Car giveaway at KC auto show creates a festive atmosphere

Don Becker of Prairie Village usually attends the Greater Kansas City Auto Show at Bartle Hall. This year, he went on its opening night, March 4.

Becker, like hundreds of others, had an added incentive to go on that Wednesday. The show would be giving away the first of seven cars that evening. All attendees had to do for an opportunity to win a brand new car was enter their name at a kiosk spread on the top floor of Bartle Hall.

A shiny red 2015 Ford Mustang was the prize that would be given away the first night. Normally, 200 to 300 people attend the first evening of the auto show, said Bob Balderston, CEO of Balderston Automotive Group.

“There were more people at the auto show for a Wednesday than have ever been here on a Wednesday night,” Balderston said. “There were probably 500 or 600 people.”

About a half hour before the 8 p.m. selection, hundreds of people gathered around the Mustang and the game-show-like stage.

One person, 27-year-old Blair Gadson, who lives north of the river, was hoping his name would be called.

“It is beautiful. It is the best Mustang I have seen since ’69,” Gadson said. “This is pretty cool. It brings the people in.”

An hour before the selection, auto show officials notified the five finalists whose names had been selected.

Becker, 48, had returned home when he got the call on his cell phone.

“I almost didn’t answer the phone,” Becker said. “I almost screened the call because I didn’t recognize the number. I am really glad I answered the call.

“And then I figured it might be my lucky night because I had a 20 percent shot.”

Before that happened, a local charity was about to become a winner, too. With each car given away, the auto show donated $5,000 to a local charity.

The emcee for the March 4 giveaway was Holly Starr, who talked about Variety The Children’s Charity that former Chief Will Shields is involved in. Shields and several children from Variety were on stage when the $5,000 check was presented.

“I was very honored,” Starr said. “Variety works with children with developmental disabilities. They provide adaptive equipment for them.

“I think it is awesome what the auto show is doing. Any time a charity can get involved, it not only gives them publicity, it makes the community more aware of the charity.”

After the check presentation, Becker and the four other contestants were called to the stage where they would select envelopes set up in a pyramid style. The bottom row had five cards, and the person who opened a card with an X was out.

This continued until only two contestants and the top row of two cards remained. Becker would pick first, as Bartle Hall briefly turned into the Price is Right.

“They were yelling, ‘Right! Right! Right!” Becker said, referring to the two envelopes. “I decided to go with the gut. And then I thought intuitively. Something took me to the left.”

The other person took the card on the right. They opened their cards, and Becker’s card read, “Car.” He won.

“The first thing I thought was I always wanted a Mustang,” Becker said. “I stopped at a kiosk, put my name in once. Turns out it was worth that 2 minutes.”

This enthusiasm played out six more times during the 4½-day auto show. Becker was impressed by what took place the first night.

“The charitable stuff is fantastic,” Becker said. “Will Shields giving his time to the group. The dealerships are very generous in Kansas City.”

It was the type of excitement the auto show’s board of directors envisioned when they came up with the idea to give away new cars and donate money to local charities.

Last year the auto show brought in Jay Leno for a concert, and the money raised in that event went to charities. This year the auto show donated $35,000 to seven charities.

“Larry Carl, our director, is going to have a fun time trying to think of something new,” Balderston said of next year’s auto show. “It was his idea for Jay Leno and his idea to give away the cars. This is fabulous.”

It was so innovative that in the week leading up to the auto show, Greg Goebel, auto show chairman and executive vice president and general manager at Shawnee Mission Ford, had to convince people that there weren’t any gimmicks about winning a new car.

“I did a number of interviews, and it was interesting that people in general were just a little bit apprehensive,” Goebel said. “They thought there was more to it than just the giveaway. Once we convince them, no, that we are giving away seven cars, they said, ‘Wow.’”

It definitely added to an already festive atmosphere.

“It was so exciting,” Starr said. “The energy here was amazing. All the contestants were very excited. It was really a lot of fun.”

If you have a story you would like to see On the Move, email David Boyce at Drive@kcstar.com.

This story was originally published March 13, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Car giveaway at KC auto show creates a festive atmosphere."