Kansas City News Blog

We'd hoped that Cordish's removal of undesirables from the pulsing economic organ of chain bars and restaurants known as Power & Light was a one time thing. Sadly, it's not just preachers having a hard time. Many more have been turned away by those hearty few charged with protecting the virtue of PBR Big Sky's mechanical bull, the standing of what is apparently the city's only rock bar and the limited supply of Famous Dave's barbecue.

 

We've written about Dan Krulewich before. At 41, the man has talent with balloon crafts that range from your average, kid-pleasing giraffe to three-foot-long marital aids. Unfortunately, Krulewich says his balloon trickery was unable to melt Cordish's icy heart.

Krulewich started visiting P&L this spring and through the summer months, stopping by on the odd Friday or Saturday, giving out kiddy shapes if he was there in the afternoon or more adult fare during bar-crowd hours. When Cordish's security guards noticed him -- in the middle of a crowd giving kids balloons -- they apparently assumed his balloon-fu was far too dangerous for them to handle alone, and called in the KCPD.

Before you assume Krulewich was working an angle: He doesn't charge for his creations but does accept tips.

"This scene would repeat every time," Krulewich says. "I was there and some woman would ask me if I could make a balloon dong and I said yes. Then the area supervisor saw it, asked if it was a dong, and I said yes, and he ran off to tattle on me. Then the police come, and they say Cordish is claiming it's some violation of the law to make an adult-oriented balloon.

"I don't think the PD is trying to give P&L special status, but I think Cordish has done everything they can to misinform people as to what the rules are. They keep arguing that somehow the red part of the sidewalk is private property and your freedoms end there. They keep acting like Westport and the Plaza are somehow unique, but in those areas the sidewalks are technically owned by private businesses too, and they don't have special rules. It's no different. There's nothing special there."

Krulewich has been in touch with our local ACLU over Cordish's actions, and he says he knows of several other performers who've tried to entertain downtown and had the cops called on them.

ACLU reps contacted by The Pitch say they agree with Krulewich's interpretation of the law with regard to downtown sidewalks, but haven't had the chance to meet with Cordish about their concerns.

"I'm sorry," Krulewich argues, "if your business is on a public street you have to give up a certain amount of control."

We e-mailed P&L President Jon Stephens to clear this up, but haven't received a response. In the interest of fairness, here's an excerpt from an e-mail he sent us regarding our last story on the subject.

"There are portions of the sidewalk that are privately managed, however we maintain a policy that First Amendment rights are not to be infringed upon on any of the sidewalk areas regardless of the semantics...you are correct that the Public Safety officers need to be briefed more fully on this issue. As the President of the Distrcit, I have personally taken responsiblity for that. Finally, our paramount goal is to provide a positive environment for all to enjoy."

Let's hope he's not blowing hot air. -- Peter Rugg