Remarks from Mariner Kemper 2014 Chairman of the Board of the American Royal

Transcription

1 Remarks from Mariner Kemper 2014 Chairman of the Board of the American Royal Opening & Appreciation This is truly an honor to stand before you today to continue the tradition of The American Royal, and build upon the efforts of our previous Chairmen, Board of Directors, Staff and Volunteers who have made The America Royal so successful. Cynthia, it is a privilege to follow in your footsteps. And your leadership this past year has strengthened the mission of The American Royal To promote and celebrate the excellence in agricultural progress and to develop future generations of leaders through agrarian values.

2 My personal interest in this mission dates back to the lessons I learned from both my father. My childhood and adolescent memories are filled with a connection to land, nature, animals and getting your hands dirty. Sure they wore suits and ties. Worked in office buildings. And helped people manage their money the RIGHT way. But at the end of the day, and most Saturday afternoons ties were replaced by hats, hallways replaced by fences and ceilings became the blue sky. My father truly loved the American Royal as did his father did before him. I share that love and understanding of the agrarian lifestyle and values. Personal Story That lifestyle philosophy really hit home this past Thanksgiving as I was reading the biography of President Eisenhower by Stephen Ambrose.

3 President Eisenhower. Here s a man who served as Supreme Commander in Chief of World War II and President of the United States. And when he could find time to take a break from serving our nation What did he do? He returned to his roots in Abilene, Kansas. Put on his boots saddled a horse talked about the weather and last year s alfalfa crop and voiced his opinion on the differences between John Deere vs. International Harvester. He put himself in an environment that he believed in the values, the sensibility and self-reliance born from an agrarian lifestyle. He embraced and understood the work ethic and ambition that is formed from living off the land. And then carried those principles and experiences in leading people and our nation to peace and prosperity. I believe we need to act like Ike, as many have said before. Lead with that work ethic and ambition. Self-reliance. Values matter.

4 State of The American Royal Today, The American Royal enters the 115 th year of serving and celebrating agriculture. And the core of our mission is to support the future of agriculture. We cannot, and must not, lose sight of this purpose to serve current and future generations. Every year we are introduced to these inspirational leaders, The Royal Scholars, and are captivated by their accomplishments and what is important to them. It s motivating. And when we listen to them, it s not about their farm their town their county or their state. Their vision is about our future and our country and this reinforces what The American Royal stands for. The American Royal is not an isolated activity for Kansas City or the Midwest. It is the AMERICAN Royal. You can build a case that every person, every company, every community is touched by and obligated to play a role in our agriculture system.

5 After all, our economy and livelihood are reliant on a functional and safe agricultural system. We are lucky to have such a rich ag history in Kansas City that gives us the platform to not only provide leadership but to celebrate what Kansas City and our surrounding regions mean to our national food and agrarian culture. As Greg Maday once coined, the American Royal is truly Kansas City s most authentic asset. Every city has a performing arts center. Every city has a football team, but there are only a handful of cities in America that have something as special as the American Royal. The American Royal is a critical piece in that food chain. We have done a great job as a supporter and advocate of agriculture throughout the years. The American Royal livestock shows, rodeos, educational programs, scholarships and worldfamous barbecues are a foundation we all can take pride in.

6 Our Barbeque is the world s largest, but in my opinion, it is still Kansas City s best kept secret. When visitors come to town, what s the first thing they want to do? Hit up a world-famous Kansas City barbeque joint. We have a better reputation nationally than we recognize locally. We are continually featured on every Best Barbeque list and the Food Network does regular exposés on Kansas City barbeque. The American Royal barbeque should be THE event in Kansas City. It s one of our best assets. And now is the time to think and act deeper than our roots and beyond our fences. But before we do that, we must have a heightened focus on cultivating our community. It is essential for us to involve a broader base of individual, civic and corporate support for The American Royal.

7 We need to act and think like Louisville, Kentucky when it comes to the Kentucky Derby. Or like Austin, Texas when it comes to the South by Southwest Festival. Or Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Those communities not only rally around the purpose they also captivate the attention and participation of people throughout the U.S. and internationally. And that s what we need to do. That s what we CAN do with the efforts of everyone in this room today. The American Royal is valuable, unique and important and it s up to all of us to make sure others have the opportunity to know the purpose it serves and the benefits it provides. This will be part of our mission for 2014, and we need your help to make it happen.

8 The American Royal in 2014 Many believe no other city in the U.S. can claim an agricultural history as rich as Kansas City s. From Lewis & Clark, to The Oregon Trail to one of the country s biggest railway hubs, Kansas City has served as a focal point for transporting grains, animals and freight. A recent report estimated the total value of freight handled within the Kansas City area each year is more than $800 billion. Thanks in large part to the entrepreneurial vision of Kansas City Southern Railway, Kansas City has direct access to markets throughout the southern U.S., Mexico and the Pacific region. This intersection of transportation and commerce has fueled entrepreneurial opportunities established by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce s Big 5 initiative. In fact, Kansas City has now established a global reputation as the center of the Animal Health Industry, and hosts several important international animal health conferences every year.

9 Given this, there are 3 areas I will make a priority in 2014 First, we need to capitalize on our location in the Heartland This is an opportunity to rally around what s unique in Kansas City We should expand scholarship and educational activities to reach far beyond our borders Secondly, we need to secure broader engagement and endorsement from corporate and civic leadership Including our City leaders, Chamber, and downtown civic leaders. We need our leaders to embrace The American Royal and recognize importance and impact to our city. The economic impact of the American Royal is more than $60 million, and generates $4.4 million in local tax revenue and supports more than 450 jobs

10 o The All-Star game comes around to Kansas City once in a generation. It has a $60 million impact to the local economy. American Royal does that EVERY year. The impact is undeniable. o Can you imagine what that impact would be if the entire city and region felt ownership for the American Royal? And lastly, We are working hard with the city to finalize plans to create a new facility that will breathe new life into the American Royal and agriculture activities. A facility that will draw new economic activity to our city. The new facility is not only designed for American Royal constituents, but for the broader community. The American Royal will serve as the anchor tenet but the facility will be a multi-purpose event center that will serve the needs of the community at large. Specifically our neighbors in the West Bottoms.

11 I am confident that the plan we are working on cooperatively with the City and its officials will come to pass. This plan includes: o private fundraising, of which 80% has been raised o $30 million from the City, which is in essence, a continuation of current obligations. This plan in fact will ultimately save the City money. o The remaining $20 million will come from state and federal resources that we are actively pursuing. Our conversations with the city have been positive. I expect these encouraging negotiations to conclude in the very near future. Stay tuned. As we look to the future, our role is not to defend The American Royal, but rather to promote it and build excitement for what we offer. We have an obligation and a responsibility before us. And I look forward to working with each and every one of you to carry on our mission.

12 Closing President Eisenhower once said, Whatever America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first come to pass in the heart of America. Well America, here we are. The American Royal. Thank you.