"Downtown could use a little fun, I say. But in this case the fun comes with a price. Because the casino would operate on sovereign Indian land, it would not be subjected to state and federal regulations that govern the care of historic buildings.

The Scottish Rite Temple, a former meeting space for local Masons, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1985. Under most circumstances, that designation would make it more difficult for the temple’s owners to make changes that would violate the building’s historic and architectural integrity.

But these aren’t most circumstances, and it appears as if the tribe isn’t too concerned about violating that historic and architectural integrity. For proof, look no further than the sign perched on two brass stands above the temple’s entrance.

Bulky and bright, this Reno-like sign bears the casino’s name and that of its ground floor restaurant, Lucky’s Steak & Chophouse. Its color scheme — green, red and black with hints of orange — isn’t the most coordinated. But what do you expect? This is a casino sign. It does what it’s supposed to do: draw attention.

What it doesn’t do — as if this needs to be said — is blend well with the building it advertises. Instead, it obscures some of its interesting features, including much of a prominent, cathedral-like window and wording that was carved in the stone façade."

Get the Story:
Mark Wiebe column: Casino sign is a blight on historic building (The Kansas City Star 11/22)