Don’t let Kansas City raid small-dollar neighborhood tourism fund for ‘major’ events
The Kansas City Council is considering major adjustments to an obscure program called the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund. It provides roughly $1.5 million annually to dozens of small and not-so-small groups for small festivals and public events.
It’s more than 30 years old. Now, though, some at City Hall want to set aside 30% of the fund for “major” events and “city sponsored” activities. That’s about $400,000 a year.
We urge the council to proceed cautiously. The NTDF, as it’s known, has had its share of problems in the past, but it provides critical cash to smaller events that provide opportunities for residents and visitors each year. Those activities should be protected.
It was not intended to defray the costs of a parade, or major events such as the World Cup or the NFL draft. It shouldn’t be used for those or similar expenses. And there are other ways for city staffers to buy seats or tickets to fundraising events instead of raiding the NTDF, as some have proposed.
The fund was invented in 1989, as a last-minute addition to a bill in the Missouri legislature authorizing local taxes to promote tourism and expand Bartle Hall. The idea? Use 10% of funds generated from voter-approved restaurant and hotel taxes to promote “cultural, social, ethnic, historic, educational and recreational activities” in neighborhoods.
It quickly became controversial. Some called the NTDF a “slush fund” with little accountability or proper record-keeping. Mayors, from Emanuel Cleaver to Sly James, thought some of the money should be set aside for big-time events, such as a citywide arts festival.
A special committee typically spends weeks reviewing applications before consideration by the full City Council. In the past the council has added expenditures, or changed the committee’s recommendations. Staffing for the NTDF committee has been spotty, too, which is a familiar problem at City Hall.
Yet through it all, the NTDF fund has done a pretty good job boosting the small events that honor Kansas City’s rich cultural history and diversity. In 2022 and 2023, the list of grantees contains familiar names: $27,000 for the American Jazz Museum, $22,300 for the Kansas City Pride Parade and Festival, $10,000 for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
NTDF money goes for the Celebration at Station, the Art Westport festival and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
But smaller groups get money, too. There’s $1,800 for a tour of homes in historic Northeast, $2,400 for a youth sports festival in Platte County, $6,700 for a fall festival in Waldo. For dozens of smaller groups, NTDF is critical funding. Without it, these events would likely disappear, leaving Kansas Citians poorer for it.
That’s why setting aside nearly one-third of the fund for larger events is troublesome. Major events have a much easier time attracting support from corporations and individuals. For those endeavors, $1,500 or $2,000 is mere pocket change.
The same cash can be life or death for a neighborhood crafts fair.
We support the World Cup, of course, and the football draft, and we like a good parade as much as anyone. But we enjoy small weekend recitals and concerts, too. Or a dance performance. Or a school fair, or a walk through a community garden. All are supported this year by the NTDF.
A hearing on the proposal is tentatively set for Wednesday. There have been several delays in considering the plan, however, and further delays are possible.
Kansas City’s neighborhood tourist fund has not been problem-free, by any means. On the whole, however, it has met its goal of promoting Kansas City to tourists and to Kansas Citians. Diverting substantial sums to events that can raise money in other ways does a disservice to the community, and should be resisted at 12th and Oak.
This story was originally published July 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM.