MLB: Kansas City one of the best All-Star Game hosts

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Major League Baseball has named Kansas City one of the best cities ever to host All-Star Week.
         
One group said the city has been such an impressive host, that All-Star Week is now expected to attract millions of more dollars in the future.

Crowds packed buses, crowded the Country Club Plaza and downtown city streets on Tuesday.

But visitors said they do not mind the crowds here.

One man who has been to nine All Star games said he can overlook the hustle and bustle, because Kansas City's hospitality has hit a home run with him.

"They're courteous, open doors, you sneeze they say bless you," Chris Gamell, of Dallas, said.

A Jackson, Miss., man said he was a bit skeptical of what he would see in this "cow town," but he said he was converted after spending a couple of days here.

"Everybody's been awesome!" he said.

Major League Baseball agrees.

The MLB said the 6,000 local volunteers who signed up to help with the 43 All-Star events did so quicker than volunteers have in any All-Star city.

"Normally they're still looking for them in June," Rick Hughes, with the KC Convention & Visitors Bureau, said.

The MLB said Kansas City set a record attendance at its Saturday 5-K run and that all three big baseball events at the "K" sold out months ago, earlier than any other city.

"Fan fest had one of the best openings," Hughes said.

The KC Convention & Visitors Bureau said that will make Kansas City's wallet bigger in the end.
        
Huge groups like the National Rifle Association and the national high school group DECA were invited to Kansas City during All-Star week.

They'll decide if Kansas City sold itself as a future convention site.
        
DECA would bring 13,000 people.

"I think they'll definitely get more business," Christopher Young, with DECA, said.

So did another All-Star guest deciding if she should bring thousands for a first time convention here.

"I want to know how my people will be treated," Rhonda Baker, with the National Academic Advisors, said. "People here have been very gracious."

We asked, "So that (hospitality) may have sold it?"

Baker said, with a smile, "Oh definitely, so gracious. Perfect."

"You can have this event here or anywhere but it's the people who make it," visitor Gamell said.

The city hopes its hospitality will make Kansas City business "All-Star" for years to come.

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