Group hopes city will OK plans for KU-MU party

By Chad Lawhorn     Nov 17, 2007

Big game. Big screen.

No, a really big screen.

Kansas University fans may have the chance to watch the upcoming KU vs. Missouri football game on a 50-foot, outdoor screen near the corner of Ninth and New Hampshire streets, if city commissioners approve a request from Downtown Lawrence Inc.

The downtown group is hoping to project the game – which will be played at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 24 – on the large, southern wall of the city’s parking garage near Ninth and New Hampshire streets.

Jane Pennington, director of Downtown Lawrence Inc., said food, drink and beer vendors would start setting up at 5:30 p.m. Fans can bring their lawn chairs and blankets to sit in a grassy lot near the garage.

“It is going to be a great party,” Pennington said.

But the good times aren’t ready to roll quite yet. City commissioners must approve the plan before it can happen. City commissioners will consider it at their 6:35 p.m. Tuesday meeting.

The other possible hiccup is that the game time hasn’t officially been set. There’s been wide speculation that the televised tilt will kick off at 7 p.m. But ABC also said the game could kick off at 2:30 p.m. Downtown organizers are counting on the 7 p.m. start.

City Commissioner Mike Amyx said he’s supportive of the idea as long as the group proposes a good plan for ensuring that alcohol served at the party doesn’t make its way off-site.

“I think it could bring a lot of excitement to downtown,” Amyx said. “People love to watch these games with large groups.”

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