday. public works ran street sweepers and set up barricades
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 1 year, 1 month ago
T_O_B, Of course not, fuel is fuel and an expense in and of it's self. Park and Rec and Public Works are just personnel costs and equipment.
Have you never been involved in the budget aspects of writing a project proposal?
cozborn 1 year, 1 month ago
parks and rec employees did not receive overtime, they dont get that at all, they just had to come in early and work straight time
Andini 1 year, 1 month ago
Maybe the police should have handed out more tickets and made more arrests during the celebrations to cover the $180,000.00 spent...
50YearResident 1 year, 1 month ago
Next time hold the event on the KU Campus and let KU pick up the tab. After all it's their responsability, isn't it? And its not like KU didn't get mega $$$$ for playing in the last two games. They could afford it better than the city could.
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