Medary.com

File under Jackson County/Kansas City Governmental Incompetence (a rather fat file). The contract for excavating the hole for Kansas City's Sprint Center arena gets zero responses from contractors.

“There were 17 pre-qualification paragraphs we had to comply with, including listing all the projects we’ve been involved with in the past five years in which there have been contract changes,” (contractor project manager Chip) Zuck said.

“We’ve done 800 in the last five years. That would have taken our office two weeks to prepare for just one of the 17 requirements.”

Leon Rieke, president of Max Rieke & Brothers, said his firm declined to bid because the deal was unappealing on many levels.

“The way the plans and specifications were drawn up, it was not in my financial benefit to be at the job,” he said.

Somebody in Kansas City government needs to be fired. And I'm not talking about they guys in the engineering office trying to do their jobs. I'm talking about senior managers and the politicians above them who insist on micromanaging through the contracting process. There is no way this arena will be built for the $250 million figure they've tossed out. Mark my words--this project is headed for disaster. An arena will be built, but it will disappoint everyone involved unless something changes radically and quickly.