The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Kudos to Ron Burbick, the man behind the downtown Kent renaissance, for purchasing the old downtown hotel. Parts of it have been vacant for 40 years.

Article on the Purchase:
http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5118799

Tour of the Building:
http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5118803

It really amazes me, well not really, that a lot of people are griping over the deal.

On a different news article someone from Canton, OH put it best,

"This negative commentary is amazing to me. I am from Canton, Ohio, and I will tell you we would love to have the development and energy taking place in Kent. What is it, 150 million dollars in a town as small as Kent? As far as I can tell, there is really only one town in the entire region of this state that is "booming - and that town is Kent. Celebrate your good fortune for crying out loud!"


Thank you Ron for all you have done for this great City!

Kent's residents (well the vocal ones anyway as I know people that like it) are very small town minded and seem to want to keep it that way. Sadly they don't realize that many of the best college towns are NOT big places but have some very nice things in them and Kent can be like these places. In fact having an excellent downtown that is even better might convince students to stay over weekends (which they tend to not do from what I have seen) and care more about the area and our programs. That is what is needed to get support we need these things to happen.

(11-03-2011 05:35 PM)Sultan of Euphonistan Wrote:  Kent's residents (well the vocal ones anyway as I know people that like it) are very small town minded and seem to want to keep it that way. Sadly they don't realize that many of the best college towns are NOT big places but have some very nice things in them and Kent can be like these places. In fact having an excellent downtown that is even better might convince students to stay over weekends (which they tend to not do from what I have seen) and care more about the area and our programs. That is what is needed to get support we need these things to happen.

AMEN!
Most nice college towns have more than skyscrapers and bars. This puts a nice touch into a small town that looks appealing, not gawdy.

I can't tell you how many times I was told by people in the dorms that they were going home for the weekend when I lived in the dorms (something I did for 5 years). Most of my roommates that were not from Arizona (to be honest the only exception was my little who was in the marching band and Kappa Kappa Psi which are organizations that seem to contain a lot of people that will stay) spent a number of weekends at the dorm that could be counted on my fingers TOTAL. That signals to me why our student support tends to be weak and we have a hard time convincing alumni to come back.

The citizens of Kent ought to have a parade for Ron Burbrick.

By the way, the plans for the KSU Conference Center and Hotel are very nice. Going to be an esplanade connecting the hotel downtown right to campus.

The city and university officials have definitely been doing a really good job of working together and getting some really nice projects going. Very exciting time, in the next few years the downtown should really improve and Mr. Burbrick is a big part. Any residents that have problems with it need to stop whining.

(11-03-2011 09:05 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  The city and university officials have definitely been doing a really good job of working together and getting some really nice projects going. Very exciting time, in the next few years the downtown should really improve and Mr. Burbrick is a big part. Any residents that have problems with it need to stop whining.

Must be quite a quandry for city residents concerning Kent's new developments. Let's compare the choices...continue as is, not much there, kinda shabby, not much $$ coming in, boring, etc..or go with the multi million $ develpments that may attract some folks from outside of town and bring a lot of the 20,000 plus students into downtown to spend $$. Unbelievable that anyone could object.

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got"

Sadly a lot o residents don't like "noisy and obnoxious" students and the like. They feel keeping the city back is better than having more traffic, noise, etc. Like I said they seem to like the small town atmosphere. Heck it was a real pain just to put a gas station on 43 down past downtown so you don't have to go all the way towards campus or Stow to just get gas. The reason they did not want it was the idea that there would be too much noise, the lights would bother people, etc. The residents that were complaining lost and now there is a gas station. These are the people that we are talking about.

Earlier this summer, there was a also business owner closer to Cajun Dave's that objected to them having a smoker and taking up a parking spot. Ultimately, City Council voted 5-4 to allow it. However, one City Council member voted no because the smoke would harm nearby businesses, residents and TREES! Yes i said trees.

Read the article if you don't believe me:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5037107

They do make some good major decisions like supporting their local schools but man do they sweat the small stuff.

First public comments from Mr. Burbick about his plans for the old hotel:

http://www.ohio.com/news/former-kent-hot...n-1.243870

(11-05-2011 11:04 AM)thanksjim Wrote:  First public comments from Mr. Burbick about his plans for the old hotel:

http://www.ohio.com/news/former-kent-hot...n-1.243870

What are people talking about in these comments?

(11-05-2011 11:51 AM)AlphaFlash Wrote:  

(11-05-2011 11:04 AM)thanksjim Wrote:  First public comments from Mr. Burbick about his plans for the old hotel:

http://www.ohio.com/news/former-kent-hot...n-1.243870

What are people talking about in these comments?

I believe it is this story:

http://www.ohio.com/news/mom-remembers-s...m-1.243854

(11-05-2011 10:17 AM)thanksjim Wrote:  Earlier this summer, there was a also business owner closer to Cajun Dave's that objected to them having a smoker and taking up a parking spot. Ultimately, City Council voted 5-4 to allow it. However, one City Council member voted no because the smoke would harm nearby businesses, residents and TREES! Yes i said trees.

Read the article if you don't believe me:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5037107

LOL, I remember that. I think the business claimed the smoker was turning their awning green and if memory serves it turned out to be the trees out front or something.

The city council has a few very good members. There's a couple that are space cadets though.

The city is a joke. Im surprised there havent been any protests or rallys to stop the construction. With everything that has gone on all I would like to request is that they add more parking, a Rally's and an Outback steakhouse. Add those 3 things and Ill be perfectly happy.