Coverage of meeting to quell bad Christmas display blood prompts Web chatter

The Prairie Village Police Department held a meeting last week with residents of Falmouth Street to identify ways to lessen the inconvenience they experience during the holiday season, when neighbor Mike Babick’s annual holiday display draws thousands of visitors.

Though the meeting appears to have generated some possible solutions to check the imposition on neighbors, coverage of the event prompted some chatter on local Web sites about what kind of a business opportunity the display presents.

“Tom” responded to the Pitch’s piece on the meeting with a comment questioning whether Babick was making money on the display:

I used to live on the street. I’ve since sold my house.
Babick is all about money. Follow the cash. 50,000 vehicles a year according to babick. Each group usually leaves $1 to 2$. All “Babucks” neighbors know it and that’s what causes problems!
“Babucks” is no “Secret Santa”. Secret Santa was genuinely about Christmas. Babucks is all about the cash. Party buses and aggresive drunks are good business: just ask a stripper.

And on the Star’s Web site, several people chimed in with ideas for capitalizing on the high traffic flow. Said “PrairieVoice”:

I saw this display for the first time last year and what got me, besides being how cool it was, was that along with the dozens of cars and buses driving by, I saw 2 limo’s parked out front! What this tells me is that this guy is sitting on a gold mine. With the numbers and quality of people this display attracts I ‘m VERY surprised he doesnt solicit advertisers. Better yet, why doesnt some down on their luck stripmall or shopping center offer to buy the guy out and put his display on their property to attract holiday shoppers? Are you listening Metcalf South, Ranchmart, and Corinth?

The Pitch: Mike Babick inspires neighborly love in everyone with his Christmas display … except his neighbors

The Kansas City Star: If he’s Mr. Christmas, traffic is the Grinch