Visitors 1, Sprint Center (Still) 0

By PETER RUGG

People who know how to attract a professional basketball team will visit the Sprint Center in January. Just not to help Kansas City get one.

A nine-person panel brought together by the Baltimore Development Corporation is coming to town to study our own new arena. It seems Baltimore’s First Mariner Arena has, after 45 years, become inefficient and obsolete, and the city is looking to build a brand-new sports arena. We’d love to be a fly on the wall during those meetings, when visiting businessmen will hear explanations on why parking isn’t necessary and how to support your first year with aging rock stars.

But unlike Kansas City, at least Baltimore doesn’t have to worry about anchor tenants. First Mariner Arena is already home to its share of indoor football and one major indoor soccer team. And the city already has a commitment for an expansion ABA team, the Baltimore Bay Lions, to start play in 2008. Maybe KC can learn more from Baltimore than they can from us.