Keep Out: Judge Says K.C. Architect Hearing Will Be Closed

Jackson County Circuit Judge Preston Dean ruled Tuesday that the committee assessing architectural teams vying to design Kansas City’s new Sprint Center “will be allowed to meet in closed session,” according to Dan Margolies of the K.C. STAR. The K.C. Star sued the city on Friday “after city officials said the city-appointed Architect Selection Committee would interview the competing architectural teams in closed session. The interviews, set to take place Thursday, are designed to assess the firms' qualifications.” K.C. Star VP & Editor Mark Zieman said that the newspaper was “disappointed and surprised by the ruling.” Zieman: “We'll work to keep this process open, and we urge the city to embrace that goal as well. City Hall needed the public's help in approving the downtown arena, and now is not the time to shut them out of the process” (K.C. STAR, 9/29).